Vassar winter sports have been showing out across courts, pools and more. As each team approaches the end of their season, we looked at how they are doing as they approach the finish line.
Men’s basketball
The Vassar men’s basketball team has been building momentum this season. Following a 66-48 win over Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI), the Brewers moved into first place in the Liberty League, tied with RPI at a conference record of 12-4. The squad has an overall record of 16-7 and has won their last two games. The four conference losses come against Ithaca College, Saint Lawrence University, Skidmore College and Union College. Saint Lawrence, Skidmore and Union all sit in the bottom half of the Liberty League standings, reflecting the parity of this squad’s season. Leading the team so far has been Shea Fitzgerald ’27, Avery Lee ’27 and Nate Denham ’26 who all average double-digit points, respectively 20.8, 16.3 and 10.2, per game. Fitzgerald’s 20.8 leads the Liberty League in individual points per game, three ahead of the runner-up. In fact, this Brewers squad leads the Liberty League in points per game with 77.1. The team has two more regular season games left this season before they make their Liberty League playoffs run.
Women’s basketball
The Vassar women’s basketball team heads into their final stretch of the season sitting second in the Liberty League at a conference record of 14-2 and an overall record of 18-5, having won their last five games. The squad’s dominance is due to their lights-out shooting, led by Tova Gelb ’25, Sierra McDermed ’26 and Julia Harvey ’25, and reflected in their incredible Liberty League-leading game scoring margin of 11.9, with the next closest being 6.3. Not only do Gelb, McDermed and Harvey lead the Brewers in points-per-game, but they also sit first, second and third, respectively, in the Liberty League for points-per-game. Heading into their two final games of the season, the squad is looking to repeat their 2024 result—a Liberty League Championship—and build on it in the national championship tournament.
Men’s swimming and diving
The Vassar men’s swim and dive team sits seventh out of ten in the Liberty League after a rocky season that featured highs and lows alike. The squad opened up their campaign with a resounding victory over Bard on Oct. 19. Following a challenging stretch, the group rebounded against Pace University and then a week later against Union College before capturing a second-place finish at the Skidmore Sprints. Next, the team heads to Ithaca to compete in the Liberty League Championships during the three-day competition from Feb. 19 to 21.
Women’s swimming and diving
The Vassar women’s swim and dive team has put together a solid season featuring a mixed bag of results against strong competition. The squad now sits sixth in the Liberty League heading into their final few days before the Liberty League Championships in Ithaca, New York on Feb. 19 through Feb. 22. The team got out to a hot start with back-to-back wins against Bard and Brandeis before a three-meet skid. The team found their footing with two wins in their latest four races, including a statement victory against Mount Holyoke College.
Men’s indoor track & field
The Vassar men’s indoor track and field season features five races prior to the season’s Liberty League Championship meet, and in the first of the four, the Brewers have performed well. The team opened their indoor season on Dec. 27 at the West Point Crowell Open. Highlighting this meet was Senior Tim Buchan who posted a first-place finish in the mile with sophomore Sean Miller defeating Division I competition to earn a first-place finish in the 3000-meter. Next, at the Bomber Invite on Feb. 1, sophomore Max Frazee earned a first-place finish in the 5000-meter. The Brewers competed next at the Blue and Orange Invite on Feb. 8 where Miller and senior Jose Magaña each posted All-Atlantic Region Track & Field Conference (AARTFC) marks in the 3000-meters. Most recently, the group competed at the New York University (NYU) Division III Invite where Miller once again performed, posting a runner-up finish in the 800-meters with a time of 1:56.02. The squad will wrap up their season in three championship meets: the Liberty League Championships on Feb. 28 and March 1, the AARTFC Indoor Championships at Ithaca, New York on March 7 and March 8 and finally the NCAA Indoor Championships on March 14 and March 15.
Women’s indoor track & field
The Vassar women’s indoor track and field season opened up at two meets simultaneously: the Sharon Colyear-Danville Season Opener at Boston University and the West Point Crowell Open in West Point, New York. Sophomore Haley Schoenegge amazed once again when she broke her own school record time in the 3000-meters in Boston. At the West Point Crowell Open, the team showed out while first-year Amanda Hanrahan set the new indoor school record in the weight throw. At the Crowell Open, the sophomore pair of Adelaide Nyhan and Norah Reade finished second and fourth overall, respectively, with Nyhan being the top Division III finisher in the race. Days later at the Bomber invitational, the Brewers dominated when Schoenegge unsurprisingly won the 5000-meters, defeating the second-place finisher by over 40 seconds. Sophomore Acadia Helfand scored a third-place finish in 19:15.80 along with first-year Sophia Marchioli crossing the finish line in fifth place in 19:18.80. First-year Hadley Snell posted a sixth-place finish with a time of 19:22.06 followed by classmate Chloe Bibula earning an eighth place finish in 19:32.28. The group continued on at the Blue and Orange invite at Utica College where multiple Brewers earned multiple victorious results. Sophomore Jahmilia Dennis posted a meet-best leap in the triple jump while Nyhan’s stellar season continued with a first-place finish in the 800-meter. Most recently, Schoenegge and Dennis showed out in Boston and New York City and the Valentine Invite and NYU Division III Invite, respectively. The sophomore national champion posted the 12th fastest Division III time in the mile, competing in a loaded field of largely Division I runners. Meanwhile, Dennis posted the 19th-best triple jump result nationally at the NYU Division III Invite. The squad will wrap up their season in three championship meets: the Liberty League Championships on Feb. 28 and March 1, the AARTFC Indoor Championships at Ithaca, New York on March 7 and March 8 and finally the NCAA Indoor Championships on March 14 and March 15.
Men’s squash
The Vassar men’s squash team posted a solid season with a finishing record of 7-10. The group got out to a strong start with a 4-1 record in their first five games before a nine-game skid where the squad went 1-8. At the Liberty League Championship the team finished on a strong note, defeating Bard College, and toppling Hobart College for the first time since 2006.
Women’s squash
The Vassar women’s squash team had a disappointing season that culminated in a 3-13 record. The squad had a solid start to their season, defeating both Fordham University and Bard College in their first five games. After the pair of wins, the team went on to lose ten straight matches before ending on a high note with a win over Bard College in the Liberty League Championship.
As the Vassar Athletics winter seasons come to a close and teams approach their championship tournaments and matches, the Brewers look poised for success. Not only are squads pursuing conference glory, but bolstered groups look to find new heights during their national championship campaigns.