INFLUXER/NEC WOMEN'S BASKETBALL CO-PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
Lucia Noin, Central Connecticut
Forward, Senior, 6-0, Santander, Spain/Colegio San Agustin (Raritan Valley CC)
Noin was on fire over the weekend as she led the league in scoring in a 1-1 week for Central Connecticut. The senior averaged 26.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.5 rebounds per game for the Blue Devils. In Saturday’s 86-75 win over Chicago State, Noin dropped 25 points off 8-of-15 shooting. She scored 16 points in the second half in a back-and-forth battle with the Cougars, including two clutch free throws in the closing minutes of the game as she made eight of nine from the charity stripe. Noin added 28 points and 7 rebounds while making 60.0 percent of her shots from the field at Le Moyne on Thursday night. The Spain native has netted at least 20 points in six different games this season, which is tied for the second most in the league. The 6-0 forward finished the week with a 56.6 clip from the field and 42.8 percentage from beyond the arc. She missed just two free throws all weekend after going 16-of-18. Noin ranks fourth in the conference for scoring with 13.2 ppg and steals per game (2.0). This marks the fifth straight year that a Blue Devil has taken home Influxer/NEC Player of the Week laurels.

Jenna Van Schaik, Mercyhurst
Guard, Junior, 5-7, Cincinnati, OH/Ursuline Academy
Van Schaik was instrumental in Mercyhurst’s 2-0 New York City road trip last week. The preseason All-NEC pick put up averages of 23.0 points, 4.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.0 blocks per game in wins at Wagner and LIU. Van Schaik netted a career-high 29 points in Thursday night’s comeback win over the Seahawks. The senior guard registered an impressive 58.3 clip from the field while going an efficient 14-of-17 from the charity stripe. She scored seven points in crunch time while adding a key steal with 33 seconds left to help secure the narrow win for the Lakers. Van Schaik made 50.0 percent of her shots against the Sharks on Saturday as she went for 17 points, four boards and two blocks in a three-point win. The 5-7 guard made another pair of clutch free throws with 43 ticks left on the clock to put Mercyhurst up five before LIU cut the lead to three just seconds later. The Cincinnati, OH native ranks third in the conference with 3.3 assists per game and a 1.2 assist/turnover ratio. Van Schaik is the second Laker to earn Influxer/NEC Player of the Week accolades this season, joining sophomore Cici Hernandez. Mercyhurst currently sits at third in the conference standings with an 11-4 mark and has clinched a home quarterfinal contest in the 2026 NEC Tournament.

INFLUXER/NEC WOMEN'S BASKETBALL ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
Kiyah Lewis, Central Connecticut
Guard, Freshman, 6-0, Fredericksburg, VA/James Monroe
In a 1-1 weekend for CCSU, Lewis did it all on the floor as she led all rookies in scoring with 17.0 points per game while adding 5.5 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.5 blocks. She showed out against Chicago State with 25 points off 50.0 percent shooting. Lewis added seven boards and three dimes in the win along with two clutch free throws to give CCSU the lead late in the third, which the Blue Devils would hold onto for the remainder of the game. The Fredericksburg, VA native also stuffed the stat sheet at Le Moyne on Thursday night with a nine-point, four-rebound, three-assist and three-block outing. Lewis has notched four 20-point showings this season, which is the most among NEC rookies. She is also one of five players in the league to own multiple games with at least 25 points. Lewis is the first CCSU hooper to take home NEC Rookie of the Week honors in nearly four years as the last Blue Devil to win the award was Lara Rohkohl on December 19, 2022.

NEC PRIME PERFORMERS

Kiyah Lewis, CCSU (Fr., G)
Last week: 17.0 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 3.0 apg, 1.5 bpg, 37.5 FG%

- Named Influxer/NEC Rookie of the Week.
- Netted 25 points off a 50.0 clip in CCSU's win over Chicago State.
- Added nine points, four boards, three assists and three blocks at Le Moyne.
- Led all NEC rookies in scoring last week.

Lucia Noin, CCSU (Sr., F)
Last week: 26.5 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 2.0 apg, 56.6 FG%, 42.8 3FG%, 88.8 FT%

- Tabbed Influxer/NEC Co-Player of the Week. 
- Had the highest scoring average in the conference last week.
- Scored 25 against Chicago State on Saturday and dropped 28 at Le Moyne on Thursday.
- Went an impressive 16-of-18 from the charity stripe.

Madlena Gerke, FDU (Gr., G/F)
Last week: 18.5 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 2.5 spg, 37.5 FG%, 39.1 3FG%, 100.0 FT%

- Dropped 19 points in 69-55 win at New Haven off five three-pointers.
- Cashed in on four buckets from beyond the arc while totaling 18 points against Chicago State.
- Drained nine three's over the weekend.
- Ranks third in the conference for three-pointers made per game (2.5).

Kailee McDonald, FDU (So., G)
Last week: 14.5 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 56.2 FG%, 53.3 3FG%, 75.0 FT%

- Nailed six three's on her way to 21 points at New Haven.
- Added eight boards against the Chargers.
- Shot an efficient 8-of-15 from beyond the arc.
- Leads the NEC in three-pointer (82) and three's per game (2.9).

Ava Renninger, FDU (So., G)
Last week: 10.5 ppg, 8.0 apg, 4.5 rpg, 1.0 spg, 33.3 FG%, 100.0 FT%

- Dished out a career-high 12 assists at New Haven on Saturday, which is the most by a NEC player this season.
- Added 12 points, seven rebounds, four assists and two steals in Thursday's win over Chicago State.
- Sits atop the conference rankings in assists per game (5.2). 
- Ranks 25th in the country for total assists (146).

Ashley Buragas, LEM (Jr., F)
Last week: 16.5 ppg, 8.5 rpg, 1.5 apg, 63.6 FG%, 83.3 FT%

- Scored 22 points and grabbed eight boards in Le Moyne's thrilling win over Stonehill.
- Notched a near double-double against CCSU with 11 points and nine rebounds.
- Went an impressive 14-of-22 from the field last week.
- Sits at second the conference with a 52.9 field goal percentage on the year.

Kadidia Toure, LIU (Sr., F)
Last week: 23.0 ppg, 12.0 rpg, 2.5 apg, 50.0 FG%, 75.0 FT%

- Registered two double-doubles over the weekend to increase her total to 11 on the year, which is tied for 25th in the nation.
- Has now registered 10 games with at least 20 points and 10 rebounds, which is tied for the most in DI.
- Recorded 20 points and 11 rebounds against SFU on Thursday and 26 points and 13 boards against Mercyhurst on Saturday.
- Leads the league in scoring (18.9), rebounding (10.2), blocks (1.5) and defensive rebounding (6.9).

Janessa Williams, LIU (Jr., G)
Last week: 19.5 ppg, 9.0 rpg, 1.0 apg, 1.0 spg, 42.3 FG%, 36.3 3FG%, 86.6 FT%

- Dropped 29 points, corralled nine boards and dropped two dimes off a 70.0 clip from the field against SFU.
- Added a near double-double with 10 points and nine rebounds against the Lakers.
- Went an impressive 12-of-14 from the charity stripe on Thursday.
- Ranks fifth in the league in scoring (13.2) and rebounding (6.8).

Cici Hernandez, MU (So., G)
Last week: 18.0 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 3.0 apg, 1.5 spg, 47.3 FG%, 38.4 3FG%, 86.6 FT%

- Netted 19 points in Thursday's comeback win at Wagner.
- Notched 17 points in a three-point victory at LIU.
- Went a perfect 6-of-6 from the free throw line against the Sharks.
- Sits at third in the conference for scoring (13.9), while coming in at second in free throw percentage (86.9) and three-pointers made (2.7).
 
Jenna Van Schaik, MU (Sr., G)
Last week: 23.0 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 2.0 apg, 1.5 spg, 1.0 bpg, 54.1 FG%, 60.0 3FG%, 80.9 FT%

- Selected as Influxer/NEC Co-Player of the Week.
- Set a new career-high in points with 29 at Wagner on Thursday night.
- Scored 17 points, grabbed four boards and blocked two shots at LIU.
-  Added four rebounds, three assists and two steals against the Seahawks.

Brooke Paquette, STO (Jr., G)
Last week: 18.0 ppg, 4.0 apg, 2.0 rpg, 2.0 spg, 35.4 FG%, 90.0 FT%

- Registered 22 points, six assists, four rebounds and two steals in a 62-58 win over New Haven.
- Shot an efficient 43.7 percent from the field against the Chargers while going 4-of-10 from three-point land.
- Netted 14 points, dropped two dimes and swipe the ball twice at Le Moyne.
- Sits seven points away from hitting the 1,000 point mark for her career.

Lijirin Doyinsola Modesayor, WAG (Jr., C)
Last week: 12.0 ppg, 10.0 rpg, 1.5 spg, 1.5 bpg, 40.0 FG%, 66.6 FT%

- Averaged a double-double last week with 12.0 ppg and 10.0 rpg. 
- Put up 11 points and 11 boards for her sixth double-double of the season against Mercyhurst.
- Nearly had another double-double with 13 points and nine rebounds against the Red Flash.
- Brings down the third-most rebounds in the conference (7.2).

#NECWBB BY THE NUMBERS

5 - In Saturday’s win over Chicago State, CCSU’s Cierra Pearson became just the 5th player in the country to record at least 11 points, 9 rebounds and 9 steals in a game this season.

3 - LIU’s Kadidia Toure is one of only 3 players nationwide with at least 20 points and 10 rebounds in 10 games this season after notching two such outings over the weekend.

34 - FDU tied the NEC record for most consecutive regular season conference wins on Saturday as it won its 34th 69-55 at New Haven. The previous record has stood since 1989.

 #NECWBB FASTBREAK

CENTRAL CONNECTICUT: Cierra Pearson swiped the ball nine times on Saturday, which is the most by a NEC player in a game this season.

CHICAGO STATE: Chicago State owns the best three-point field goal percentage defense against NEC foes - limiting opponents to 26.0 percent shooting from beyond the arc.

FDU: The Knights boast the second-best scoring defense in the nation, allowing an average of just 51.9 points per game.

LE MOYNE: Le Moyne has won five straight contests, which is the most by the Dolphins since their NEC debut season in 2023-24.

LIU: With its win over SFU on Thursday night, LIU has clinched a NEC home quarterfinal game for the first time since 2009-10.

MERCYHURST: Mercyhurst clinched a home quarterfinal game in the NEC Tournament with its win at LIU on Saturday.

NEW HAVEN: Aniya McDonald-Perry leads the NEC in steals per game with 2.6 average.

SAINT FRANCIS: SFU is one win away from becoming the first program to reach 400 NEC victories as the Red Flash earned win no. 399 on 01/17/26.

STONEHILL: With its win over New Haven on Thursday night, Stonehill has secured its spot in the 2026 NEC Tournament.

WAGNER: Wagner forces 20.2 turnovers per game, which is 39th among all Division I teams.

#NECWBB NEWS & NOTES
WHAT’S ON TAP?
The penultimate #NECWBB Thursday game day starts out with a noon start as CCSU visits Mercyhurst and continues in the evening with games at 6:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.

The final #NECWBB Saturday slate fills up the usual afternoon time slot from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.

NEC ON TV
#NECWBB makes its final appearance on ESPN+ for the regular season with New Haven taking on Le Moyne at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday. The contest will also stream on NESN Nation and on a same-day delay at 4:00 p.m. on YES Network.

HOME COURT ADVANTAGE
With the conference postseason quickly approaching, the 2026 NEC Tournament field is starting to take shape.

FDU (15-0), LIU (12-3) and Mercyhurst (11-4) have all clinched home games for the quarterfinals.

One more QF host is yet to be determined as Wagner (8-7), Le Moyne (8-7), Chicago State (7-8) and Stonehill (6-9) are all still in the running. 

SWEET VICTORY
With its 69-55 win over New Haven on Saturday, FDU tied the league record for consecutive NEC regular season win with 34. The last team to win 34 straight games was Monmouth from 1986 to 1989. The Knights can break the record with a win over Le Moyne on Thursday night. 

FDU also has the second-longest conference regular season win streak in the country - only behind No. 1 UConn (65).

Overall, FDU has won 38 straight games over NEC foes, including four postseason victories dating back to the 2024 Tournament.

The Knights are closing in on its second straight undefeated season as they sit at 15-0 with three league contests left. Additionally, FDU is one of six teams in the country to currently have a winning streak of 16 or more games.

MOVIN’ ON UP
LIU has improved its win total by 11 games from a year ago as the Sharks have 17 victories on the season. Its +11 win differential is third-best in the DI - only behind McNeese (+14) and Arizona State (+12).

The Sharks currently sit in second place in the NEC with a 12-3 mark. The last time LIU won at least 12 games in league play is 2009-10 where it went 14-4 against NEC opponents. Their 12 conference wins are the most for the program in the Sharks era.

PLAYOFF PICTURE
Seven teams have clinched their spots in the NEC Tournament with the eighth final place still up for grabs.

FDU (15-0), Chicago State (7-8), Le Moyne (8-7), LIU (12-3), Mercyhurst (11-4), Stonehill (6-9) and Wagner (8-7) have all punched their ticket to the conference postseason.

Central Connecticut (1-14) and Saint Francis (2-13) are all vying for the final tourney spot.

New Haven (5-10) is ineligible for this year’s NEC postseason.

RACKING UP WINS
FDU head coach Stephanie Gaitley notched her 750th career win on Thursday night with a 66-52 victory over Chicago State.

Gaitley is just the 15th coach in DI women’s basketball history to reach 750 wins and is one of five active coaches to the 750 mark.

COUNTDOWN TO ONE THOUSAND
Stonehill junior guard Brooke Paquette (Hudson, NH/Bishop Guertin) sits at 993 career points - putting her just seven points away from becoming the Skyhawks’ first 1,000-point scorer in their DI era.

Additionally, the reigning NEC Most Improved Player would become the only active conference player to score 1,000 points at the same school while competing as a NEC member institution.

Paquette currently ranks second in the conference for points per game with 14.5 on the year, while averaging 15.7 ppg in league play, which is fourth among NEC players.

DROPPIN’ DIMES
Reigning NEC Rookie of the Year and FDU guard Ava Renninger (Yardley, PA/Archbishop Wood) set a new career-high in assists with 12 in the Knights’ win over New Haven, which is the most by a NEC player this season.

Her 12 dimes are the most by a FDU player in a conference game since 2002.

DOING IT ALL
CCSU senior guard Cierra Pearson (Teaneck, NJ/Saddle River Day School) stuffed the stat sheet in the Blue Devils’ win over Chicago State on Saturday has she notched a near triple double with 11 points, 9 rebounds and 9 steals.

Pearson is one of five players in NCAA Division I to record at least 11 points, nine rebounds and nine steals this season. 

Her nine steals are also the most by a NEC player in a game this season, while making her one of 31 players in the country to swipe the ball nine or more times in a game this year.

LOCKDOWN DEFENSE
FDU currently ranks second in the nation for scoring defense as the Knights allow just 51.9 points per game.

The only squad in the country that allows fewer points per game than the Knights is No. 1 UConn (50.7).

15-0 FDU has allowed just 49.3 points per game in league play.

BIG TIME TOURE
Senior transfer Kadidia Toure (Silver Spring, MD/Our Lady of Good Counsel (Arizona State/James Madison)) continues to make her mark on the league in her first season with LIU as the Sharks are 12-3 in NEC play.

Toure is the only NEC player to register 20+ points and 10+ rebounds in a game more than once this season. She is tied for the nationwide lead with 10 games of at least 20 points and 10 rebounds.

She is also one of six players in the country to register at least 25 points and 10 rebounds in five or more games this season along with being one of three to have at least three contests of 20+ points and 15+ rebounds.

MAKING IT RAIN
Mercyhurst sophomore Lena Walz (Erie, PA/Cathedral Prep (St. Bonaventure)) cashed in on a NEC season individual game-high eight three-pointers in the Lakers’ win against Saint Francis on 2/14/26.

Her eight three’s are also the most in a game by a Mercyhurst player in their first two seasons as a DI program.

SOPHOMORE SURGE
Mercyhurst sophomore Cici Hernandez (Bethlehem, PA/Bethlehem Catholic) has been on fire as of late and is making strides in her sophomore season. 

Hernandez has upgraded her 6.2 ppg a year ago to 13.9 ppg this season. She has already outscored her point total from last season with 361 compared to 156 a year ago. She currently sits at third in overall ppg. 

Additionally, Hernandez is averaging 17.3 ppg in conference play - ranking second in the league.

The 5-6 guard has made four or more three’s in a game on eight different occasions this season, including two with at least six.

SEEING DOUBLE
21 different NEC players have notched a double-double this season, with only 14 turning the trick more than once while five players own four or more on the year. All 10 schools have at least one player to notch a double-double this season.

12 Kadidia Toure, LIU
10 Aniya McDonald-Perry, NHVN
 6 Lijirin Doyinsola Modesayor, WAG
 5 Ashley Buragas, LEM
 4 Shelby Ricks, SFU
 3 Leah Crosby, FDU
 3 Rebecca Osei-Owusu, FDU
 2 Lucia Noin, CCSU
 2 Tania Allen, CSU
 2 Keona McGee, CSU
 2 Laura Molnárová, LIU
 2 Janessa Williams, LIU
 2 Ella Pelletier, STO
 2 Irene Fernandez de Caleya, WAG
 1 Saran Diallo Toure, LIU
 1 Sofia Wilson, MU
 1 Lindsay Hogan, NHVN
 1 Merit Innocent, NHVN
 1 Sonia Sato, SFU
 1 Brooke Paquette, STO
 1 Reese Roggenburk, STO

PERFECT SHOOTING
With a 10-for-10 outing from the field in a 70-51 win over CCSU on 01/04/26, Aniya McDonald-Perry (Middletown, CT/Putnam Science Academy (Saint Rose)) became the first NEC player in nearly 22 years - and the only one since the start of the 1998–99 season - to go perfect from the field with at least 10 makes. She finished the contest with 22 points after knocking down a pair of free throws, as well.

The senior forward joined NEC Hall of Famer Beth Swink, who went 10-for-10 for Saint Francis against Purdue in the 2004 NCAA Tournament (3/21/04).

She is one of only five players nationwide this season to make 10-plus shots without a miss and one of two to do it during the 2026 calendar year.

THE ROARING TWENTIES
Le Moyne junior forward Ashley Buragas (Hopewell Junction, NJ/John Jay (Mineral Area College)) had a historic outing in the Dolphins’ 82-79 OT victory over Lafyette on 11/09/25, scoring 20 points and grabbing 22 boards.

It was the first 20-20 double-double by a NEC player since Merrimack’s Denia Davis-Stewart (25 points, 24 rebounds) on Feb. 21, 2020. Her 22 boards were the most in a game since Jan. 23, 2022 when Jada Dapaa snagged 23 boards.

Her 22 boards were the second-most in Le Moyne program history and the most by a Dolphin since January 1988.

Additionally, Buragas is one of 16 players in the country to grab 22 or more boards in a single game this season.

LEAGUE PLAY
Each #NECWBB will partake in an 18-game double round-robin schedule under the conference’s 10-team alignment this academic year. The schedule runs 10 weeks with the teams playing every Thursday and Saturday until Thursday, March 5th.

TOURNEY TIME
The NEC Women’s Basketball Championship will remain an eight-team playoff format in 2025-26 with every game being played at the home of the higher seed. After the quarterfinals, advancing teams will be reseeded so the highest remaining seed plays the lowest remaining seed.

WHO’S IN THE MIX?
With Mercyhurst now postseason eligible, nine of the 10 eligible teams will participate in this year’s NEC Tournament. NEC newcomer New Haven is not yet eligible for conference postseason play.

Stonehill has completed its Division I reclassification and is now eligible for the NCAA Tournament for the first time this season. Le Moyne and Mercyhurst are ineligible for the NCAA Tournament due to their current statuses as Division I reclassifying institutions.

If a reclassifying institutions wins the NEC Tournament championships, the tournament runner-up will advance to the NCAA Tournament as the NEC’s automatic qualifier as per current policy. If two reclassifying member reach the conference final, the NEC will stage an “AQ” game between the two non-advancing semifinal teams. This will serve as a decisive game to determine the team that will secure the NEC’s spot in the NCAA Tournament. The “AQ” game will occur this season if both Le Moyne and Mercyhurst reach conference tournament final.

2025-26 INFLUXER/NEC WOMEN'S BASKETBALL WEEKLY AWARD WINNERS

PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Nov. 10: Aiyanna Culver, CSU & Kadidia Toure, LIU
Nov. 17: Ava Renninger, FDU
Nov. 24: Madlena Gerke, FDU
Dec. 1: Ava Renninger, FDU
Dec. 8: Kailee McDonald, FDU
Dec. 15: Ava Renninger, FDU
Dec. 22: Brooke Paquette, STO
Dec. 31: Addisen Sulikowski, NHVN
Jan. 6: Aniya McDonald-Perry, NHVN
Jan. 12: Kadidia Toure, LIU
Jan. 19: Cici Hernandez, MU
Jan. 26: Keona McGee, CSU & Addisen Sulikowski, NHVN
Feb. 2: Aniya McDonald-Perry, NHVN
Feb. 9: Keona McGee, CSU
Feb. 16: Kadidia Toure, LIU
Feb. 23: Lucia Noin, CCSU & Jenna Van Schaik, MU
Mar. 2: 

ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
Nov. 10: Kayden Clark, LEM
Nov. 17: Reese Roggenburk, STO
Nov. 24: Leah Crosby, FDU
Dec. 1: Leah Crosby, FDU
Dec. 8: Reese Downey, FDU
Dec. 15: Sofia Wilson, MU
Dec. 22: Ella Pelletier, STO
Dec. 31: Reese Downey, FDU
Jan. 6: Sofia Wilson, MU
Jan. 12: Sofia Wilson, MU
Jan. 19: Peyton Dincher, LEM
Jan. 26: Sofia Wilson, MIU
Feb. 2: Sofia Wilson, MU
Feb. 9: Leah Crosby, FDU
Feb. 16: Jasmine McKay, NHVN
Feb. 23: Kiyah Lewis, CCSU
Mar. 2: