The Brewers enjoyed a successful fall sports season with conference championships, NCAA tournament appearances and individual accolades, but as the temperatures outside continue dropping, winter sports here at Vassar are only heating up. With defending champions seeking another banner, talented rookies stepping into the spotlight and other programs set for breakout years, the winter sports season is bound to be electric. Below is how each winter squad stacks up heading into the new season.
Men’s Basketball
The Brewers enter this season looking to build on one of the strongest campaigns in program history. Last year, Vassar finished 16-10 and posted a program-best 12-6 Liberty League record but fell short in the playoffs, losing to St. Lawrence University in the opening round. With nearly every key contributor from last year’s squad returning, expectations in Poughkeepsie are higher than ever. Leading the charge is Shea “The Enigma” Fitzgerald ’27, the reigning Liberty League Player of the Year and National Association of Basketball Coaches Third Team All-American. Fitzgerald averaged 19.7 points per game last season while also adding 75 assists, cementing himself as one of the most explosive players in the landscape. His ability to score the basketball and create for his teammates will once again be central to Vassar’s identity. Joining Fitzgerald in the backcourt is fellow standout Avery Lee ’27, an All-Liberty League First Team selection who put up 15.5 points per game and dished out 65 assists a year ago. Together, Fitzgerald and Lee form one of the most potent scoring duos, not only in the Liberty League but in the nation.
The Brewers have carried last season’s momentum into the 2025-26 campaign, opening the year at 6-1 overall and 2-0 in Liberty League play with their only loss coming to New England Small College Athletic Conference powerhouse Williams College on Dec. 3. The Brewers are averaging 85.1 points per game thus far with Fitzgerald and Lee combining for an average of 35 points per game.
The Brewers are talented and seasoned. If the squad can stay healthy, there is no reason they will not be playing for hardware at the end of the season.
Women’s Basketball
First year Head Coach Carly Assimon steps into a program with championship expectations and the history to back them up. The women’s basketball team has proven that they are one of the preeminent programs in Division III hoops, entering the season fresh off two consecutive Liberty League championships and NCAA tournament berths. Getting back to championship games will require a heavy dose of two-time First Team All-Liberty League guard, whose veteran leadership and scoring ability will be crucial for the Brewers this year. Coach Assimon will also benefit from an influx of young talent, most notably from talented rookie Lindsey Shoulders ’29, a dynamic player who can score the basketball and rebound.
Despite entering the season with a new coach and a reloaded roster, the Brewers have shown promise in the early stages of the season. The Brewers sit at 3-3 overall with tight losses to SUNY New Paltz, Mt. St. Mary (NY) and No. 13 Trinity College (Conn.), but more importantly, they have opened 2-0 in Liberty League play. In a rematch of last season’s Liberty League Championship game on Dec. 5, the Brewers bested Ithaca College in a 60-58 barnburner. As the squad gels and learns Coach Assimon’s system, the Brewers will undoubtedly be competing for another Liberty League championship this year.
Men’s Swim and Dive
After a strong start to the season, winning their first two races against Bard College and SUNY New Paltz, respectively, the men’s swim and dive team has entered something of a skid, dropping their past four duel races before finishing fourth of six at the Bomber Invitational this past weekend. At Ithaca, Lucas Jauregui ’27, Kieran Lakhan ’29, Sam Deluca ’26 and Eli House ’28 took fourth place in the men’s 400-yard medley relay to earn the squad points. Looking ahead, the team will look to get back in the win column after the new year against Trinity College on Jan. 13.
Women’s Swim and Dive
Women’s swim and dive won their first three races of the season and in dominant fashion no less, trouncing Bard College, SUNY New Paltz and Brandeis University by over 100 points each. The squad cooled down, dropping their next three meets to Montclair State University, Skidmore College and last year’s Liberty League runner-up Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Most recently, the squad picked up solid points at the Bomber Invitational, finishing fourth of seven teams at the meet. To start the Bomber Invitational, the team of Abby Ford ’29, Anna Little ’27, Vivien Li ’27 and Addie Wiener ’26 snagged a third place finish in the women’s 400-yard medley relay. Little took second place in the women’s 400-yard IM with teammate Wiener finishing second in the women’s 200-, 500- and 1650-yard freestyle. After the intermission, the squad returns to action in Hartford, Connecticut against Trinity College.
Men’s Indoor Track and Field
The men’s and women’s track and field teams returned to action, kicking off the indoor season at the Armory Collegiate Distance Carnival in New York City as well at the West Point Crowell Open in West Point, New York. Ryan Fernandes ’28 broke the indoor school record in the 60 meters on Dec. 5, finishing ninth overall in the event. In the 400 meter, Jagger Gullov-Singh ’29 secured a top-10 finish with a time of 59:78. Sean Miller ’27 and Lincoln Neiswend ’29 shared the podium in the 800m, finishing first and second, respectively.
Women’s Indoor Track and Field
Lainie D’Auria ’28 placed third in the women’s 200m final with a time of 27.46. Lianna Camille took gold in the women’s 400m final with a time of 1:02.53. Vassar snagged the top three spots in the women’s 800m final as Lizzie Lowe ’27, Perri Koo ’29 and Malaika Dechet-Wetzel ’29 finished first, second and third, respectively. Dechet-Wetzel and Lowe would go on to take first and second, respectively, in the women’s mile final. Chloe Bibula ’28 earned a third place finish in a fast 5000m race, and All-American Junior Jahmilia Dennis ’27 took home silver in the women’s 60m hurdles as well as the triple jump.
Men’s and Women’s Fencing
The men’s and women’s fencing team has had a rocky season, beginning with a strong showing at the New England Intercollegiate Fencing Conference The Big One in early November before hosting the storied Vassar Invitational, trading wins and losses with strong competition. A week later, at the Matt Lampell Invite, both teams swept all weapon classes. In December, the team returned to action at the Sacred Heart Traditional Multi-Meet where both sides beat Long Island University despite a number of setbacks against other competition. The squad returns to action after the holidays at the NFC Conference Meet in January in Wellesley, Massachusetts.
Men’s Squash
The men’s squash team is suffering another disappointing season as they lost their seventh straight match on Dec. 6 to drop to 2-7 on the year. The Brewers are learning from first year Head Coach Nku Patrick. Patrick, the two-time national champion player at Trinity College, has his work cut out for him to change the culture of the Brewers squash program.
Women’s Squash
The women’s squash team has shown promise in 2025 despite a difficult 4-9 start to the season. Former All-Liberty League First Team selection Charlotte Tobin ’28 has been awarded two Liberty League Performer of the Week awards, and first-year teammate Hope Fireison has picked up a Rookie of the Week award. The Brewers have a strong base of young talent to build on and refreshed energy with the new leadership of Head Coach Patrick, but it will take time before the program competes at a championship level.