NEWPORT, R.I. - Fifth-seeded Salve Regina University women's basketball joined sixth-seeded MIT and seventh-seeded WPI with road upsets in the quarterfinals of the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) Championships on Wednesday evening. The Seahawks (15-10) advance to their first NEWMAC semifinal on Friday, February 28, and will face top-seeded and ninth-ranked Smith College at 7 p.m. in Ainsworth Gymnasium (Tickets). The winner will host the championship game on Sunday, March 2, at 2 p.m. versus the winner of tonight's other semifinal (#6 MIT v. #7 WPI).

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MARLBOROUGH, Mass. – With the conclusion of the women's basketball regular season on Saturday afternoon, defending NEWMAC Champions Smith College clinches the top seed in the 2025 NEWMAC Women's Basketball Championship. The NEWMAC Women's Basketball Championship consists of eight teams that will compete for the crown, which will begin on Wednesday, February 26 with the quarterfinal round.

Smith (11-0) will host the eighth-seeded Coast Guard Academy (5-6) on Wednesday. Ally Landau has made an impact on both sides of the floor, as she averages 14.1 points per game, along with 2.5 steals. She is also a downtown threat, as well, converting a league-leading 47% of three-point attempts. Coast Guard's Dorothy Stotts is an offensive threat of her own, as she is currently second in the NEWMAC in scoring with 18.4 per game.

Babson College (8-3) claimed the second seed and will host seventh seeded WPI (5-6) on Wednesday. Babson is led by Katelyn Mollica, who averages 15.1 points per game. WPI's Ava Giansiracusa will also look to make an impact as she averages 11.8 points per game.

Springfield College (7-4) takes the third seed by virtue of a tiebreaker. Angie Czeremcha averages a near double-double of 14.6 points per game, and 9.1 rebounds per game. The Pride will host the sixth-seeded MIT (7-4). Kamsi Nwogu enters the postseason averaging double-figures with 16.0 points per game behind a league-leading .60 field goal percentage.

Emerson College (7-4) has secured the fourth seed. The Lions will host No. 5 Salve Regina University (7-4). Emerson's Bri Frongillo is the league's top offensive threat, leading the league with 21.6 points per game and 5.3 assists per game. Salve is led by Briana Neary's 15.3 points per game and Sofia Neary's league-leading 10.9 boards per game.

On Friday, February 28, the winner of the No. 5 and No. 4 matchup will take on the winner of the No. 1 and No. 8 battle, while the winner of No. 3 and No. 6 will advance to play the winner of No. 2 and No. 7.

The semifinal winners will then compete for the NEWMAC title on Sunday, March 2.

Tickets for NEWMAC championship events can be purchased through the ticket links below. The NEWMAC encourages fans to purchase their mobile tickets in advance of the event to streamline the entry process on game day. Spectators may purchase mobile tickets on site, but no cash option will be available. Ticket prices are $10 for general admission. Children 12 and under and NEWMAC students with a valid institutional ID are free and do not need to purchase a mobile ticket. Once a matchup is confirmed following each round of the championship the tickets will become available.

Semifinal and final action of the 2025 NEWMAC Women's Basketball Championship will be produced by NEWMAC partner Northeast Sports Network and streamed live on FloSports.  SIGN UP HERE.

2025 NEWMAC Women's Basketball Championship

1. Smith (11-0)               
2. Babson (8-3)              
3. Springfield (7-4)                     
4. Emerson (7-4)                        
5. Salve Regina (7-4)    
6. MIT (7-4)                                
7. WPI (5-6)                               
8. Coast Guard (5-6)                  

No. 8 Coast Guard 62, No. 1 Smith 70 - Final | Box Score
No. 7 WPI 60, No. 2 Babson 54 - Final | Box Score
No. 6 MIT 70, No. 3 Springfield 65 (OT) - Final | Box Score
No. 5 Salve Regina 93, No. 4 Emerson 87 - Final | Box Score

Semifinals: Friday, February 28 (at highest remaining seed)

No. 5 Salve Regina at No. 1 Smith – 7:00 PM | Tickets
No. 7 WPI at No. 6 MIT – 7:00 PM | Tickets

Championship: Sunday, March 2 (at highest remaining seed)

Semifinal Winners – TBD

LAST TIME OUT
BOSTON, Mass. (Wednesday, February 26, 2025) -- Graduate student Amanda Folan scored a career-high 36 points and dished out a game-high seven assists as fifth-seeded Salve Regina University women's basketball defeated fourth-seeded Emerson College, 93-87, in the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) quarterfinal round at the Bobbi Brown and Steven Plofker Gym in Boston on Wednesday evening. The Seahawks (15-10, 7-4 NEWMAC) advance to the semifinals where they'll face #9-ranked and top-seeded Smith College as the Pioneers were 70-62 winners over eighth-seeded Coast Guard tonight.

MORE READING: Salve Regina tops Emerson, 93-87, to advance to semifinal

SEAHAWKS NOTES FROM THE NEST

• Salve Regina has reached a conference championship game 13 times; last in 2013.
• Previous Seahawk championships - (9x) 1987-88, 1988-89, 2001-02, 2002-03, 2003-04, 2006-07, 2008-09, 2010-11, 2011-12.
• Top four Seahawks in scoring - Briana Neary (15.2) Sofia Neary (15.0), Amanda Folan (13.7), and Ashley Rourke (11.3).
• Seahawks are the only team to feature four in the NEWMAC Top Twenty scoring list.
• Sofia Neary leads the league in rebounding (10.9) and is the only NEWMAC player to average a double-double for the season.
• Salve Regina milestones reached: Ashley Rourke became the 17th women's basketball player to reach the 1,000-point plateau on Jan. 2, 2025, at Framingham State.
• Salve Regina head coach Cori Hughes has an overall record of 235-216 (.521) in 18 seasons with the Seahawks. Her career win total is 271 with 36 coming in her previous stint at Daniel Webster.
• Seahawks earned their first-ever victory in NEWMAC postseason on Wednesday evening.
• Amanda Folan made 12-of-25 from the floor including three 3-pointers and nine free throws to shatter her previous career-high (25 points) set last week at home against Coast Guard.
• Sofia Neary registered her 12th double-double of the year (20 points, game-high 13 rebounds) and was an efficient 9-of-11 from the floor.
• Briana Neary made half of her field goal attempts (6-of-12) while nearly joining her sister in the double-double feat (nine rebounds).
• Seahawks are currently on their longest win streak of season (four games) after previously having two three-game win streaks.

SMITH SNIPPETS 

• Senior guard Jane Loo scored seven points in the closing minutes of the game as the No. 1 seed Smith College basketball team outlasted No. 8 seed Coast Guard, 70-62, on Wednesday evening in the NEWMAC quarterfinals inside Ainsworth Gymnasium.
• This marks the fifth-straight year that the Pioneers will be playing in the conference tournament semifinals. Smith improves to 24-2 on the year, while the Bears season comes to an end with an overall record of 16-10. 
• Ella Sylvester posted a double-double with 21 points and 11 rebounds.
• Jane Loo contributed 16 points, three rebounds, two assists, and two steals.
• Hannah Martin also chipped in a double-double with 10 points, 11 boards, and five assists.
• Smith shot 43.1% from the field (28-of-65), 26.7% (4-of-15) from three-point range, and 83.3% (10-of-12) from the free throw line.
• The visitors shot 41.2% (28-of-68) from the field, 13.3% (2-of-15) from long distance, and 80% (4-of-5) from the free throw line.
• Smith owned a 41-31 advantage on the boards.

INSIDE THE SERIES
With its 50-point victory last month, the Pioneers improved to 5-0 in the all-time series with all five meetings in the last nine years. 

WHAT'S NEXT?
Winner will host the NEWMAC final on Sunday, March 2, against the other semifinal winner (No. 6 MIT or No. 7 WPI).