The Red Dragons enter the NCAA Tournament with a 23-4 overall record and 17-1 record in SUNYAC play. The Red Dragons started the season with a 2-2 record with losses to No. 2 Scranton and No. 17 Carnegie Mellon. The Red Dragons then held a 20-1 record in their next 21 games. After defeating Oneoata in the Conference Semifinal game, the Red Dragons fell to SUNY New Paltz in the SUNYAC Championship game. The Red Dragons finished the season with a 12-3 record on the season in away games.
The Red Dragons offense ranks in the middle of the country as well with 61.8 points per game. The Red Dragons offense though has one of the top field goal percentages in the country, entering the tournament 17th with a 43.3%. The Cortland defense is one of the best in the country, ranking fourth, allowing only 47.7 points per game. The Red Dragons also have one of the top rebounding units in the country with an 8.7 rebound margin, which ranks 29th in the country.
Players to Watch
#5 Joleen Lusk: 11.2 PPG, 7.4 REB/G, 45 blocks, 38 assists, 27 steals
#13 Jackie Funk: 11.0 PPG, 4.0 REB/G, 29 assists, 16 steals
#10 Brooke Tillotson: 10.7 PPG, 4.6 REB/G, 47 steals, 34 assists, 13 blocks
#32 Sophie Bissaillon: 6.4 PPG, 4.7 REB/G, 16 assists, 15 steals, 11 blocks
#33 Sam Dembinsky: 6.2 PPG, 2.9 REB/G, 20 assists, 15 steals
#20 Kaeli McAnally: 5.6 PPG, 2.5 REB/G, 55 assists, 15 steals
History Against Messiah
The Falcons will be playing Cortland for the first time in program history.
The Violets enter the 2026 NCAA Tournament with a perfect 25-0 record and a 14-0 record in UAA play. The Violets have won the past two NCAA Division III Championships and have won 87 straight games with their last loss coming in the Elite Eight in the 2023 NCAA Tournament. NYU won five games this season against teams that are ranked in the final top 25 D3hoops.com regular season poll.
NYU enters the tournament leading the country in scoring (88.2 PPG), assists per game (20.5), and three pointers per game (10.8). One of the most efficient offenses in the country, the Violets rank second in the country with a 12.72 turnover margin, with the third best assist to turnover ratio in the country (1.41). The Violets defense is also one of the best in the country, allowing only 52.3 points per game. The defense enters the tournament with 17.5 steals per game, which ranks third in the country
Players to Watch
#11 Caroline Peper: 18.5 PPG, 2.8 REB/G, 80 assists, 68 steals
#20 Brooke Batchelor: 13.2 PPG, 6.0 REB/G, 74 steals, 63 assists, 13 blocks
#10 Zahra Alexander: 12.2 PPG, 2.4 REB/G, 44 assists, 32 steals
#47 Aila Kaibara: 10.7 PPG, 2.8 REB/G, 84 assists, 29 steals
#14 Olivia Lagao: 8.5 PPG, 0.8 REB/G, 40 assists, 27 steals
#21 Yasmene Clark: 7.0 PPG, 10.4 REB/G, 43 steals, 37 assists, 14 blocks
#00 Eden Williamson: 3.5 PPG, 3.6 REB/G, 51 steals, 46 assists
History Against Messiah
The Falcons and Violets have only played one in program history with the two teams matching up in the second round in 2023. The Violets won 62-41 to advance to the Sweet Sixteen.
The Beavers enter the NCAA Tournament with a 21-7 overall record and a 15-3 record in conference play. The Beavers earned an automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament with 70-58 win over Maine Maritime Academy in the NAC Championships game. The Beavers upset Husson in the semifinal game and then Maine Maritime in the Championship to make their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2007. The Beavers enter the tournament with an 11-5 record on the road this season.
The Beavers enter the tournament with a strong offense with 68.6 points per game. The Beavers shoot 41.1 percent from the field but are not much of threat from behind the arc, with a 27.3 percentage. The Beavers though move the ball well on offense with 16.8 assists per game, which ranks 18th in the country. The Beavers defense enters the tournament allowing only52.3 points per game. The Beavers defense ranks 28th in the country with 13.1 steals per game.
Players to Watch
#23 Jaydn Pingree: 15.3 PPG, 4.8 REB/G, 64 assists, 52 steals
#22 Jessica Dow: 12.6 PPG, 5.5 REB/G, 84 steals, 74 assists, 24 blocks
#20 Audrey Mackie: 7.2 PPG, 2.4 REB/G, 30 assists, 21 steals
#44 Lilly Gray: 6.3 PPG, 3.7 REB/G, 31 assists, 13 steals ,13 blocks
#33 Melissa Mayo: 6.1 PPG, 2.4 REB/G, 32 steals, 29 assists
#34 Sarah Poll: 4.0 PPG, 5.6 REB/G, 34 assists, 26 blocks, 25 steals
History Against Messiah
The Falcons and Maine Farmington have never played in program history.
