The Vassar College women’s basketball team will open the season Nov. 12 at SUNY New Paltz, and begin defense of its Liberty League title in early December. It will be the first season for new head coach Carly Assimon.

The Liberty schedule makers made headlines by scheduling its top two finishers from last season – Ithaca and Vassar – to open and close the season. The Bombers visit Poughkeepsie on Dec. 5 and the Brewers head upstate on Feb. 21.

Former Vassar head coach Meredith Mesaris took the head job at Tufts – Vassar and Tufts will meet Dec. 30 in the Bowdoin tournament.

The Liberty League tournament will be held Feb. 24, 27 and March 1 at higher seeds. Vassar beat No. 3 seed Skidmore and No. 1 Ithaca in the 2025 Liberty tournament. The Brewers bowed to traditional power Amherst in the NCAA Div. III tourney opener.

Vassar posted a 21-7 record last season and was 15-3 in Liberty League play. The Brewers beat Skidmore and Ithaca in the Liberty tournament, and then bowed to Amherst in the NCAA Div. III tournament.

Vassar loses four seniors from last season and is expected to return five rising seniors, three rising sophomores and two rising freshmen.

kmcmillan@th-record.com

X / Twitter: @KenMcMillanTHR

Vassar women’s basketball2025-26 schedule

2024-25: Vassar 21-7, 15-3 Liberty, second place

November

Wed. 12 – at SUNY New Paltz, 7 p.m.; Sat. 22 – vs. Misericordia, 2 p.m.; Sat. 29 – at Mount Saint Mary, 2 p.m.

December

Wed. 3 – at Trinity, Conn., 7 p.m.; Fri. 5 – vs. Ithaca* (19-8, 17-1 Liberty, first), 5:30 p.m. (DH); Sat. 6 – vs. William Smith* (3-22, 3-15 Liberty, ninth), 2 p.m. (DH); Wed. 10 – vs. Skidmore* (15-12, 12-6 Liberty, T-third), 5:30 p.m. (DH); Mon. 29-Tues. 30 – Coastal Classic (at Bowdoin); Mon. 29 – at Bowdoin, 2 p.m.; Tues. 30 – vs. Tufts, 4 p.m.

January

Sat. 3 – at Hamilton, 5 p.m.; Fri. 9 – vs. Clarkson* (10-15, 6-12 Liberty, seventh), 5:30 p.m. (DH); Sat. 10 – vs. Saint Lawrence* ()16-10, 10-8 Liberty, T-fifth), 2 p.m. (DH); Fri. 16 – at Rochester Institute of Technology* (15-12, 12-6 Liberty, T-third), 5:30 p.m. (DH); Sat. 17 – at Union* (13-13, 10-8 Liberty, T-fifth), 2 p.m. (DH); Tues. 20 – at Skidmore*, 5:30 p.m. (DH); Fri. 23 – vs. RPI* (11-14, 5-13 Liberty, eighth), 5:30 p.m. (DH); Sat. 24 – vs. Bard* (2-23, 0-18 Liberty, tenth), 2 p.m. (DH); Fri. 30 – at Saint Lawrence*, 5:30 p.m. (DH); Sat. 31 – at Clarkson*, 2 p.m. (DH)

February

Fri. 6 – at Bard*, 5:30 p.m. (DH); Sat. 7 – at RPI*, 2 p.m. (DH); Fri. 13 – vs. Union*, 5:30 p.m. (DH); Sat. 14 – vs. RIT*, 2 p.m. (DH); Fri. 20 – at Hobart*, 5:30 p.m. (DH); Sat. 21 – at Ithaca*, 2 p.m. (DH); Tues. 24 – Liberty League quarterfinals, at high seed; Fri. 27 – Liberty League semifinals, at high seed

March

Sun. 1 – Liberty League final, at high seed

Home games at Vassar’s Athletics and Fitness Center in Town of Poughkeepsie; asterisk marks Liberty League contests; (DH) indicates doubleheader with subsequent Vassar men’s game; 2024-25 overall and league records listed