Poughkeepsie, NY – The Vassar College Women's Basketball team begins its defense of the 2024 Liberty League title Friday evening when it plays host to Skidmore in the Semifinal Round of the Liberty League Championship. Tip-off with the Thoroughbreds is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. with Live Stats and Video available for those unable to attend.
 
At A Glance
Vassar enters the league championship tournament with a 19-6 overall record and completed the conference schedule with 15 wins in 18 outings. Vassar won eight of its last nine games of the regular season and earned the second seed in the championship.
 
Vassar features three players scoring in double-figures heading into Friday's tilt led by 18.3 points per game from senior Tova Gelb (Sharon, MA). Gelb is averaging a double-double with a team-high 10.6 rebounds per night and adds 2.8 assists, 2.7 steals and a 1.2 blocks per game. Gelb is converting at 47.7-percent from the field and 78.6-percent from the free-throw line.
 
Gelb begins play on Friday leading the Liberty League in scoring, rebounding and steals and ranks second in field goal percentage, fifth in free-throw percentage, seventh in blocks and ninth in assists.
 
Junior Sierra McDermed (San Antonio, TX) checks in with 17.7 points per game for the Brewers and leads the team with 35.6 minutes per game and 3.6 assists per night. McDermed is shooting 46.3-percent from the field and is second on the team with 36 three-point field goals, knocking in 31.9-percent of her attempts from behind the arc. McDermed adds an even 80-percet conversion rate from the free-throw line and is good for just under two steals per outing.
 
McDermed leads the Liberty League in minutes played per game and is tied for the league lead in assists. McDermed ranks third in field goal percentage and fourth in free-throw percentage.
 
Julia Harvey (Delmar, NY) is good for 15.3 points per game and is the team leader in three-point field goals with 39, converting at 32-percent from bonus distance on the season. Harvey is tops on the team in free-throw percentage at 86.8-percent and checks in with just over five rebounds per contest.
 
Heading into Friday's contest, Harvey is the Liberty League leader in free-throw percentage and is third in three-point field goals per game with 2.0. Harvey currently ranks third in the conference in scoring.
 
Each of Vassar's top three scorers reached 1,000 career points during the 2024-25 season with Havery reaching the milestone first against New Paltz on November 12. Gelb scored her 1,000^th point against RIT on January 18, a game in which she scored a single game program record 36 points. McDermed netted her 1,000^th career point on February 15 against RPI, a game in which she tallied 25 points.
 
Vassar is scoring 69.5 points per game as a team to date and leads the Liberty League in scoring offense. The Brewers are allowing just 58.0 points per game and lead the conference in scoring margin at 11.6.
 
Scouting Skidmore
The Thoroughbreds earned the third seed in the championship after posting a 15-11 overall record and a 12-6 record against conference rivals.
 
Cassie Davidson leads the Skidmore scoring attack with 9.3 points per game with Sarah Chambers hauling in a team-high 5.8 rebounds per game. Chambers also leads the way with 33 made three-point field goals on the season.
 
The Thoroughbreds are scoring 58.3 points per game on the season and are allowing 58.1 points per night to opponents.
 
Regular Season Series Vs. Skidmore
Vassar took both regular season meetings with Skidmore, scoring a 69-54 road victory on December 11 before topping the Thoroughbreds 72-55 at home on January 21.
 
In the road win, Gelb poured in 28 points with Harvey supporting the scoring attack with 24 tallies. Both players notched double-doubles in the win with Gelb hauling in a career-high 19 rebounds.
 
Vassar shot 42.1-percent from the field in the win and held Skidmore to a 29.7-percent conversion rate from the floor.
 
In the home victory, McDermed scored 30 points and handed out six assists with Gelb adding another double-double with 14 points and 15 rebounds.
 
The Brewers shot 47.4-percent overall in the game and knocked down nine three-point field goals. Skidmore was held to 34.9-percent shooting and a 3-for-18 effort from three-point range.
 
Recent History Vs. Skidmore
Since the start of the 1989-90 season, Vassar and Skidmore have met 64 times with the Thoroughbreds holding a 34-30 edge in the series. The Brewers have won each of the last five meetings with Skidmore, including a win in the 2024 Liberty League Championship Final.
 
Performers Of The Week
Gelb, McDermed and Harvey have combined to win Liberty League Performer of the Week 11 times. Harvey earned the award on November 11, McDermed won the honor three times, including each of the last two weeks of the regular season and Gelb claimed seven honors, including five straight.
 
Recent Liberty League Championship History
Vassar will make its seventh straight appearance in the Liberty League Championship Tournament. The Brewers claimed the league crown in 2024, its fourth league championship and first since 2014.
 
Head Coach
Meredith Mesaris is in her second season on the Vassar sidelines and has mentored the Brewers to a 44-9 record.
 
Mesaris headlined the Liberty League Coaching Staff of the Year a season ago and was tabbed the D3Hoops.com Region III Coach of the Year and a WBCA Thirty under 30 honoree.
 
A standout player at the Division III level at Scranton, Mesaris scored 1,758 career points. Mesaris was named the Landmark Player of the Year as a senior and was selected as a WBCA All-American twice.
 
Vassar is Mesaris' first head coaching position, but she has been on the sidelines as an assistant at Hendrix, Williams, Dartmouth and Hartford.
 
What's At Stake
Friday's winner in Poughkeepsie will take on the winner of the Ithaca and RIT semifinal on Sunday with the league crown on the line.