PURCHASE, N.Y. – The postseason is upon us as the Manhattanville women's basketball team is back in the Skyline Conference Championship Tournament for a fifth-straight year. After making runs to the finals in each of the last two seasons, the Valiants look to get over the hump sporting the No. 3 seed. Awaiting them in Tuesday's opening round inside Kennedy Gymnasium will be the team that brought an end to last year's run, the defending conference champions of Mount Saint Vincent who hold the six seed.  
How We Got Here
It was always going to be an uphill battle for the Valiants heading in to the 2024-25 season. After making a second-straight run to the Skyline Championship Finals a year ago, the team bid farewell to five seniors that were all crucial pieces of the team's recent successes. With more than half of last year's points departing for graduation, how Manhattanville would fill the voids remained a big question mark heading in to the new season.

The question was answered by a trio of juniors that stepped up into their new enhanced roles, as Julie Debrocky (Mahopac, N.Y./Mahopac), Esther Ramos (Queens, N.Y./Forest Hills) and Gabby Tucker (Port Chester, N.Y./Blind Brook) each developed into key playmakers over the course of the season. Debrocky has led the Valiant offense with 11.6 points per game, with Ramos right behind her at an 11.4 average. Tucker ranked third on the team in scoring, although an injury suffered in the penultimate game of the regular season at Mount Saint Mary on Wednesday will lead to further shifting of roles ahead of the postseason.

Off the boards, Niyona Smith (Baltimore, MD/Concordia Prep) has led the Valiants with 149 total rebounds, good for 6.2 per game. The senior has also led the way with 50 total blocks on the year to add to her presence under the basket.

The end result has been a 15-5 record against the Skyline this year. After an 8-4 start to the conference slate, Manhattanville rattled off six-straight Skyline wins to inject themselves into the bidding for a top-two seed. However, Wednesday's loss at Mount Saint Mary put the Valiants in the three spot, just missing out on the opening round bye.

Opposing the Valiants will be the Dolphins who earned the No. 6 seed in defense of their 2023-24 Skyline title. Mount Saint Vincent will also look a lot differently compared to their roster rolled out in last March's championship match as the Dolphins lost 11 players from last year's team. Things were touch-and-go through the first half of the season as Mount Saint Vincent opened 5-5 against the Skyline, but the Dolphins won seven of the final ten conference games to make their way back into the postseason.

Mount Saint Vincent enters the tourney also on a high-note, taking down Mount Saint Mary on Saturday, 62-43.

Last Time Out
The Valiants swept the regular season meetings with the Dolphins, as was the case last year prior to their championship tilt. After eking out a 56-53 win on the home floor of Kennedy all the way back in November, the Valiants had a better go of things in the meeting at Riverdale on Feb. 5 with a 65-52 victory. Ramos balled out in the February victory with a 26 point, 10 rebound double-double, while Smith and Debrocky joined her in double figures with ten points apiece.

Erin Smith led the way for UMSV with 20 points, while JaKaia Lotz scored 10 with 14 rebounds for a double-double of her own.

Team Leaders
Manhattanville

• Points Per Game: Debrocky (11.6), Ramos (11.4), Tucker (8.1)
• Rebounds Per Game: Ramos (7.0), Smith (6.2), O'Mara (5.3)
• Assists Per Game: Tucker (3.1), Mangan (2.3), Ramos (2.2)
• Steals Per Game: Tucker (2.7), O'Mara (2.5), Orlando (2.3)
• Field Goal Percentage: Debrocky (.443), Smith (.440), Orlando (.426)

Mount Saint Vincent

• Points Per Game: Smith (15.9), Baker (10.0), Lotz (7.3)
• Rebounds Per Game: Lotz (7.6), Hanley (5.1), Green (4.4)
• Assists Per Game: Hanley (4.7), Smith (2.8), Escobinas (1.4)
• Steals Per Game: Smith (2.0), Hanley (1.8), Baker (1.2)
• Field Goal Percentage: Mulvey (.500), Broderick (.476), Marrocco (.455)

History

• All-Time Record vs Mount Saint Vincent: 29-10
• Streak: Manhattanville W2
• Series Record at Manhattanville: 18-3
• Last Five Meetings (Home team listed second):
  • 2/5/25: Manhattanville 65, UMSV 52
  • 11/23/24: UMSV 53, Manhattanville 56
  • 2/24/24: UMSV 63, Manhattanville 42
  • 2/14/24: UMSV 50, Manhattanville 52
  • 1/18/24: Manhattanville 59, UMSV 55

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