NORTHAMPTON - The Smith College basketball team has announced its 2025-26 schedule, featuring a challenging mix of non-conference matchups and a competitive slate of NEWMAC games as the Bears aim to continiue their tradition of excellence. 

Smith has 11 regular season NEWMAC games, starting on Saturday, January 17 at Coast Guard. The Bears have their sights set on a sixth-straight NEWMAC Championship and another deep run in the NCAA Tournament. 

This is Smith's 19th year with head coach Lynn Hersey, the 2024 and 2025 D3hoops.com National Coach of the Year. Her coaching staff includes Jen MacAulay, Kat Puda, and former standout Ally Yamada. 

Here is a breakdown of Smith's schedule for 2025-26:

The Basics

• Smith's regular season consists of 25 games. That includes 11 games against NEWMAC opponents: Babson, Clark, Coast Guard, Emerson, MIT, Mount Holyoke, Salve Regina, Springfield, Wheaton, Wellesley, and WPI
• The regular-season includes 14 non-conference games. In addition to the NEWMAC, Smith plays games against teams from seven other conferences:
  • CNE (Johnson & Whales, Hartford **Possible Tyler Tip-Off Matchup)
  • GNAC (Albertus Magnus)
  • LEC (UMass Dartmouth)
  • MASCAC (Bridgewater State)
  • NAC (Husson)
  • NESCAC (Trinity, Williams, Hamilton, Middlebury, Tufts)
  • NJAC (TCNJ)
  • SCIAC (Cal Lutheran) **Possible Tyler Tip-Off Matchup
• There are 14 home games and 11 road games on the regular season schedule

Strength of Schedule

• Smith will take on four teams that won 20 or more games last season (Cal Lutheran, UMass Dartmouth, Johnson & Wales, TCNJ)
• The Bears play a total of five games against teams that made it to the NCAA Tournament (Bridgewater State. Cal Lutheran, Trinity, Tufts, UMass Dartmouth)
• Seven of Smith's opponents were regionally ranked last year (Babson, Bridgewater State, Johnson & Wales, Trinity, Tufts, TCNJ, UMass Dartmouth)

Dates to Celebrate

• The 34th Annual Tyler Tip-Off Tournament will kick-off the season on Saturday, November 8 at 1:00pm against Albertus Magnus. The other game features Hartford and Cal Lutheran with the winners playing in the championship game on Sunday, November 9
• Smith basketball will celebrate former standout Ann Miller '96 on her induction to the Smith Athletics Hall of Fame the evening of November 8
• On Saturday, February 14 vs WPI, Smith will celebrate Senior Day, honoring the team's two seniors -- Selam Maher (Hopkins, MN/St. Louis Park) and Ella Sylvester (Everett, WA/Everett)

Postseason

• The league's top eight teams will qualify for the conference postseason tournament
• The NEWMAC Tournament begins with quarterfinal matchups on Wednesday, February 25 at the higher seeds
• Smith aims for a second-straight undefeated conference record
• The Championship game is scheduled for Sunday, March 1
• The NCAA Division III Championship starts with first and second round games March 6 and 7. The Sweet 16 and Elite Eight take place March 13 and 14 on campus sites with the Final Four and Championship returning to Salem, VA on Match 19 and 21

Follow Along

• Live stats and video of all home games will be available via links on GoSmithBears.com. All home and NEWMAC games, will be available on FloCollege

About Smith Athletics: Smith College is a NCAA Division III member of the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference that sponsors 11 intercollegiate sports. For more information log onto GoSmithBears.com and follow us on Facebook and Instagram