ATLANTIC CITY, NJ (Mar. 7, 2026) – The quarterfinal round of the 2026 Air Force Reserve Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Women’s Basketball Championship at Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall continued Saturday afternoon with the quarterfinal round. No. 3 Merrimack College and No. 4 Iona University picked up wins and advance to the semifinal round on Sunday.
No. 4 Iona – 59 | No. 5 Siena – 50
Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall | ATLANTIC CITY, NJ
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Iona edged Siena, 59-50, in a seesaw quarterfinal round matchup to open the afternoon. With the game knotted at 12-12 after one period, Iona went on an 6-1 run to start the second quarter, but Siena responded with a 7-2 run of its own, once again tying the meeting at 20-20. At the break, Iona held a slim 22-20 lead. The first half featured five ties and three lead changes, with neither team holding a lead larger than five points. The Gaels led for 8:46, while the Saints led for 4:25 through the first 20 minutes.
The third quarter would be more of the same as both sides went on its own respective runs, but finished the quarter still separated by just two points, with Iona having the upper hand 19-17 in the frame, taking a 41-37 lead into the final period. Mya Zaccagnini scored eight points in the third to lead the Gaels. The fourth quarter was a battle to the finish. After the Gaels went up 47-40, Valencia Fontenelle-Posson shifted the energy, hitting a huge three with 6:23 to go in the fourth. That sparked a 6-0 Saints run and got the team back within one point (46-47). Despite the run, Siena would never retake the lead, as Iona answered with a 12-3 rally captained by Naomi Barnwell and Ella Fajardo, propelling the Gaels to the win.
Iona Notes and Notables
- After a tightly contested first half, Iona managed to control the second half, leading for a total of 24:40.
- Zaccagnini ended her day with 14 points and three assists.
- The duo of Barnwell and Fajardo combined for 22 points, scoring 11 apiece.
- Barnwell included six rebounds and three assists, while Fajardo had three assists and two rebounds.
- Zoey Ward just missed out on a double-double, grabbing 12 rebounds and scoring eight points.
- Iona
- The Gaels scored 17 points off turnovers and 24 points in the paint.
- Iona is back in the semifinal round for the first time since winning the MAAC Championship in 2023.
- The Gaels will take on No. 1 Quinnipiac on Sunday, March 8 at 12:00 p.m. in the semifinal round.
Siena Notes and Notables
- Siena was led offensively by Nicole Melious’ 11 points and she added four assists.
- A pair of Saints finished with nine points, and they included Kaiya Rain Tucker and Genevive Wedemeyer.
- Rain Tucker also led the squad with a game-high 14 rebounds.
- Fontenelle-Posson added eight points.
- Siena outrebounded Iona (44-37).
- Siena also logged 20 points in the paint, 17 second chance points, and 12 bench points.
No. 3 Merrimack – 62 | No. 6 Mount St. Mary’s – 48
Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall | ATLANTIC CITY, NJ
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Merrimack’s strong second half, catapults the Warriors to a 62-48 win over Mount St. Mary’s in the final quarterfinal round game of the championship. The first half was an equal affair and deadlocked at 26-26 at halftime. Amber Bullard was the leader of the crew for the Mountaineers in the first half. She had nine points and nine rebounds in just 14 minutes of play. For Merrimack, Madison Roman nearly had a double-double in the first half alone, calculating nine points and 11 rebounds. Mount St. Mary’s won the first quarter 16-14, and Merrimack won the second quarter 12-10, for the 26 all half.
The third quarter was all Merrimack as the Warriors came out swinging and clamped down on defense. Merrimack opened the quarter on a 5-0 run and capped off the quarter with a 10-4 rally, to outscore the Mountaineers 21-11 and take a commanding 47-37 lead. The Warriors kept the same defensive pace in the fourth, holding the Mount to 11 points again, while scoring 15 of their own to seal the win.
Merrimack Notes and Notables
- Roman had a monster performance, posting a 22 point, 18 rebound double-double.
- She shot over 50 percent from the field, hitting 8-for-15 of her attempts.
- Molly Manion was perfect from beyond the arch (3-for-3) and finished with 17 points, three rebounds, and three assists.
- Merrimack won the battle on the glass, pulling down 54 rebounds compared to 45 by the Mount.
- The Warriors had an edge in paint points (28-24), in bench points (23-21), and second chance points (18-7).
- Merrimack, which joined the MAAC last season, returns to its second consecutive semifinals.
- The Warriors will meet No. 2 Fairfield in the semifinal round on Sunday at 2:30 p.m.
Mount St. Mary’s Notes and Notables
- The Mount was led by Amber Bullard, who finished with a 13 point and 14 rebound double-double.
- She also had three blocks on the defensive end of the court.
- Nyodie Guerard had 14 points on four made threes and three steals defensively.
- The Mount had an advantage in points off turnovers (9-6) and fast break points (12-8).
For all information regarding the 2026 Air Force Reserve MAAC Men’s and Women’s Basketball Championships, please visit
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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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