As winter fades from Alden Street, both the men and women’s Springfield College basketball programs close the book on seasons defined by growth and resilience.
The men’s team finished 8–8 in New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) play, the program’s most conference wins in recent years and a milestone under head coach Micheal McClendon. The schedule included dominant victories over Amherst, Coast Guard and Clark, pushing the Pride to ten season wins.
“No coach is going to be happy at the end when you lose,” McClendon said. “But our progression as a program has been steady… The guys found small victories throughout the season, and I was happy about that.”
Senior forward Josiah Evely led the Pride offensively, averaging 10.6 points per game. Evely is one of six seniors leaving their legacy behind in their final season. McClendon says these seniors played a crucial role in leading by example while younger players have developed into larger roles.
“Our leadership was more ‘do as I do,’” McClendon said. “The next step is becoming more vocal leaders.”
Springfield clinched a spot in the NEWMAC playoffs but saw its season end in a tight loss to Wheaton after turning over momentum in the second half.
“We took our foot off the gas pedal,” McClendon said. “There’s no switch you can just turn back on. When they punched back, it was hard to respond.”
On the women’s side, the Pride made a powerful postseason run with an impressive 14-point quarterfinal win over MIT in the NEWMAC Tournament before falling to nationally-ranked Smith in the semifinals.
Head coach Naomi Graves called the MIT victory a culmination of the team’s emotional and physical growth.
“That game was 40 minutes of belief and unity,” Graves said. “It was beautiful. To see them connect their emotional side with their skill, that made it worthwhile.”
The Pride’s season ultimately ended against the Bears, but not without a fight.
“We didn’t quit,” Graves said. “We defended, we worked, we kept looking for combinations. We just couldn’t score. But we held them down for a while, and that’s a tribute to our effort and teamwork.”
Senior leadership proved central to the team’s 16-win season. Graves emphasized the important role of seniors Amanda Leary, Stefany Padula and Carrie Hess in strengthening the team culture.
“I don’t think we would’ve had 16 wins without the three of them,” Graves said. “They wore the uniform with pride for four years. They represented everything our program is about: academic integrity, commitment, balance.”
Junior Natalie Lucas led the team with 12.2 points per game and was recently named to the NEWMAC First Team All-Conference. Leary secured a spot on the NEWMAC Second Team All-Conference.
In her second year with the Pride, sophomore captain Madison Lopez had an exceptional season on both ends of the floor, becoming a valuable asset to the team’s success.
Looking ahead, Graves believes the program is close to taking another step.
“We were being looked at in the regional rankings,” she said. “We knocked off top-20 teams. We’re really close. We just need a couple more people to help fill the gaps.”
For both programs, the 2025–2026 season was defined not just by wins, but by progress. From postseason appearances to individual growth, Springfield College basketball heads into the offseason with impressive momentum that will only increase as next season nears.