ATLANTIC CITY, NJ (Mar. 8, 2026) – The 2026 Air Force Reserve Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Women’s Basketball Championship semifinal round concluded on Sunday afternoon at Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall. No. 1 Quinnipiac University and No. 2 Fairfield University won their respective semifinal games and both advance to the championship final for the second consecutive season. The title game will tip at 6:00 p.m. on Monday, March 9 on ESPN+.
No. 1 Quinnipiac – 63 | No. 4 Iona – 62 OT
Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall | ATLANTIC CITY, NJ
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Top-seeded Quinnipiac survived an overtime thriller against No. 4 Iona, winning 63-62. Iona came out the gate swinging first, jumping out to a 14-12 lead after the first 10 minutes of play. Naomi Barnwell led the way with a solid effort, recording six points and three rebounds. The second quarter belonged to the Bobcats. Quinnipiac opened the quarter on a 10-0 run from the 8:02 mark to the 4:42 mark in the period and would close out the quarter by outscoring Iona 18-10. The Bobcats would lead the Gaels 30-24 at the half.
The third quarter shifted momentum back in favor of Iona. The Gaels scored 11 of the first 13 points in the quarter. From there, it was back and forth, until Iona eventually tied up the game at 45. They finished the quarter with a 21-15 scoring edge. The story did not change in the fourth quarter and both teams remained deadlocked. With .07 in regulation, Quinnipiac got two looks up but couldn’t convert the either, sending the game into overtime.
The overtime period was nothing short of suspenseful. Quinnipiac went up by two twice but down the stretch, Zoey Ward drained a clutch three pointer with 1:55 to play, to put Iona in the lead (62-61). After securing an offensive rebound following a missed three point attempt, Anna Foley pulled up from the baseline and knocked in the go-ahead jumper with :27 left. Iona had an opportunity to retake the lead but Mya Zaccagnini missed a driving layup, and Quinnipiac survived the near-upset defeat. The contest produced 18 total lead changes and 10 ties.
Quinnipiac Notes and Notables
- Karson Martin was Quinnipiac’s leader in points (19) points, assists (5), and steals (2).
- Ella Ryan scored 15 points with three assists.
- The game’s hero, Foley, finished with 12 points, five rebounds, and four assists.
- Ella O’Donnell led the Bobcats with 10 rebounds.
- The Bobcat defense forced nine steals and 13 turnovers.
- Quinnipiac scored 22 points in the paint, had 14 bench points, 13 second chance points, and 12 fast break points.
- The Bobcats won the battle on the glass, outrebounding the Gaels 43-32.
- Quinnipiac makes its second straight championship final berth, doing so for the first time dating back to sixth straight appearances from 2014 to 2019.
- The Bobcats will be making their eight overall trip in the championship and pursuing their fifth trophy.
Iona Notes and Notables
- Zoey Ward recorded a double-double, scoring 23 and grabbing 10 rebounds.
- Naomi Barnwell dropped 20 points, to go along with nine rebounds, a team-high four assists and a team-high two blocks.
- Isabellah Middleton chipped in with 11 points.
- The Gaels scored 13 points off turnovers and 24 points in the paint.
No. 2 Fairfield – 65 | No. 3 Merrimack – 48
Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall | ATLANTIC CITY, NJ
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Fairfield defeated Merrimack, 65-48 in the second semifinal round game. Merrimack sprinted out to a 10-5 but Fairfield scored nine straight in response to close out the first quarter. Merrimack would go 0 for their last 8 on shots for the rest of the first. Following a back and forth second quarter, which produced 12 points apiece Fairfield led by a slim 28-24 score at the half.
The third quarter was fairly even numbers wise, but momentum rose for Fairfield. Jillian Huerter and Se'Lah Reddick exchanged three pointers before Merrimack ran off six straight. From there, it was all Stags. Fairfield closed out the day by outscoring Merrimack, 24-9 run to close the game out.
Fairfield Notes and Notables
- Huerter was red hot from beyond the arc, making five out of her eight attempts, finishing with 19 points, three assists, and three steals.
- Meghan Andersen had a near double-double, with 18 points and nine rebounds.
- Janelle Brown stuffed the statsheet in the win.
- Brown recorded 10 points, seven rebounds, four assists, two steals, and one block.
- Cyanne Coe logged nine points and seven rebounds.
- Fairfield’s stifling defense forced 19 turnovers and had a stingy 16 steals.
- The Stags converted the turnovers into 23 points.
- Fairfield logged 26 points from the paint, 20 points from fast breaks, and 10 points from its reserves.
- The Stags led for 31:50 in the win.
- Fairfield will be playing for a MAAC title for the third straight season and fourth time over the past five years.
- Overall, it will be the Stags 14th championship appearance, and the team will be seeking their 7th crown.
- Fairfield will also be looking to become the first MAAC program to three-peat since Quinnipiac won three straight from 2017 to 2019.
Merrimack Notes and Notables
- Reddick and Paloma Garcia were the team’s leading scorers.
- Reddick scored 17 points, grabbed seven rebounds, had four assists, and three steals.
- Garcia accounted for 10 points, and also have seven boards.
- Merrimack had the advantage on the boards, snagging 35 to Fairfield’s 33.
- The Warriors also scored 24 points in the paint.
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
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More information about Air Force Reserve careers and opportunities is available at:
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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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