The Lehigh women’s basketball team extended its winning streak to seven games after beating Holy Cross on Feb. 1, propelling them to an 18-4 overall record — their best since the 2009-2010 season — and an impressive 11-1 mark at home for the 2024-2025 campaign.
With the Patriot League Tournament approaching in March, the Mountain Hawks are in prime position for a deep postseason run and a potential NCAA tournament berth.
A cornerstone of Lehigh’s success has been its dominant defense.
In an 81-22 blowout win over Misericordia University on Dec. 29, the Mountain Hawks allowed the second-fewest points in a single game in program history, just one point shy of the record set in 1975 when Lehigh defeated Centenary 48-21.
Throughout the season, the team’s defensive efficiency has ranked among the best in the Patriot League, allowing the fewest points per game.
Colleen McQuillen and Ella Stemmer, senior guards and team captains, have provided leadership in communication and focus throughout the season.
McQuillen has been a crucial offensive playmaker, delivering in key moments and facilitating Lehigh’s fast-paced attack.
Stemmer, known for her relentless hustle, has anchored the defense while also making an impact offensively.
“This year, we’re such a veteran team,” Stemmer said. “We have a lot of experience and a lot of people who are willing to do the hard work, so I think we can attest our success to our on-court development and our off-season development”
Stemmer had a standout 2023-24 season, leading the team with 13.6 points per game while shooting 85.9% from the free-throw line. She has accumulated 975 career points while averaging 8.6 points per game over four seasons.
This season, Stemmer leads the team in three-pointers with 50 under her belt, and she is the second leading scorer on the team.
Junior forward Lily Fandre reaches for the basket while fighting off a defender in the team’s 60-47 win against Holy Cross on Feb. 1 at Stabler Arena. Fandre scored eight points in their matchup versus Holy Cross. (Olivia Link/ B&W Staff)
Coach Addie Micir praised the team’s work ethic and adaptability, emphasizing their ability to improve with each game.
“Our focus remains on taking each game as it comes, continually improving and striving for excellence,” Micir said. “The team’s hard work and dedication have positioned us well for the challenges ahead.”
The team’s resilience was on full display during its Jan. 22 game against American University. In a back-and-forth affair, the Mountain Hawks found themselves down two with two minutes left in the fourth quarter.
However, the team locked down the Eagles, holding them to zero points for the remainder of the game while hitting clutch free throws to grind out a 61-55 victory. Senior guard Maddie Albrecht led the way with 18 points.
Albrecht echoed Micir’s sentiment and said the team’s ability to balance focus with enjoyment has been key to its success.
“Our coach has said that bringing joy to practice has been something that we’ve all been working on — taking things seriously enough so that we get things done in practice when we need to, but also keeping it light, joking with each other and having fun competition,” Albrecht said.
Albrecht has emerged as a breakout offensive weapon for Lehigh, averaging a career-best 16.0 points per game while shooting 53.2% from the field. She has also been efficient from beyond the arc, hitting 39.8% of her three-point attempts.
Her standout performance came on Jan. 29 against Navy, when she scored a career-high 31 points. Crediting her success to the team’s strategy and movement within the game, Albrecht’s efforts earned her Patriot League Player of the Week on Feb. 3.
“Shots happened to be going in, so that’s always nice,” Albrecht said. “But then it was also the way they were playing us defensively. I happened to have a lot of open shots, and my teammates were finding me, so I just had a lot of momentum going into the game.”
The win against Navy pushed Lehigh into sole possession of first place in the conference, pulling a game ahead of Army. The team hasn’t looked back since.
As the regular season progresses, the Mountain Hawks are gearing up for the second round of Patriot League matchups. Currently holding the top seed in the conference, Lehigh looks to carry its momentum forward and secure home-court advantage throughout the Patriot League Tournament.
If the Mountain Hawks successfully navigate the tournament bracket, they will earn a spot in the NCAA Tournament — a feat they last achieved in 2021.
In the Feb. 4 rendition of Women’s Bracketology, ESPN analyst Charlie Creme currently projects them as a potential No. 15 seed, positioning them as a possible Cinderella story in the making.
Lehigh’s next conference game is on the road at American University on Feb. 8 at 2 p.m.
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