MAAC_Program_2025_V4_Pages

2024–25 MERRIMACK WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

QUICK FACTS LOCATION NORTH ANDOVER, MA NICKNAME WARRIORS COLORS BLUE AND GOLD YEAR FOUNDED 1947

WOMEN’S ROSTER

No.

Name

Cl. So. Gr. Fr. Fr. Fr. So. So.

Pos.

Ht.

Hometown/High School/Previous School

0 1 2 4 5

Madison Roman

F

6-0

Fairfield, CT/Fairfield Ludlow HS

PRESIDENT DR. CHRISTOPHER E. HOPEY ATHLETIC DIRECTOR FR. BRYAN KERNS HOME COURT LAWLER ARENA (2,500), HAMMEL COURT (1,200)

Dejah Jenkins

G G G G G G

5-7 Dorchester, MA/Cathedral/Manhattan

Daria Shiskina

5-10 Moscow, Russia/Spire Academy

Rylie Rosenberg

5-3 New Rochelle, NY/Hoosac

Mia Fiore

5-10 Narragansett, RI/St. George’s

10 11 12 21 22 24 30 32 40

Paloma Garcia Thalia Shepard Claudia Gallegos Cadence Johnson Lydia Melaschenko

5-6 5-9

Corozal, Puerto Rico/Proctor Academy

Boston, MA/St. Andrew’s School

Sr.

F

6-2 Naperville, IL /Neuqua Valley/ Southern Indiana

So.

G/F

6-0

Mattapoisett, MA/St. Andrew’s School

Jr.

G G G

5-7

Ottawa, Ontario/Capital Courts Academy West Chester, PA/West Chester Henderson

Molly Manion Kristen Kelley

Sr.

5-11

PLAYER TO WATCH Sophomore guard Thalia Shepard has been the team's top scorer for much of the 2024-25 season. Averaging double figures in points while also being amongst the team leaders in steals, assists, rebounds and free throws. She has become the go to Warrior for this Merrimack squad. Shepard, who is in just her second year of college basketball, has taken a leap from her All NEC Rookie team freshman campaign. She has become a leader on the court for this very young Merrimack team. Shepard currently averages 12 points, four rebounds and nearly two steals per contest. She is also amongst the best in the MAAC in free throw percentage. Shepard is known for her aggressive style of play, downhill driving and fearless mentality. She has been in double figures in scoring in 23 games so far this year as she will look to continue to build upon that going into postseason play. Coach Kelly Morrone, has entrusted Shepard with being one of the teams leaders both on and off the court as the second year guard from Boston, Massachusetts aims to lead the Warriors into a hopeful Atlantic City MAAC Championship run. NOTABLE ALUMNI Charlie Day ‘98 spent four years at the college before starting his acting career. He is most known for his role as Charlie on the show ‘It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia’ as well as his parts in ‘Horrible Bosses’ and ‘Fist Fight’. He was one of the first ever students to major and graduate with a degree in fine arts at the institution. Day came back to the college as the 2014 commencement speaker and he has continued to be a connected part of the Merrimack College community.

Fr.

6-0 Amherst, OH/Marion L. Steele

Kylee Fears

Rs-Fr.

F

6-1

Oxford, OH/Talawanda High School

Rose Caso

Jr.

G/F

5-10

Ellington, CT/Suffield Academy/Quinnipiac

Head Coach: Kelly Morrone (South Carolina ‘03) – Fifth Season Assistant Coaches: Jermaine Cooper Sr. (OH State ‘05) – Second Season, Paige McCormick (Merrimack College ‘22) - Second Season, Victoria Lux (Bentley ‘19) – First Season, Didier Dinh (Salem State ’12) – First Season

HEAD COACH KELLY MORRONE Kelly Morrone will begin her fifth season as the head coach of the Merrimack College Women’s Basketball team in 2024-2025. Since her hire as the head coach at Merrimack, Morrone has achieved numerous great feats. She has helped ease the program through the transition period from Division two to Division one and has seen success at the next level. Morrone has 40 division one wins as the head coach of Merrimack entering her fifth year. She was able to guide the Warriors to a combined 18-14 conference record throughout the past two seasons, earning a third and fourth place finish respectively in the NEC. She has overseen back to back NEC semifinal appearances from her team to close out their time as a member of the Northeast Conference. Her team was able to win the first postseason game in the Division one era in 2022-23. Morrone mastered an 8-game winning streak that was the longest such streak in almost two decades. She has continuously improved this team, molding All-Conference players, manufacturing wins and instilling a culture into the program.

2025 | HERCULES TIRES MAAC MEN’S & WOMEN’S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS 71