STANDISH, Maine – #2 Saint Joseph's College (16-10, 10-2 GNAC) will host #6 Albertus Magnus College (9-17, 7-5 GNAC) in a Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Women's Basketball Tournament semifinal on Friday at 5:00 PM.

OVERVIEW:

Friday night's winner advances to the 2026 GNAC Championship and will face the winner of the other semifinal matchup between #1 Emmanuel College and #4 Norwich University on Sunday, March 1, with the higher seed serving as host.

The GNAC champion earns an automatic berth into the 2026 NCAA Division III Women's Basketball Championship, which begins Friday, March 6.

HOW THEY GOT HERE:

Saint Joseph's advanced with an emphatic 87-47 quarterfinal victory over #7 University of Saint Joseph on Wednesday night at the Harold Alfond Center. The Monks led 18-10 after one quarter and controlled the game throughout, posting 54 points in the paint, 21 points off turnovers, a season-high 25 assists, and 51.5% shooting (35-for-68) — the team's second-best shooting performance of the season. Elisabeth Stapelfeld scored 27 points, while Hayden Madore added 16, Madison Lebel totaled 12 points and 16 rebounds, Logan Brown scored 11, and Maddie Russell added 10.

Albertus Magnus upset #3 Regis, 65-60, on the road in the quarterfinals behind a huge performance from Ariellys Velez, who scored 30 points (22 in the second half) and went 10-for-10 at the free-throw line. The Falcons trailed 27-22 at halftime before a 23-12 third quarter turned the game, and they held off a late rally down the stretch. Albertus also limited Regis to 25.0% shooting, while Isabella Fiorillo added 10 points and 12 rebounds.

BRACKETOLOGY:

Quarterfinals – Wednesday, Feb. 25

#1 Emmanuel College def. #8 New England College, 62-38
#2 Saint Joseph's College def. #7 University of Saint Joseph, 87-47
#6 Albertus Magnus College def. #3 Regis College, 65-60
#4 Norwich University def. #5 Lasell University, 75-61

Semifinals – Friday, Feb. 27

#1 Emmanuel College vs. #4 Norwich University, 6:00 PM
#2 Saint Joseph's College vs. #6 Albertus Magnus College, 5:00 PM

Championship – Sunday, March 1

Semifinal winners, TBD

SEASON AT A GLANCE:

Saint Joseph's:

• The Monks are riding a nine-game winning streak and own a 10-2 record on Mike McDevitt Court this season.
• Nationally, Saint Joseph's ranks 14th in three-pointers made per game (8.5) and 18th in three-point attempts per game (26.8).
• SJC leads the GNAC in 3-pointers made (9.8), attempted (28.9), and three-point percentage (33.7%), and ranks second in total points (890), scoring average (74.2), and scoring defense (55.3).
• Six different Monks are averaging at least 7.2 points per game.
• Saint Joseph's is averaging 67.6 points per game in 12 home contests this season.

Albertus Magnus:

• The Falcons enter the semifinal on a three-game winning streak and have won six of their last seven.
• Albertus leads the GNAC in fewest turnovers per game (13.3) and ranks among the conference leaders in free-throw attempts (3rd, 21.0), free throws made (4th, 13.6), defensive rebounds (4th, 29.2), steals (4th, 10.0), and opponents' field-goal percentage (4th, 34.3%).
• Four Falcons are averaging at least 11.0 points per game.
• Albertus is 4-8 on the road and averaging 56.1 points per game away from New Haven.

PLAYERS TO WATCH:

Saint Joseph's:

• (#23) Elisabeth Stapelfeld (Sr., G, Brookline, N.H.) – 15.0 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 2.6 APG; shooting 44.5% FG, 34.5% 3PT, 75.5% FT. She ranks fifth in the GNAC in scoring average and free-throw percentage, sixth in total points (360), and became the 28th member of the Monks' 1,000-Point Club earlier this season.
• (#15) Logan Brown (Sr., G, Brunswick, Maine) – 12.6 PPG, 3.2 RPG, 1.4 APG; shooting 37.1% FG, 38.5% 3PT, 67.4% FT. Brown leads the GNAC and ranks fourth nationally in three-pointers made (82).
• (#24) Madison Lebel (Sr., F, Hermon, Maine) – 8.9 PPG, 11.2 RPG; shooting 42.1% from the field. She ranks among the GNAC leaders in rebounding and has emerged as one of the conference's top post defenders.

Albertus Magnus:

• (#0) Ariellys Velez (Fr., G) – 18.9 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 2.2 APG; shooting 41.8% FG, 28.9% 3PT, 67.3% FT. She ranks third in the GNAC in points (416) and scoring average and has scored 24+ points in four of the Falcons' last five games.
• (#23) Adriana DeBernardo – 11.5 PPG, 8.2 RPG, 1.8 APG; GNAC leader in blocks (36) and among the conference leaders in rebounding.
• (#12) Isabella Fiorillo – 11.2 PPG, 4.0 RPG, 2.6 APG; leads the GNAC in minutes per game (36.9) and ranks among the conference leaders in free throws made and assists.

ATTITUDE REFLECTS LEADERSHIP:

Saint Joseph's: Chris Woodside (16-10, .608) – 1st collegiate season (6th overall)

Woodside was named the Monks' head coach in April 2025 after serving as the program's top assistant for five seasons under Mike McDevitt '83. He brings more than a decade of coaching experience at the high school and collegiate levels, including a Class C state title at Calais High School and a conference championship as an assistant at Schreiner University (Texas).

Albertus Magnus: J.R. Fredette (208-134, .596) – 13th collegiate season

Fredette has guided the Falcons since 2012-13 and built Albertus into a consistent GNAC contender, leading the program to 10 winning seasons and four 20-win campaigns. Albertus went 17-10 overall and 11-3 in GNAC play last season and reached the conference semifinals.

THE LAST TIME WE MET – Saint Joseph's def. Albertus Magnus, 69-48 (1/31/26, Standish):

Albertus Magnus led 4-0 early, but the Monks answered quickly and took an 18-9 lead after one quarter. Saint Joseph's extended the margin to 35-24 by halftime, weathered an Albertus push in the third, and then opened the fourth quarter on an 8-0 run before outscoring the Falcons 22-10 in the final period to secure the 21-point win.

Elisabeth Stapelfeld, Logan Brown, and Hayden Madore scored 14 points apiece for the Monks, while Adriana DeBernardo and Ava Johnson each scored 14 for Albertus Magnus.

HISTORICALLY SPEAKING:

Saint Joseph's leads the all-time series with Albertus Magnus, 23-1, and has won four straight meetings.

GNAC TOURNAMENT HISTORY:

The Monks have appeared in the GNAC Tournament in 17 of 18 seasons as a conference member and claimed the program's first GNAC Championship in 2014. Saint Joseph's later won three straight titles from 2016-18 and back-to-back championships in 2023 and 2024. Since joining the GNAC in 2007, the Monks are 31-10 overall and 29-2 at home in conference postseason play.

Albertus Magnus is making its 24th GNAC Tournament appearance and is in the semifinals for the second straight season after falling at Saint Joseph's, 67-60, in last year's semifinal. The Falcons are 15-23 all-time in GNAC Tournament play and last reached the GNAC Championship game in 1998.

The Monks and Falcons have met five previous times in the GNAC Tournament, with Saint Joseph's winning all five meetings: semifinal victories in 2018, 2022, and 2025, and quarterfinal wins in 2012 and 2017.

GNAC TEAM STATS COMPARISON: