Tuesday, November 4
Cincinnati, Ohio
6:30 PM
Lehigh University
at
Cincinnati
Photo by: Hannah Ally
Mountain Hawks to Tip Off 2025-26 Season Tuesday at Cincinnati
11/3/2025 1:16:00 PM | Women's Basketball
BETHLEHEM, Pa. - The 52nd season of Lehigh women's basketball tips off in the Queen City as the Mountain Hawks square off against the Cincinnati Bearcats out of the Big 12 Tuesday night at Fifth Third Arena. Game time is set for 6:30 p.m. with broadcast coverage on ESPN+.
Lehigh is coming off of one of its best seasons in program history. The Mountain Hawks won 27 games, the third most in program history and captured Patriot League regular season and tournament titles. Lehigh won its fifth Patriot League Tournament title and first since 2021 as the Mountain Hawks' faced Duke in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
Head coach Addie Micir enters her fourth season with eight players returning from last year's championship squad. Lehigh will look to replace All-Patriot League performers Maddie Albrecht and Ella Stemmer. Senior forward Lily Fandre is the top returner. Fandre appeared in 33 games, averaging 9.8 points and 3.8 rebounds per contest. She and junior guard Gracyn Lovette will serve as the Mountain Hawks' co-captains in 2025-26. Four newcomers join the program, with three of the four first-years being international players.
Junior forward Whitney Lind is a northern Kentucky native who will have the opportunity to play in front of family and friends. Lind hails from Florence and was a standout at Randall K. Cooper High School. Lind scored 2,257 points and grabbed 1,000 rebounds at Cooper and was a first team All-State selection by the Courier Journal and the Lexington Herald. She was also recognized as the Cincinnati Enquirer Northern Kentucky Player of the Year in both 2022 and 2023.
The Mountain Hawks are 30-21 all-time in season-opening contests and have won 11 of their last 12. The only blip during that span was the last time Lehigh opened against a power conference opponent. Lehigh dropped its 2017-18 opener at Minnesota by a 107-73 score. Last season began with a 24-point home win over LIU.
Cincinnati opens its season after going 15-14 last season and 7-11 in the Big 12. The Bearcats' season ended with a loss to Arizona State in the first round of the Big 12 Tournament. Cincinnati's roster features eight newcomers including a nationally-recognized first-year class. UC enjoyed its first winning season in five years last year and returns several key contributors including guard Reagan Jackson, who ranked third on the team in scoring at 9.2 points per game.
This is the first-ever meeting between Lehigh and Cincinnati and the Mountain Hawks' first against a Big 12 team since facing West Virginia in the 2021 NCAA Tournament.
Tuesday's game tips off at 6:30 p.m.
Following Tuesday's game, Lehigh heads to defending MAAC champion Fairfield on Saturday to face the Stags at 7 p.m. The home opener is set for Nov. 11 when Lehigh hosts La Salle at Stabler Arena.
Lehigh is coming off of one of its best seasons in program history. The Mountain Hawks won 27 games, the third most in program history and captured Patriot League regular season and tournament titles. Lehigh won its fifth Patriot League Tournament title and first since 2021 as the Mountain Hawks' faced Duke in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
Head coach Addie Micir enters her fourth season with eight players returning from last year's championship squad. Lehigh will look to replace All-Patriot League performers Maddie Albrecht and Ella Stemmer. Senior forward Lily Fandre is the top returner. Fandre appeared in 33 games, averaging 9.8 points and 3.8 rebounds per contest. She and junior guard Gracyn Lovette will serve as the Mountain Hawks' co-captains in 2025-26. Four newcomers join the program, with three of the four first-years being international players.
Junior forward Whitney Lind is a northern Kentucky native who will have the opportunity to play in front of family and friends. Lind hails from Florence and was a standout at Randall K. Cooper High School. Lind scored 2,257 points and grabbed 1,000 rebounds at Cooper and was a first team All-State selection by the Courier Journal and the Lexington Herald. She was also recognized as the Cincinnati Enquirer Northern Kentucky Player of the Year in both 2022 and 2023.
The Mountain Hawks are 30-21 all-time in season-opening contests and have won 11 of their last 12. The only blip during that span was the last time Lehigh opened against a power conference opponent. Lehigh dropped its 2017-18 opener at Minnesota by a 107-73 score. Last season began with a 24-point home win over LIU.
Cincinnati opens its season after going 15-14 last season and 7-11 in the Big 12. The Bearcats' season ended with a loss to Arizona State in the first round of the Big 12 Tournament. Cincinnati's roster features eight newcomers including a nationally-recognized first-year class. UC enjoyed its first winning season in five years last year and returns several key contributors including guard Reagan Jackson, who ranked third on the team in scoring at 9.2 points per game.
This is the first-ever meeting between Lehigh and Cincinnati and the Mountain Hawks' first against a Big 12 team since facing West Virginia in the 2021 NCAA Tournament.
Tuesday's game tips off at 6:30 p.m.
Following Tuesday's game, Lehigh heads to defending MAAC champion Fairfield on Saturday to face the Stags at 7 p.m. The home opener is set for Nov. 11 when Lehigh hosts La Salle at Stabler Arena.
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/ Women's BasketballSeason Preview - Women's Basketball
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