With the Marist men’s and women’s basketball seasons starting, Center Field is dedicating an entire week to basketball content for our annual Basketball Week.
The Marist women’s basketball team tipped off for the first time on Nov. 4 against UAlbany, unable to get their first win, losing 46-74.
In this roundtable, our basketball writers give an all-around assessment of the state of the women’s team entering the 2025-26 season.
What do you think about the team being ranked 11th in last year’s pre-season poll and jumping to fourth this year?
Mike Duda, Copy Editor:
A seven-spot spike in the MAAC Preseason Poll speaks to the progression of head coach Erin Doughty. Succeeding Brian Giorgis at the helm after spending nearly two decades coaching under him, Doughty improved her record from 6-25 (4-16 MAAC) in 2023-2024 to 16-15 (11-9 MAAC) last season, with higher expectations for this season. The jump highlights the program’s culture: simply, this team wants to win.
The Red Foxes look to return to the top of the MAAC and dominate the conference, like they did when they won nine consecutive championships from 2006-2014.
Marist turned heads last year, finishing above .500, fifth in the conference and nearly completing the third-largest comeback in NCAA women’s basketball Division I history. Retaining most of their core and replacing key pieces in the transfer portal, they look to turn more heads and exceed expectations once more.
William Rosen, Contributor:
Well, it’s obvious, last year’s preseason rankings (and preseason rankings in general in the MAAC) mean as much as nothing. This Red Fox team showed the conference leaders that Marist has the talent to be at the top. Led by Williamsen’s shooting and Tarul’s leadership, the Red Foxes can compete with teams 5-13 very consistently. What the preseason rankings confirm is that Fairfield and Quinnipiac are the teams to keep on the radar after last season’s respective performances. But the Red Foxes can still find a way to rise into that 2-5 spot.
Luca Di Rienzo, Contributor:
The Red Foxes do not seem to care about where they are ranked. Projected at 11th, but finishing in 5th place last season, Marist is coming off of some momentum last year, even after falling to Mount Saint Mary’s, who are ranked one spot ahead in the preseason poll. The placement of 4th is fair, but there are no limitations on this season, and Marist has the chance to do big things.
Stephen Zaglin, Contributor:
The Red Foxes are looking to continue the positive momentum they finished last season with after a close loss to Mount St. Mary’s during last year’s MAAC tournament. Incoming transfers such as sophomores Kasey Bretones and Elle Bruschuk should help stabilize the team. Players like redshirt senior guard Lexie Tarul and sophomore guard Danielle Williamsen, who were among the top scorers for Marist last season, will build off the team’s momentum from last year into this season. The Red Foxes will be looking to start their season strong, with the first game of the season being on the road against Albany on November 4th.
Out of the four new additions, who are you most excited to see?
Mike Duda:
I cannot wait to see the Red Foxes implement junior forward Karly Fischer into their system. After senior center Morgan Lee transferred to Clemson, Marist desperately turned to look for their new down low powerhouse. Luckily, they were able to pick up Fischer from Fairfield early in the offseason. Standing at 6 feet 5 inches, Fischer averaged 3.6 points per game and 2.4 assists per game in 10.2 minutes per game with the top team in the MAAC. Wanting to take her game to a new level, she decided to redshirt her sophomore season. My interest revolves around how she adapts to playing every game this year after not playing last season.
William Rosen:
I’m buying into Bretones. Adding another 5-foot-11-inch guard to space the floor with the departure of a true interior presence like Morgan Lee is a major plus for Marist. Sophomore Kasey Bretones has a year of experience at UMASS, playing limited minutes in 17 games last season. But in those limited minutes, four of her eight shot attempts were from distance, hitting three 3-pointers. Imagine what Bretones can do with more minutes on a beautifully spaced court that Doughty certainly has been imagining. Look for high shooting clips from Kasey this season.
Luca Di Rienzo
Marist has found a beast in freshman guard/forward Justine Henry. Henry is a five-year starter at the high school level, playing varsity since her eighth-grade year. In the 2021-22 season, she was named The Mary Louis Academy (TMLA) rookie of the year, as an eighth grader. Henry averaged 16.7 points, 8.5 rebounds, four assists and three steals per game in her career. The guard ended her high school career recording over 1,000 points. If she can carry an ounce of this talent to the next level, she will make a big difference for the Red Foxes.
Stephen Zaglin:
Out of the four new additions, I am most excited to see Elle Bruschuk, the Sophomore guard, transfer from Wright State. Bruschuk, who redshirted her freshman year, will be joining the Red Foxes as an established high school player, voted two-time MVP of her time. While at Willowbrook High School in Illinois, Bruschuk recorded 1,059 points, 853 rebounds, 313 assists, 200 steals and 151 blocks. Though this will be her first time playing in college, Bruschuk should be able to make a sizable contribution and be among the top sophomores on the team.
What player do you expect to make a big impact?
Mike Duda:
Marist plays a team-first style of basketball with multiple players capable of making a big impact, but none will be bigger than sophomore guard Danielle Williamsen. The numbers and accolades speak for themselves, starting nearly every game as a freshman and leading the team with 31 steals and 82.9% shooting from the foul line. Williamsen finished the season with 13.1 points per game and shot 48.3% from deep in the final seven games of the season.
Her career-high 22 points came on the biggest stage in the MAAC tournament, including 10 in the final quarter. Despite the impressive accolades, the MAAC All-Rookie Team member displayed a second-to-none attitude both in the playoff game and afterwards by immediately texting her trainer to get back to work on the bus ride home after the devastating defeat. These traits will only blossom as she develops into the Red Foxes’ number one option.
William Rosen:
Croker is one of three active Marist players to have played for both Doughty and head coach Giorgis. As the season progresses and she gets healthier, down the stretch, Croker will be one of the leaders both vocally and performance-wise for these Red Foxes. Atlantic City is really where the season starts for Croker and if Marist wants to get into the championship round, they need to get that sour taste from last year out of their mouth. Croker is impactful on the boards, grabbing 35 offensive boards last season. When shots aren’t falling, Croker always helps Marist get second-chance opportunities. Croker is that vocal piece to this team, and in her final season, her passion will transform this team.
Luca Di Rienzo
After Morgan Lee transferred to Clemson, the Red Foxes need someone else to step up as the leading scorer for Marist, and I think Tarul is in a position to take this step up. The redshirt senior is a three-point sniper, which not only affects the game for herself, but also spaces the floor for her teammates. Averaging 11.5 points, 3.6 rebounds and 1.6 assists across 30.9 minutes per game last season. Tarul recorded 69 three-pointers on 32.9%, both of which led the team.
She also delivered a collegiate-high 23 points against Sacred Heart University, starting five-for-five from beyond the arc, and provided 13 games with three or more three-pointers made. She logged the third-most three-pointers per game in the MAAC (2.2 per game), finishing 12th in three-point percentage. While shooting the lights out, she is also a factor on the defensive end for Marist. Finishing second on the team in blocks (14) and third on the team in steals (28). With the talent the Red Foxes have brought in, there’s no doubt she will be able to lead and shine for Marist this season.
Stephen Zaglin:
I expect Williamsen to make a big impact this season. As a freshman last season, Williamsen averaged a respectable 9.4 points to go along with 3.6 rebounds and 1.6 assists. Williamsen also started in 28 out of the 29 games during her rookie campaign. The guard held the best free-throw percentage on the team, recorded 31 steals and was awarded the MAAC-All Rookie Team.
Now with a season of experience under her belt, I expect Williamsen to have an even bigger contribution and to at least crack a 10-point per game average. It will be exciting to see the kind of season she will have.
What area will Marist need to improve on from last season?
Max Duda:
The Red Foxes need to improve their three-point shooting, especially due to their lack of size. Losing Lee leaves Marist with Fischer as their tallest player, which forces them to play small ball and hone in on their perimeter shooting.
The Red Foxes shot 38.4% from the field last season, good for eighth in the conference, and finished fifth with a 30.5% clip from behind the arc. Tarul notched a career-high 23 points against Sacred Heart after starting five-of-five from three and led the conference in three-pointers per game with 2.2. This, paired with the 48.3% three-point shooting finish from Williamson and the addition of Henry, should help Marist improve their biggest need in 2025-2026.
Will Rosen:
Besides Croker, Marist could not grab boards after missed shots. They ranked last in the MAAC last season, averaging only 8.6 OREB/G. Without Lee’s 6-foot-5-inch frame, that number is now going to be even harder to bring up. Fischer is going to need to crash the boards if Marist wants to be able to get second-chance shots early in the season, before the uncertainty in the health of Croker. In games where scoring is a premium in a conference, so far in a talent scale like the MAAC, every point matters.
Luca Di Rienzo:
While still beating a lot of odds to finish fifth in the MAAC, Marist had a lot of hiccups last season. Struggling to score efficiently, but also to score at all. The Red Foxes put up only 57.9 points per game on 38.4% shooting. Another thing they struggled with was rebounding, and there’s a chance this may continue to be an issue. Marist lost its key rebounder in Lee to the transfer portal.
Fischer, along with Marist’s second leading rebounder last year, forward Ciara Croker, have some shoes to fill, but nothing is impossible for the forwards. Above all, their biggest issue was turnovers. A lot of turnovers resulted from late shot clock panic or pure alignment issues last season. If these major issues are addressed, then the MAAC championship is not out of the question for the Red Foxes this year.
Stephen Zaglin:
While I do think the team will be better this season, there are some things that could be improved on to get to that point. For example, Marist finished last on the MAAC leaderboard when it came to team offensive rebounds last season. Rebounding is among the most important parts that a good team has and if they can even be in the middle of the pack this season, I believe that would greatly help them.
The Red Foxes also finished 10th out of 13 teams when it comes to turnover margin and second to last in forced steals. If the Red Foxes can put all of these things together, then there is no reason why they will not have an improved season.
Predict the team’s record and where they finish in the MAAC:
Mike Duda:
A healthy Red Fox team has incredible potential for the 2025-26 season, and I believe Marist will live up to these expectations. Though I believe the Red Foxes can finish as high as second in the conference, I believe they will finish 20-10 overall and 14-6 in the MAAC, good for third place. With a do-or-die style MAAC tournament, anyone can win. I believe Marist will show up ready to play, like they did in the concluding 15 minutes of their tournament contest with The Mount. Therefore, I believe the Red Foxes will make it to the MAAC Championship game before falling to Fairfield, resulting in the Stags’ third consecutive conference championship.
William Rosen:
At the end of season three of Coach E’s Marist head coaching tenure the Foxes will be 18-12 overall and 15-5. I think Marist will need to warm up a bit in Non-Conference play, not saying they will lose in blowout format, but some will accumulate. The team will strike gold once they gel come MAAC play. If this is the year for a postseason run, the recipe is there, but can Marist mix the ingredients to the right ratio? If this team is shooting efficiently as they head to Atlantic City, they will make the MAAC championship game, where they will face off against Quinnipiac University.
Luca Di Rienzo:
With momentum from last season, along with great offseason signings, there’s nowhere to go but up. After finishing 16-15 overall last year and going 11-9 in the MAAC, Marist finished in sixth. I think somewhere between 18-22 wins seems accurate, along with 11-13 wins coming from MAAC play. It is obvious that this team has improved. If Marist can hang with the MAAC powerhouses of Fairfield and Quinnipiac and place in the four-to-three range in the MAAC, that will be considered a successful season.
Stephen Zaglin:
Last season, Marist finished six spots higher than they were projected. This season, they are projected to finish one spot higher than they did last season. I think fourth is a fair prediction of where the Red Foxes will finish in conference. When it comes to their overall record, I think a record of around 21-9 is a realistic spot to predict, along with a MAAC record of around 14-6. This should keep them in the upper half of the conference and set them up for a good spot in the MAAC championship.
Edited by Cara Lacey and Ben Leeds
Graphic by Jaylen Rizzo
Photos used in graphic via Marist Athletics and Stockton Photo
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