BETHLEHEM, Pa. – The 2025–26 Patriot League Women’s Basketball season begins today with six teams in action, while preseason No. 1 Navy opens its season on Thursday in Newark against Delaware.
 
For more information on Patriot League women’s basketball dates, times and coverage, visit the women’s basketball composite schedule on the League’s official website - www.PatriotLeague.org.
 
Opening Week Schedule

Monday, Nov. 3	Time	Watch
Bucknell at Penn State	5 p.m.	BIG+
Pace at Army West Point	5 p.m.	ESPN+
Quinnipiac at Boston U.	6 p.m.	ESPN+
Holy Cross at Boston College	6 p.m.	ACCNX
Lafayette at Villanova	7 p.m.	ESPN+
Loyola Maryland at Maryland	7 p.m.	BIG+
Tuesday, Nov. 4
Lehigh at Cincinnati	6 p.m.	ESPN+
Colgate at Siena	6:30 p.m.	ESPN+
Wednesday, Nov. 5
Lafayette at Rider	6 p.m.	ESPN+
La Salle at Loyola Maryland	7 p.m.	ESPN+
Thursday, Nov. 5
Dartmouth at Boston U.	6 p.m.	ESPN+
Navy at Delaware	7 p.m.	ESPN+
Ithaca at Colgate	7:15 p.m.	ESPN+

Full Schedule
 
 
2025-26 PATRIOT LEAGUE WOMEN’S BASKETBALL SEES BALANCE ACROSS THE LEAGUE
The Patriot League women’s basketball season tips off today with significant change across the League, including three new head coaches at American, Army West Point and Colgate, and room for new stars to emerge with only five of last season’s 15 All-League selections returning.
 
Five teams received first-place votes in the 2025 Patriot League Women’s Basketball Preseason Poll, with Navy earning the top spot. Army West Point followed with 68 points and two first-place votes, while Loyola Maryland collected 63 points and three first-place votes. Holy Cross earned 60 points and two first-place votes, and reigning champion Lehigh rounded out the top five with 57 points and one first-place vote.
 
NEW COACHES INTRODUCED TO THE PATRIOT LEAGUE
Three new coaches are set to make their Patriot League debuts this season. American University’s Kelly Killion takes over the Eagles’ program after serving as the associate head coach and recruiting coordinator at University of Pennsylvania.
 
Army West Point hired Katie Kuester, who spent the past 10 years at Saint Joseph’s. She brings a track record of success to West Point, N.Y., as the Black Knights aim to return to the Patriot League Women’s Basketball Championship Game.
 
Shannon Bush begins her tenure at Colgate after serving as associate head coach at Cornell. Bush is no stranger to the Patriot League—she won two Patriot League championships as a player at Holy Cross in 2003 and 2005. She now looks to build on the Raiders’ recent momentum as the program retools following the graduation of three key contributors.
 
NAVY EARNS TOP SPOT IN THE 2025-26 PATRIOT LEAGUE PRESEASON WOMEN’S BASKETBALL POLL
Navy claimed the top spot in the 2025–26 Patriot League Preseason Poll, earning 71 total points and two first-place votes. The Mids look to continue their upward trajectory after increasing their win total in each of the last three seasons under head coach Tim Taylor.
 
Navy returns one of the League’s strongest backcourts, led by 2025 Preseason Patriot League Player and Defensive Player of the Year Zanai Barnett-Gay and 2024–25 Patriot League Rookie of the Year Julianna Almeida. The Mids are coming off a 19–12 season, their highest win total since the 2017–18 campaign.
 
2025-26 PATRIOT LEAGUE WOMEN’S BASKETBALL PRESEASON HONORS
Navy’s Zanai Barnett-Gay was selected as the 2025-26 Women's Basketball Preseason Player and Defensive Player of the Year and headlines a five-member All-Patriot league Team which features four returning All-League honorees from last season. She is joined by Holy Cross senior guard Kaitlyn Flanagan, a 2025 Second Team selection, along with 2025 Third Team selections Army West Point junior guard/forward Fiona Hastick and Colgate senior guard Anne Bair. Loyola Maryland graduate forward Lex Therien, a 2024 First Team All-League selection, rounds out the preseason team.
 
LEHIGH’S ADDIE MICIR AND NAVY’S ZANAI BARNETT-GAY SELECTED TO HOOP HER STATS WATCHLISTS
Lehigh head coach Addie Micir was named to the Hoop Her Stats 2026 Kathy Delaney-Smith Mid-Major Coach of the Year Watchlist, one of 20 selections across 13 conferences. Micir guided the Mountain Hawks to a 27–7 overall record, including a 15–3 mark in League play and a 17–1 record at home inside Stabler Arena. Lehigh won the regular-season title and defeated Army West Point in the 2025 Patriot League PenFed Credit Union Women’s Basketball Championship Game to earn a berth in the NCAA Tournament.
 
Navy’s Zanai Barnett-Gay was named to the Hoop Her Stats Becky Hammon Mid-Major Player of the Year Watchlist, one of 25 players selected from 19 teams and 12 conferences. Barnett-Gay led the Mids with 19.2 points, 7.8 rebounds, 3.2 assists, and 2.4 steals per game, earning 2025 Patriot League Defensive Player of the Year honors and helping Navy secure the No. 4 seed in the Patriot League Women’s Basketball Championship.
 
Patriot League Announces Women’s Basketball on CBS Sports Network
CBS Sports Network will provide live coverage of five Patriot League Women’s Basketball games this season. The network will carry both Army West Point–Navy matchups, beginning with Navy hosting the Black Knights on Saturday, Jan. 24, followed by Army West Point welcoming the Mids on Saturday, Feb. 21.
 
CBS Sports Network will also feature two in-state rivalry matchups: Bucknell at Lafayette on Monday, Jan. 26, and Boston University hosting Holy Cross on Monday, Feb. 2.
The Patriot League PenFed Credit Union Women’s Basketball Championship Game will air on CBS Sports Network for the 17th consecutive season on Sunday, March 15, at noon.
 

ABOUT THE PATRIOT LEAGUE
The Patriot League is in its fourth decade of academic and athletic achievement, continually demonstrating that student-athletes can excel in both academics and athletics without sacrificing high standards. The League's athletic success is achieved while its member institutions remain committed to its founding principle of admitting and graduating student-athletes who are academically representative of their class. Participation in athletics at Patriot League institutions is viewed as an important component of a well-rounded education.