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Binghamton University Athletics

MAAC Challenge

Women’s Basketball gears up for America East-Metro Challenge

| By: David O’Brian (dobrian@binghamton.edu)
Yanniah Boyd

Bearcats head to Fairfield on Friday, Siena on Monday

STORY LINES

- Binghamton takes part in the first-ever America East-Metro Challenge with road games at Fairfield (Friday) and Siena (Monday). Heading into the weekend, the Bearcats have played a team out of the Metro Conference, formally known as the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC), 39 times during its history, with a record of 19-20 all time. 

- Binghamton (0-1) lost 63-40 on Monday night against a Monmouth team picked to win the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA). Senior forward Kendall Bennett turned in a 10-point, 11-rebound, seven-block performance while senior guard Yanniah Boyd finished with 15 points and eight rebounds.

- Including Monday's game against Monmouth, K. Bennett now has 18 career double-doubles. In addition, her seven blocks represents the highest total turned in by a Bearcat player since Alyssa James also recorded seven rejections at Army on Nov. 10, 2017.

- The Bearcats are the preseason pick to win the America East for the first time in program history. K. Bennett and senior guard Bella Pucci were both named preseason all-conference selections. Both of them earned second-team all-conference honors last year. K. Bennett was also named to the America East All-Defensive Team, an honor Pucci earned the previous season. 

- Mary Grimes is in her third season as the head coach at Binghamton and her sixth as a college head coach. She has gone 35-29 (17-15 AE) at Binghamton and is 91-59 overall. Grimes was the head coach at Le Moyne from 2021-24.

- Fairfield (0-0) is the defending MAAC champion. Graduate student guard Kaety L'Amoreaux is the reigning MAAC Player of the Year while senior forward Meghan Andersen joined her as a first-team All-MAAC selection. In addition, Andersen has been chosen as this year's Preseason MAAC Player of the Year.

- The Stags are the unanimous preseason pick to repeat as MAAC champions, having secured all 13 first-place votes. In addition, they are currently ranked fourth in the Collegeinsider.com Top 25 Mid-Major Poll.  

- In the only previous meeting between the two programs, Binghamton defeated Fairfield 77-72 at the Events Center back on Dec. 3, 2022. 

- Friday's game between the Bearcats and Stags features three players named to the Becky Hammon Player of the Year Preseason Watch List. They include K. Bennett from Binghamton and both L'Amoreaux and Andersen from Fairfield.

- L'Amoreaux's older sister Allie is a 2024 graduate of Binghamton University, where she played on the Bearcats' softball team. Allie was named the 2024 America East Softball Player of the Year and led Binghamton to a share of that season's regular-season conference title. 

- Siena (1-0) defeated Brown 82-71 in its season opener on Monday night. Nicole Melious poured in a game-high 25 points while Francesca Schiro added 21 points.

- The Saints have been picked to finish fifth in the MAAC. They went 13-17 during the 2025-26 campaign. 

- Monday's game marks a homecoming for head coach Mary Grimes, who is a 2003 graduate of Siena. She was a four-year letterwinner and two-year team captain for the Saints.

- The Bearcats lead the all-time series against Siena 6-5. Most recently, Binghamton pulled out a 64-62 triumphy on the road. Boyd scored a game-high and career-best 20 points in the win while Pucci finished with 15 points. The victory came during Grimes' first year as the Bearcats' head coach. 


BEARCATS BY THE NUMBERS

2 
Senior guard Bella Pucci has been named the America East Player of the Week twice during her career (Nov. 2, 2025 & Feb. 9, 2026)

2
Current sophomore guard Carletta Bennett was named the America East Rookie of the Week twice last season (Dec. 15, 2025 & Feb. 2, 2026)

4
Junior center Abby Misier blocked a career-high four shots against UMass Lowell on Feb. 6, 2025.

6
Senior guard Bella Pucci has posted six career games with at least 20 points. She scored a career-best 31 points against NJIT on Feb. 7, 2026.

7
Senior forward Kendall Bennett has recorded seven career games with at least 20 points. She finished with a career-high 26 points against UMass Lowell on Jan. 10, 2026. 

12 
Sophomore guard Ashley Redd finished with a career-high 12 points against Colgate on Dec. 20, 2025

18
Senior forward Kendall Bennett has turned in 18 career double-doubles.

20 
Senior guard Yanniah Boyd netted a career-high 20 points against Siena on Dec. 15, 2024.

106
With 106 career blocks, senior forward Kendall Bennett ranks sixth all-time in program history. In fifth place, with 112 career rejections is Viive Rebane (2008-12). 

583
With 583 career rebounds, senior forward Kendall Bennett is currently ranked No. 13 all time in Binghamton program history. Rachel Laws (2002-06) is No. 12 with 624 rebounds while Jen Gaeta is No. 11 with 630 career rebounds. 

884
Senior guard Bella Pucci currently ranks No. 22 all time in Binghamton program history with 884 career points. Ranked No. 21, with 897 career points, is Jasmine Sina (2014-18). Gaeta sits at No. 20 with 918 career points.




 
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