Riverdale, NY - The University of Mount Saint Vincent's women's basketball team completed one of their best seasons in recent memory, finishing the 2023-24 season winners in 19 of their 25 games. 15 of those wins came against the Skyline Conference, and their 15-5 record earned the Dolphins the third seed in the tournament. UMSV will host one of the two first-round matchups, as Farmingdale State College makes their way to Riverdale on Tuesday, with the winner advancing to the semifinal round against Mount Saint Mary College. 

The success of this year's Dolphins starts at the top. Head Coach Maria Nardulli, in just her second season at the helm of a collegiate program, has done a masterful job both recruiting and utilizing a large roster to her advantage. She entered the season with 19 active players, one of the largest in the conference, with the majority of the team seeing minutes over the course of the season. 

It took a bit of time for the coaching staff and roster to gel with the right rotations, but once they did, it was all up from there. The Dolphins went 1-2 through the first three games of the year before rattling off 10 wins in their next 11 games, including victories against seven conference foes. The longest losing streak Nardulli and the Dolphins would suffer would be just two games long, as they'd close the season winners in seven of their final nine games. 

One of the most impressive aspects of the program is how the team's returners have blended with its newcomers. 

Amber Been, a two-time All-Conference selection, dealt with a knee injury throughout the first two months of the year. It gave a chance for graduate student Kira Villegas to step up, as her 13.7 points per game average is just a fraction behind her career-high, while her seven boards per game average became a career-best. Kayla Hanley resumed her role as the floor general, setting the tone offensively each and every contest. 

Melanieann Broderick, Julia Angeles and Sofia Marcos each reprized their roles as top reserves from last season, as each forwarded provided valuable minutes off the bench. 

As important as the returners were, so too were the newcomers. 

Sophomore guard Magan Jackson made a strong first impression with her new team, as she led the way in scoring while effectively scoring at all three levels all year long. Transfer Ariella Johnson became one of the team's go-to defenders in her first year with the program as well, while Anastasia Davis served as the glue within the starting lineup all year long. 

JaKaia Lotz, Shamoni Berrios and Nailea Green rounded out the tremendous depth for Nardulli and her staff, with each talent bringing various things to the table that aided in victories. 

The Dolphins matched up incredibly well against the Rams this season as they've swept the season series by the scores of 71-51 and 81-72. Villegas, Jackson, Johnson and Lotz each scored in double figures back on November 29. Been (15 points, seven rebounds, four steals, three assists), Villegas (23 points, nine rebounds, four steals, two assists) and Jackson (16 points, six rebounds, five steals, three assists, two blocks) had strong showings in the second game as well. Despite the losses, the Rams have proved to be a formidable team, thanks to both their size and shooting from beyond the arc. 

Tuesday's first-round matchup is set to tip off at 6:00 PM.