Gwynedd Valley, Pa. – (3/6/2026) – Led by senior captain Erin Eisenhart (Bethlehem, Pa.) and moments from various supporting cast members, the Gwynedd Mercy University women's basketball team finished the 2025-2026 season with an 8-17 overall record and a 5-9 Atlantic East Conference (AEC) mark that left them just shy of postseason berth. The Griffin captain finished the season with exactly 198 points (7.9/game) and 198 rebounds (7.9/game), leading the Red and Gold in both categories. She also topped the Gwynedd Mercy University season stat sheet in free throws made (61), assists (63), and blocks (15), while earning a December-16 AEC Women's Basketball Defensive Player of the Week award and three (Jan. 12, Jan. 26. Feb. 16) subsequent Weekly Honor Roll appearances.
 
Gwynedd Mercy University also received major contributions from three juniors; guard Alyssa Cresto (Newark, Del.), forwards Azzy Crumpton (Conshohocken, Pa.) and Rachel Dunn (Lansdale, Pa.), as well as some key performances from sophomore guards Kailyn Bell (Ridley Park, Pa.), Brianna McFadden (Fairless Hills, Pa.), and Alexis Kanzinger (Bala Cynwyd, Pa.), and freshman guard Layla Verbit (Sellersville, Pa.). Cresto averaged 7.8 points per game (PPG) with a team-high 43 three-point baskets, Crumpton and Dunn helped Eisenhart patrol the paint as the Red and Gold out-rebounded their opponents by a 1,122-1,079 spread, while limiting them to 36.8% (548-of-1,488) shooting from the floor and 29.4% (174-of-592) shooting from beyond the arch. Bell showed early-season command at the point with impressive performances against King's College (Pa.) (9 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists on Nov. 15), Swarthmore College (8, 9, 8 on Nov. 25) and Delaware Valley University (10, 5, 5 on Dec. 15), while attrition required McFadden, Kanzinger, and Verbit to step up late in the season. McFadden was the only Griffin besides Eisenhart to appear on the AEC Women's Basketball Weekly Report as she garnered an Honor Roll mention after leading a 33-point bench effort in a 66-52 home win over Pratt Institute (Jan. 31) with 14 points, three rebounds, an assist, and five steals.
 
The 2025-2026 season began with Gwynedd Mercy University's annual Tip-off Tournament (Nov. 7 & 8); the Griffins finished the weekend 0-2 with losses to St. Mary's College of Maryland (L, 59-73 on Nov. 7) and Ursinus College (L, 39-81 on Nov. 8).

A Battle of 309 loss at Arcadia University (L, 45-65 on Nov. 12) was followed by the Red and Gold's first win of the season. A dominant start and a clutch fourth quarter lifted Gwynedd Mercy University to 56–50 home win over King's College (Pa.) (Nov. 15). Bell made her presence felt on both ends of the court with nine points, seven rebounds, a game-high six assists, and a pair of steals. She worked with Eisenhart (6 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals) to help fuel a Griffin offense that was led by Cresto's dozen (12) points.
 
Gwynedd Mercy University earned two wins in December with victories versus the University of Valley Forge (W, 71-18 on Dec. 4) and Penn State Harrisburg (W, 63-39 on Dec. 13). The Griffins controlled every phase of the game against the Patriots, outscoring them in all four quarters and showcasing exceptional depth with 49 points off the bench. McFadden scored a game-high 19 points on 8-of-14 (.571) shooting while recording four rebounds, four assists, and four steals. The Griffins set the tone early versus the Harrisburg Nittany Lions thanks to an Eisenhart double-double (13 points, 13 rebounds) and a breakout performance from Dunn. The Montgomery County Community College addition came off the bench to score 14 points, while recording seven rebounds, an assist, a block, and three steals.
 
The New Year began with a loss at Salisbury University (L, 53-68 on Jan. 3), but had a different feel to it when the league season opened with a January-7 affair at Pratt Institute. The Red and Gold won the contest walking away as a 19-2 four-quarter distanced them for a decided 65-47 win over the Cannoneers. Cresto delivered a stellar all-around performance, pouring in a career-high 26 points on 10-of-22 (45%) shooting, while recording four rebounds, three assists, and two steals. Eisenhart helped fuel Cresto's night with her second double-double (16 points, 13 rebounds) of the season.
 
Gwynedd Mercy University picked up their second AEC win with a 57-53 home triumph over Centenary University (N.J.) (Jan. 21). The Griffins built a commanding first-half lead and withstood a late fourth-quarter push to earn the Morgan's Message Game victory. Eisenhart anchored the effort with 12 points, including a pair of clutch free throws (57-53, 0:02) to ensure the win. She complemented the performance with eight rebounds, three assists, and two steals.
 
The Red and Gold's third AEC win was their second over the Cannoneers (Jan. 31); a dominant three-quarter performance allowed the Griffins to cruise to a 66–52 victory. Gwynedd Mercy University got 33 points off the bench, including a team-high 14 points from McFadden.
 
In February, Gwynedd Mercy University looked for postseason berth with league wins over Marymount University (W, 56-44 on Feb. 11) and Saint Elizabeth University (W, 75-65 on Feb. 21), but fell a they eventually finished just a game back of the fifth-seeded Cyclones (6-8).
 
The Griffins offered their best defensive performance of the season in the February-11 win over the Saints. Forcing contested shots, they held Marymount University to 11.1% (2-of-18) shooting in a 17-7 first quarter and eventually celebrated a 12-point victory by limiting the Saints to just 27.9% (17-of-61) shooting in the affair. Dunn headlined the box score with her second of three double-doubles; she recorded a season-high 19 points while grabbing 11 carroms. Eisenhart provided another steady all-around effort with 12 points, nine rebounds, two assists, and a block, while Kanzinger shinned at the point with a career-high 10 assists.
 
In the Senior Day season finale, Eisenhart led the Griffins to a 75-65 win over the Eagles with 14 points, 11 rebounds, two assists, and a steal. It was her fifth double-double of the season and it came with her career-best free throw performance; 8-of-11 (.727). Crumpton was also a major contributor to the win as she totaled a career-high 19 points, nine rebounds, an assist, and a block after belting out a beautiful rendition of the National Anthem.
 
Crumpton scored in double-digits five times during the course of the season. She averaged 7.8 PPG and 4.6 rebounds per game (RPG), while recording 12 assists, seven blocks, and 21 steals. Cresto finished the year 43-of-146 (.295) from long range with nine double-digit scoring performances. Dunn, Kanzinger, and Verbit were late adds to the starting lineup; the first recorded double-doubles in three of the last five games of the season.