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STANDISH, Maine – The Saint Joseph’s College women’s basketball team turned in another strong campaign in 2024–25, posting a 21-7 overall record and a 12-2 mark in Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) play under 32-year Head Coach Mike McDevitt ’83. The Monks secured the #2 seed in the 2025 GNAC Tournament.

REGULAR SEASON:

After a 1-2 start, the Monks hit their stride with four straight wins over in-state rivals University of New England, Husson University, UMaine-Farmington, and the University of Southern Maine, improving to 5-2 heading into the holiday break.

The Royal Blue opened the new year on a high note, defeating Salve Regina and the host Rams to capture the Framingham State University Tournament title. Those victories sparked a six-game winning streak that lifted St. Joe’s to an 11-4 record heading into a non-conference clash with nationally ranked #4 Bowdoin College on January 21st. The Monks attempted to shake off a tough first quarter but ultimately the Polar Bears came away with the win in Brunswick.

The Monks quickly bounced back, winning eight of their next nine games—all against GNAC opponents—to close the regular season and lock down the #2 seed in the conference tournament.

POSTSEASON:

Saint Joseph’s battled through the GNAC playoffs, earning a 72-65 quarterfinal win over Emmanuel College and a 67-60 semifinal victory against Albertus Magnus College. With those triumphs, the Monks advanced to the GNAC Championship for the ninth consecutive year and the 11th time overall.

In a March 1st rematch of the 2024 championship, St. Joe’s faced #4 University of Saint Joseph on Mike McDevitt Court. This time, however, the Monks struggled to find their shooting touch, hitting just 1-of-14 from beyond the arc, and dropped a hard-fought 66-59 decision to the Blue Jays.

A LEGEND STEPS DOWN:

Nobody knew it at the time, but the 2025 GNAC Championship contest will go down as the last college women’s basketball game coached by McDevitt, who announced his retirement from coaching several weeks later.

McDevitt stepped aside after 33 (32 at SJC, one at USM) years on the women’s basketball bench with a 667-231 (.743) career record while winning 20 or more games 22 times and never enduring a losing season.

McDevitt closed his career as one of the most accomplished coaches in NCAA Division III women’s basketball history. Over more than three decades at the helm, he guided the Saint Joseph’s College program to 19 league titles, including six in the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC), and led the Monks to 14 national tournament appearances—seven each in the NAIA and NCAA Division III.

Widely respected across the NCAA basketball coaching community, McDevitt was recognized with 15 conference or regional Coach of the Year honors. His accolades include six GNAC Coach of the Year awards, three Maine Women’s Basketball Coaches Association distinctions (1999, 2017, 2018), and the 2018 New England Women’s Basketball Coaches Association Coach of the Year award.

On April 16, 2025, Saint Joseph’s announced that Chris Woodside, who spent the past five seasons as an assistant under McDevitt, had been selected to take over as head coach.

NOTEWORTHY INDIVIDUAL PERFORMANCES:

  • Grad student Angelica Hurley (Groveland, Mass.) enjoyed her finest season, averaging 15.3 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 3.4 assists while shooting 41.4% (146-355) from the field, 39.5% (81-205) from three-point range, and 83.6% (56-67) from the free-throw line. She started all 28 games and set career highs in scoring average, FG%, 3FG%, and FT%, earning First Team All-Conference and First Team All-State accolades.

  • Junior forward Grace Ramsdell (Wells, Maine) turned in a strong campaign, averaging 14.9 points and 6.3 rebounds while shooting 44.2% (160-362) from the floor, 29.5% (33-112) from beyond the arc, and 87.8% (65-74) from the stripe. Her efforts earned Second Team All-Conference and Second Team All-State recognition.

  • Junior guard Elisabeth Stapelfeld (Brookline, N.H.) averaged 9.5 points per game and led the team in field goal percentage at 47.8% (99-207).

  • Junior guard Logan Brown (Brunswick, Maine) shot 45.8% (55-120) from three-point range — the second-best single-season mark in program history — and led the conference in long-range accuracy.

MILESTONES & RANKINGS:

Milestones:

Hurley, who produced 1,529 points, 900 rebounds, 392 assists in 118 career games, is the only player in program history to tally at least 1,500 points, 800 rebounds, and 300 assists; she capped her career ranked fifth in program history in rebounds, seventh in points, and eighth in assists.

NCAA Rankings:

  • 17th in three-pointers per game (8.3)
  • 20th in free throw percentage (75.4%)
  • 25th in rebound margin (8.1)