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Presale Until Game Day:
$12.00 Adults
$7.00 (students & senior citizens)

At Merkert Gymnasium on game day
$15.00 Adults
$10.00 (students & senior citizens)

12 and under are free

The Game
Stonehill College returns home looking to reclaim its magic from a week ago as it opens a season-long matching three-game homestand by hosting Merrimack College for a Northeast Conference matchup on Paula Sullivan Court at Merkert Gymnasium this afternoon. The Skyhawks, winners of two-straight at home, are aiming to bounce back from a 61-50 setback at FDU on Friday night. The Warriors are rebounding from an 0-3 start to their NEC slate following their 72-45 triumph over Wagner College in North Andover on Friday for their second-straight win.

Media Information
This afternoon's game will be broadcast live via SkyhawksVision on NEC Front Row. Charlie Bergeron (PBP) has the call of the action with Brian Buckley (analyst), with direction from Matt Nelson. The broadcast can be accessed via stonehillskyhawks.com through its NEC Front Row portal (necfrontrow.com/schools/SC) or through Apple TV, Android TV, Amazon Fire TV and Roku via the NEC On the Run App. WSHL 91.3 FM has radio coverage in the Stonehill area with Chris Robbins and Andrew Nilsen on the broadcast.

Last Time Out
FDU used a 46.7-percent shooting burst in the third quarter to secure a 61-50 victory over Stonehill in a Northeast Conference matchup at Bogota Savings Bank Center. Teneisia Brown led three from FDU in double-figures with a double-double performance of 16 points and ten rebounds, shooting 7-for-13 from the floor, with two steals. Abby Conklin fell a rebound shy of joining Brown with a double-double, adding 11 points on 4-of-7 shooting, including 2-for-4 from three, with nine boards, two assists and a steal, while Staci Williams totaled 14 points. Postgrad Lauren Sampson (Waltham, Mass.) reached double-figures in scoring for the fifth-straight game to lead all Stonehill scorers with 12 points and two rebounds. Junior Sharn Hayward (Penguin, Tasmania), the reigning NEC Player of the Week finished in double-digits for the third-straight game with ten points, converting all seven free-throw attempts, with two rebounds and two assists. Senior Jada Thornton (Germantown, Md.) finished a point and rebound shy of the Skyhawks first double-double of the year with nine points, nine boards (five offensive), three assists and a steal.

Against the Warriors
This afternoon marks the 87th meeting all-time between these programs that dates back to the 1981-82 season through their Northeast-10 Conference eras. Stonehill holds a 69-17 advantage in the all-time series, but Merrimack has won the last three encounters, including a sweep of the regular season series in their first two encounters as members of the Northeast Conference at the NCAA Division I level. The Skyhawks are 36-7 against Merrimack all-time at home, but the Warriors notched a 78-71 win their last visit to Easton last February in a game broadcast on ESPN+. Stonehill head coach Trisha Brown is 24-16 in her career against the Warriors, while Merrimack head coach Kelly Morrone is 2-0 over her career against the Skyhawks.

Last Time They Met
Merrimack turned back several Stonehill challenges down the stretch to secure a 78-71 victory in NEC action at Merkert Gym on February 9, 2023, in a game that was broadcast via ESPN+ through the NEC's television package. Amaya Staton led a balanced Merrimack effort with 14 points on 6-of-9 shooting with seven rebounds, an assist, steal and blocked shot. Marissa Hamilton added 13 points, all in the first half, with seven rebounds, while Jayme DeCesare totaled 13 points, four assists and three boards. Maddie Loder scored 12 of her game-high 16 points in the first half to lead Stonehill, while Emily Bramanti netted ten of her 13 points in the second half, with a career-high matching eight assists, five rebounds and two steals. Merrimack, which led by as much as 12 points in the first half, withstood a series of Stonehill challenges in a second half that featured six ties and six lead changes. The Skyhawks were never able to grab more than a one possession lead, as the Warriors secured their third-straight win and sixth over the last seven.

Today is a Good Day
Stonehill has posted a 5-1 record on this date since 2004. The Skyhawks earned a 56-49 triumph over LIU here at Merkert Gym on this date last year and have won three-straight games on January 21 over the last 12-years.

Magic of the Merk
Stonehill is 70-11 at Merkert Gymnasium all-time against the current members of the Northeast Conference after its 2-0 start to its NEC home slate last weekend. Stonehill is 36-7 all-time at Merkert against Merrimack.

Company at the Top
Stonehill head coach Trisha Brown will coach her 636th career game today against Merrimack, matching the program-high total set by mentor and longtime administrator at the College, Paula Sullivan for most games coached in the program's history. Brown will surpass the program mark on Thursday against Saint Francis on January 25 in a game that will be broadcast on ESPN+ through the NEC's television broadcast package. Sullivan posted a 479-159 (.751) mark from 1971-1995 as the founder of the women's basketball program and then later hired Brown as just the program's third head coach as the College's athletic director in 2001.
Brown Notables:
• First career game - November 16, 2001 - vs. Millersville (W 75-70) - first career win
• 100th career game - January 6, 2005 - vs. American International (L 81-61)
• 100th career win - November 21, 2006 - vs. Southern N.H. (66-42)
• 200th career game - February 9, 2008 - vs. Bentley (W 57-38)
• 200th career win - January 5, 2011 - vs. Southern Conn. State (67-64)
• 300th career game - February 16, 2011 - at Saint Anselm (W 59-49)
• 300th career win - February 6, 2016 - at Franklin Pierce (71-64 - OT)
• 400th career game - January 10, 2015 - at Pace (W 63-46)
• 400th career win - February 20, 2022 - vs. Southern Conn. State (65-46)
• 500th career game - February 6, 2019 - at Bentley (L 77-59)
• 600th career game - December 20, 2022  - vs Northeastern (L 75-64)

Player of the Week
Stonehill junior guard Sharn Hayward (Penguin, Tasmania) has been named the Northeast Conference Player of the Week by the Conference office today. Hayward earns the first weekly recognition of her career with her selection as the NEC Player of the Week and Prime Performer, joining former teammate Emily Bramanti, '23, a two-time selection, in earning NEC Player of the Week honors. Hayward led Stonehill to a 2-0 weekend in NEC play by averaging 24.5 points on 73.9-percent shooting (17-for-23), including a blistering 71.4% (15-21) from three-point distance. She also contributed 2.5 assists and 1.5 rebounds in 38.9-minutes per game over the two victories. Hayward drained a school-record and NEC record-matching 11 three-pointers in scoring a career-high 33 points in Monday's 67-44 triumph over Wagner College at Merkert Gymnasium, connecting on 11-of-15 shots – all beyond the three-point arc – with three assists and two rebounds in 40-minutes of play. She opened the week with a team-high 16-points on 6-of-8 shooting, including 4-for-6 from deep, and two assists in Saturday's 60-56 victory over FDU in which the Skyhawks rallied from an 11-point deficit with 8:41 to play.

Prime Performer
In addition to her selection as the NEC Player of the Week for the first time in her career, Stonehill junior guard Sharn Hayward (Penguin, Tasmania) earned NEC Prime Performer status for her efforts in the Skyhawks two wins last week as well. She joins postgraduate transfer Lauren Sampson (Waltham, Mass.) in earning Prime Performer status this season - doing so in back-to-back weeks after Sampson came off the bench to average 16.5 points, 6.0 rebounds, 2.0 steals, 1.5 assists and a blocked shot over the Skyhawks first two NEC games of the season. The duo is Stonehill's first two NEC Prime Performer selections of the 2023-24 season.
NEC Prime Performers:
Jan. 10: Lauren Sampson
Jan. 17: Sharn Hayward

On the Run!
Stonehill junior guard Sharn Hayward (Penguin, Tasmania) was a guest on the NEC's weekly On The Run! with Craig D'Amico on the Conference's Overtime! podcast that debuted on all podcast platforms on Friday. Hayward is the first women's basketball player to appear on the NEC's weekly women's basketball podcast over its first two years as NEC members.

Haven't Seen It... Should!
Stonehill junior guard Sharn Hayward's (Penguin, Tasmania) record-setting three-point barrage against Wagner College on Monday was featured on the "Haven't Seen It" segement on ESPN's SportsCenter.

A Tme to Sharn
Junior guard Sharn Hayward (Penguin, Tasmania) exploded for a career-high 33 points on 11-of-15 shooting from three-point range in Monday's win over Wagner to earn NEC Player of the Week honors, an ESPN feature and recognition from Boston's local FOX affiliate. She connected on her first four three-pointers in the contest on her way to 12 first half points on 4-for-6 shooting from three in the half overall. Her 11 threes are nearly double the seven she made in 20 games as a freshman and only five shy of the 16 canned during her sophomore year.
Noteworthy from Monday's outburst against Wagner:
• Broke the school-record for three-pointers in a game.
• Matched the NEC record for three-pointers set by Jessica Kovatch of Saint Francis against FDU in 2018 – in two fewer attempts than Kovatch.
• Led a school-record matching 17-point three-point field goal effort for Stonehill, which matched the number of total field goals made by Wagner in the game.
• Hayward's 11 three-pointers matched the season-high in Division I women's basketball this season and is the third-highest total across all levels of NCAA basketball regardless of gender.
• Hayward's efficient 73.3 percent clip from long range (11-of-15) is the best single-game percentage in Division I this season among players with nine-or-more made three-pointers.
• The 11 three-pointers exceeded Stonehill's previous team-high of ten at Central Connecticut State University the week prior.
• Fell three shy of the NCAA Division I women's record of 14 by Baylor's Juicy Landrum in 2019.
• 33 points is a team season high, and the Skyhawks first 20-plus point game of the year and is the second 30-point performance in the NEC this season.

Lights, Camera, Action!
Both Stonehill women's basketball matchups with Saint Francis have been selected by the Northeast Conference to appear in the Conference's 2023-24 basketball broadcast schedule the league announced earlier this month. Stonehill will host Saint Francis at Merkert Gym for an NEC matchup on Thursday, January 25, at 6 p.m., in a game that will now be broadcast live on ESPN+, as well as the Skyhawks return NEC matchup with the Red Flash in Loretto, Pennsylvania, on Saturday, February 24, at 4 p.m. It marks the first time in the Skyhawks two-year history with the NEC that it will have two games included in the Conference's ESPN+ package and the second-straight year it will host a game in the broadcast package after hosting Merrimack College in an ESPN+ clash at Merkert Gymnasium last February. The two Stonehill/Saint Francis matchups are among 12 women's games included in the NEC 25-game basketball broadcasting package for the 2023-24 season – 23 of which will be broadcast on ESPN platforms. The two games add to five Stonehill women's games scheduled for ESPN digital platforms this season, including today's game at George Washington on ESPN+.

Preseason Prognostications
Stonehill has been picked to finish fifth in its second trip around the Northeast Conference by the league's head coaches in its preseason poll announced at the Conference's Social Media Day at the Prudential Center in Newark in October. Defending NEC Tournament Champions Sacred Heart University is the unanimous choice to capture the regular season title with all nine first place votes, followed by No. 2 Merrimack, No. 3 Wagner, defending regular season champions FDU at No. 4 and Stonehill. LIU follows the Skyhawks at No. 6, with Saint Francis No. 7, NEC newcomer Le Moyne No. 8 and No. 9 Central Connecticut State.

Tourney Time
Stonehill, winners of six Northeast-10 Conference Championship prior to elevating its program to NCAA Division I status in 2022, will have the opportunity to compete for a Northeast Conference title for the first time this season after the NEC presidents voted to waive the two-year waiting period in automatic qualifier sports at their June meetings. The Skyhawks remain NCAA Tournament ineligible until the 2026-27 season.

Celebrating 75 Years
Stonehill College, founded in 1948 is celebrating its 75th Anniversary during the 2023-24 academic year. In September 1948, some 134 students — many of whom were veterans from World War II — gathered with the eight teachers who would serve as their faculty to celebrate Mass at the Chapel in Donahue Hall. That small gathering of students and teachers marked the beginning of Stonehill College. The College kicked off its 75th Anniversary Celebration with a Jubilee Mass during Family Weekend in September, followed by music, games, food trucks and beer garden.

Getting Social
Fans and media members of Stonehill athletics have multiple social media outlets to get updates on all 21 varsity programs. The department's Facebook page is www.facebook.com/stonehillskyhawks, and you can also follow @GoStonehill on Twitter and @stonehillskyhawks via Instagram!  Stonehill women's basketball is also on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/StonehillCollegeWomensBasketball, Twitter and Instagram by following @stonehillwbb. You can even follow head coach Trisha Brown on Twitter via @CoachTB_SC.

Up Next
Stonehill continues its season-long matching three game homestand on Thursday, when it hosts Saint Francis University for an NEC matchup that will be broadcast on ESPN+ as part of the Conference's national broadcast schedule here at Merkert Gym at 6 p.m.