Marist women’s basketball head coach Erin Doughty knows her team is tired of the taste of playoff defeat.
In her first three years at the helm, the Red Foxes racked up the most losses in their program’s history, fell short in a crushing 2025 MAAC Quarterfinals loss and then bowed out in the first round in 2026 to end a frustrating season.
Marist comes in at seventh in the Metro Preseason Coaches’ Poll, three spots down from their previous ranking of fourth. There’s a lot to address in order for the Foxes to make an impact in their top-heavy conference.
Marist scored 58.4 points per game last season, good enough to hang in the middle of the pack but almost ten points removed from the top three. Their defense did not do them any favors, as their 66.2 points allowed per game was third-worst in the conference. The Red Foxes also struggled on the glass, posting the fourth-worst team rebounds per game and allowing the third-most to their opponents.
Entering her second season after a stellar freshman campaign in which she led the team in points and rebounds per game, sophomore forward Justine Henry will be on the top of the scouting report. Named to an unanimous all-conference pre-season selection, Doughty has full faith in her budding star, but expects her to make ground on the other side of the ball.
“For Justine, I think you’re going to see a different level on the defensive end this year. She understands that she needs to play with a higher intensity on that end this year. She was kind of insulted that people attacked her on that end because they couldn’t guard her on offense,” said Doughty.
Nearly every player on the roster remembers their 64-55 defeat at the hands of the Manhattan Jaspers in last year’s playoffs. Besides their three departing seniors — Jackie Piddock, Lexie Tarul and Ciara Croker — Marist exited the offseason with no players electing to transfer out.
It’s no secret that there are holes to fill.
“They understand that they have to step into those roles now because they were filled by our seniors last year. They’re excited to learn from those that came before them, but to also put their own spin on it,” said Doughty.
The role most in demand for Doughty is her point guard. Last season, Piddock was far and away the team’s leader in assists with 103, and logged the second-most minutes. A dependable floor general is imperative to Doughty’s plans for the offense, and the position remains up for grabs as the team transitions to out-of-conference play.
“The point guard position is the most concerning, just because Jackie held that down for two, three years,” said Doughty. “The ball was in Jackie’s hands a lot. That’s an area where someone needs to step up.”
Her options at the one-spot include tenured players like seniors Julia Corsentino and Malea Egan, junior Kasey Bretones, or an incoming freshman like Catie Klemm, among others.
The question does not concern how many guards are available, but who among the list will emerge as the floor general.
All of the aforementioned returners at guard played less than 20 minutes per game last season. Egan only appeared in seven games due to injury, and her timetable for return in the 2026 season is still uncertain.
Corsentino and Bretones played 30 and 20 games, respectively, but both logged more turnovers than assists while on the court. Even Piddock, with 103 assists, still racked up 83 turnovers in the process.
Doughty hopes to neutralize the turnover problem, which played a large role in the outcome of tight games. Last season, Marist sported a 0.69 assist-to-turnover ratio as a team, eighth-best in the conference. In order to stay competitive against teams like Fairfield and Quinnipiac — the only Metro teams with a positive ratio — Doughty knows that cutting out bad decisions is necessary.
“[Turnovers] were a big factor in terms of our wins and losses. We’ve been really focusing on it in practice,” said Doughty. “We’re not going to make every shot, but if we turn it over, we don’t even get a chance.”
Doughty’s vision for her offense involves emphasizing pushing pace in transition and a motion offense in the half-court, both of which demand quick decision-making from her players.
“Every coach in America is going to tell you that they want to run,” said Doughty. “But we want to, and we want to be smart about it.”
Marist’s 32.3% mark from 3three-point range was the third-best in the conference last season. If Doughty’s vision for a pace-heavy transition game and a motion offense in the half-court materializes in more 3-point volume, Marist will be in position to make a scoring leap as a team barring a regression from downtown.
It’s not just the point guard position that has yet to be solidified. A high-paced offense works in tandem with a deep rotation of players, and Doughty’s rotations remain fluid as the season approaches.
Outside of players like Henry and junior Danielle Williamsen, who have put together strong seasons as starters, the remaining three spots in the starting five will mostly be filled by players in unfamiliar waters. No spot is truly guaranteed under Doughty this season, and performance will be rewarded with playing time as she navigates her lineup combinations.
“Playing time is the ultimate motivator. They know that they have to be willing to pass and not be hesitant, because there needs to be repercussions for sloppy play,” said Doughty.
Section about New Assistant Coaches / Incoming Freshmen / Transfers
The program welcomed three new assistant coaches along with five new players.
After the departures of coaches Nick Volchok, Brittany Shields and Moriah Crisp in the offseason, the only remaining member of Doughty’s staff is Gabi Mendonca, who is entering her third season on the bench.
Doughty brought in Tiana Jones, Kiah Gillespie and Zakiya Saunders to round out her staff ahead of the 2026-27 season. Jones came over after two seasons as an assistant at St. Thomas and Sanders arrived after a season with Binghamton. Gillespie makes her return to Marist women’s basketball, having previously coached the Red Foxes from 2022-24 and spending the last two seasons at Stony Brook.
Doughty is excited about her new-look cabinet and has wasted no time picking their brains, particularly Gillespie and Saunders, who she credits as potent basketball minds.
“I never think I’m the smartest coach in the room, and I’m always looking to learn. I want them to share their ideas and experiences because they all have a wide variety of experiences at different places and different levels,” said Doughty.
The five new faces joining the Red Foxes include three freshmen, a senior transfer and a walk-on.
The three first-years — guard Madison Ohm, guard/forward Ryan Oldaker and the aforementioned Klemm — possess a real shot at carving out significant minutes in Doughty’s rotation, and she hopes they’ll pounce on the opportunity.
“I challenge my staff to bring in better players than the players here, and when I recruit, I tell them, ‘I need you to come in and be a shark,’” said Doughty. “All three are going to have the opportunity to play and to be impactful. I think they’re all kids that will be in the conversation for an All-Rookie selection.”
Senior forward transfer Claudia Clement Marsan joins the Red Foxes for her fourth team in as many years. Sophomore forward Dilan Tubbs rounds out the roster, walking on to the team after a year away from basketball at TCU.
Marist opens the season Monday at 6 p.m. on the road against Drexel, kicking off a month of out-of-conference play before the Red Foxes look to carve their way into Atlantic City.
Edited by Max Rosen
Graphic by Xavier Angel
Photos from Marist Athletics
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