Player of the Week
Zoey Ward, Iona
Jr., Gastonia, NC, Concord Academy
Zoey Ward had a sensational weekend for the Iona University team as it extended its winning streak to four in a row. The Gastonia, NC native registered 22.5 points per game and 13.0 rebounds per game while shooting 53.1% from the field and 50% from downtown in the road weekend sweep for the Gaels. She was the lone MAAC player to register two double doubles this past week and moved her season total to eight, ranking tied second in the conference. Ward opened the week with 16 points and 11 rebounds in Thursday night’s 61-52 win at Siena. The junior followed that performance by posting a career-high 29 points and a career-high 15 rebounds in the 66-55 victory at Saint Peter’s on Saturday. Her scoring output was the most in a single game this past week by a conference scorer.
Rookie of the Week
Ella Ryan, Quinnipiac
FY., Brentwood, TN, Brentwood
In Quinnipiac’s lone game this past week, Ella Ryan led the Bobcats with 18 points in their win over Sacred Heart. Ryan shot 7-of-11 (64%) from the field and connected on 3-of-6 (50%) triples, while grabbing three rebounds as Quinnipiac improved to 17-1 in conference play.
The 2025-26 campaign culminates with the 2026 Air Force Reserve MAAC Men’s and Women’s Basketball Championships from March 5-10 at Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey. 2026 will be the seventh consecutive year Boardwalk Hall will host the annual championship dating back to 2020. For the second straight season, the championship field will feature the conference's top 10 teams. Additionally, with the shift of the basketball championship schedule to a week earlier, the women’s championship game will be a standalone contest on Monday, March 9, while the men’s championship game will air live nationally on ESPN or ESPN2 on Tuesday, March 10. For all information regarding the 2026 Air Force Reserve MAAC Men’s and Women’s Basketball Championships, please visit
MAACSports.com/basketball and by following @MAACHoops and #MAACHoops on X.
Air Force Reserve
The mission of the Air Force Reserve is to provide combat-ready forces to fly, fight, and win in air, space, and cyberspace, whenever and wherever needed. As a critical component of the United States Air Force, the Air Force Reserve supports global operations while remaining ready to respond to domestic emergencies and humanitarian efforts. It is responsible for organizing, training, and equipping Reserve Citizen Airmen to execute a wide range of missions that contribute to national defense and global security.
The Air Force Reserve offers part-time and full-time service options, enabling individuals to serve while maintaining civilian careers or pursuing higher education. Each year, the Reserve recruits thousands of enlisted and officer personnel across core specialties including Aviation, Maintenance, Intelligence, Cyber, Medical, Security Forces, and Logistics. This flexibility allows members to develop valuable skills, gain leadership experience, and serve their country with pride.
More information about Air Force Reserve careers and opportunities is available at:
https://www.airforce.com/ways-to-serve/air-force-reserve.
About the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference:
With 13 institutions strongly bound by the sound principles of quality and integrity in academics and excellence in athletics, the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) is in its 45th year of competition during the 2025-26 academic year. Current conference members include: Canisius University, Fairfield University, Iona University, Manhattan University, Marist University, Merrimack College, Mount St. Mary’s University, Niagara University, Quinnipiac University, Rider University, Sacred Heart University, Saint Peter’s University, and Siena University.
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