OPENING TIP
• The Ben O'Brien era begins for the Lafayette women's basketball program as the Leopards open the 2026-27 season at St. John's on Monday. Under St. John's winningest program head coach Joe Tartamella, the Red Storm finished the previous winter campaign 22-12 (11-9 BIG EAST) and secured a berth in the Women's Basketball Invitation Tournament for the second time in three years. St. John's leads the series all-time 2-0 with matches in 2016 and 2019.

• The Leopards return 11 players from last season, five of whom started in at least 10 contests. Lafayette concluded 2025-26 with an 11-19 (7-11 PL) overall record, advancing to the Patriot League Tournament's quarterfinal. 

• Tasha Chudy, Teresa Kiewiet and Talia Zurinskas were named as team captains on Oct. 31. Chudy competed in over 60 games for the Leopards through her career, heading into her senior season boasting a 75.7 percent free throw average. Kiewiet, a 2026-27 Patriot League Preseason All-League selection, contributed a team-best 16.2 ppg, 6.1 rpg and 1.2 apg. Kiewiet recorded double-digits in points in 25 contests, five double-doubles and finished the year in the top 10 of Lafayette's single-season scoring list in 2025-26. Her post-season accolades included the Patriot League Scholar-Athlete of the Year (the first Leopard in conference history to win the award since its inception in 1990-91) and All-Conference Second Team. As a Psychology major, Zurinskas started in all 30 games last winter. She averaged 10.6 points, 3.8 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game as a guard while shooting 34.8 percent from the field.

 • The Leopards host five non-conference games while traveling to six opponents in the non-conference slate. Patriot League play kicks off prior to the New Year on Dec. 30 when Lafayette hosts Navy at 1 p.m.

 • Next up, the Leopards return to Easton on Thursday for the home-opener against Wagner at 8:30 p.m. at Kirby Sports Center.

THE MATCHUP
Prior to the season, St. John's was selected to finish fourth in the BIG EAST Preseason Coaches' Poll, its highest preseason placement since 2024. St. John's welcomes back three starters and five letterwinners while adding eight newcomers to Queens, highlighted by graduate transfer Ny'Ceara Pryor and junior Sanaa Tripp.  The Red Storm placed two student-athletes on the Preseason All-BIG EAST Team in Brooke Moore and Sa'Mya Wyatt. Wyatt returns as the former second-leading scorer, averaging 10.7 ppg, 4.9 rpg and 1.1 apg. The program added a trio of freshmen to the roster in Syvannah Dawson, Yohana Fami and Serenity Lancaster.

AT THE HELM
Ben O'Brien takes up the mantle for Lafayette as the eighth head coach since the program's inception in 1972 and the first male. His arrival to College Hill follows a historic head-coaching tenure at Scranton, where he compiled 117-7 (.943) record over four seasons that included four conference championships (2023-26), two undefeated regular seasons (2023, 2026), four NCAA Tournament appearances (2023-26) and three Elite 8 stints (2024–26). During the 2026 NCAA Tournament run, O'Brien led Scranton to the NCAA Division III National Championship Game after using its Final Four appearance to snap NYU's 91-game winning streak.

SUCCESS FROM DEEP
The 2025-26 Leopard squad etched its name in the record books as the program leader for 3-point field goals and attempts with 216-for-632 over 30 contests. The 34.2 percentage ranks fourth all-time for the Maroon and White.

BLOCK PARTY
Sophomore forward Maddison Krug blocked 39 shots last season, good for 16th in the single-season and 18th in the career Lafayette record book listing. The North Kingstown, R.I. native made a career-high six blocks at Bucknell last winter.

PROMOTIONAL SLATE
Lafayette will host the seventh annual School Day Game, in partnership with Lafayette's Landis Center for Community Engagement and Easton Area School District, on Jan. 20 at 11 a.m. against Loyola Maryland. On Feb. 13 versus Bucknell, the Leopards will raise funds and awareness for the breast cancer during the Pink Game.