Season Preview: Women's Basketball

About The 2025-26 Cardinals 

2024-25 Season In Review: The Cardinals finished 19-8 overall (13-3 Empire 8 reg. season) and reached the conference semifinals last season. Sidney Tomasso led the conference in multiple statistical categories, including scoring, total rebounds and double-doubles, en route to being named Empire 8 Player of the Year for the second straight season. She also earned first-team All-Region III from D3hoops.com and honorable mention All-America honors from the United States Women’s Basketball Coaches Association. 

Katie Moravec also garnered 2024-25 first-team All-Empire 8 honors. She led Fisher in assists (112) and steals (50) and finished second on the team in scoring (16.6 points per game) and rebounding (5.8 rebounds per game). 

Head Coach: Sarah Cartmill (2nd season at St. John Fisher) 

Assistant Coaches: Patrick Stellman and Ralph Damerell 

2024-25 Graduated Players: Kelly Moravec, Katie Moravec, Emily McLaughlin, Sidney Tomasso, Carlee Elliott

2024-25 Statistical Leaders: Shooting % (Katie Moravec, 48.4%), 3-Point Shooting % (Brunner, 38.6%), Free-Throw Shooting % (Brunner, 87.5%), Points (Tomasso, 19.2 per game), Rebounds (Tomasso, 9.3 per game), Assists (Katie Moravec, 112), Steals (Katie Moravec, 50), Blocked Shots (Tomasso, 13)

2025-26 Returning Players: Lindasy Martin (Sr., G, Hogansburg, NY), Presleigh Brunner (Sr., G, Hamburg, NY), Julia Perales (Sr., G, Webster, NY), Valerosa Gambitta (So., G, Cortland, NY), Leah Khuu (So., G, Hamburg, NY), Tanleigh Bestine (So., G, Westfield, NY), Hannah Ferguson (Sr., G, Owego, NY), Danielle Seamon (Jr., F, Cooperstown, NY), Alexa Gibson (Jr., F, Upton, Mass.), Rachael Hager (So., G, Sharon, Mass.), Ashley Pavan (Sr., F, Farmingville, NY) 

2025-26 Freshmen: Natalie Mai (G, Pittsford, NY), Madeline Broderick (G/F, Stoney Point, Ontario), Breanna Heidt (F, Erie, Pa.), Payton O'Dell (F, Arkport, NY)

Other New Varsity Players: Mary Marrapese (Sr., G, Webster, NY)

About Head Coach Sarah Cartmill

 Sarah Cartmill became the fourth head coach in St. John Fisher women’s basketball history in July 2024. She came to Fisher after five seasons as the head coach of SUNY Fredonia. 

The Cardinals went 18-9 overall (13-3 Empire 8 regular season) and reached the semifinals in the conference tournament in Cartmill’s first season in charge of the program. Senior guard Sidney Tomasso led the conference in multiple statistical categories, including scoring, total rebounds and double-doubles, en route to being named Empire 8 Player of the Year for the second straight season. She also earned first-team All-Region III from D3hoops.com and honorable mention All-America honors from the United States Women’s Basketball Coaches Association.

The Cardinals also excelled in the classroom during Cartmill’s first year, earning a spot on the Division III Women's Basketball Coaches Association Academic Top-25 Team Honor Roll. The Cardinals' 3.838 GPA marked the third highest in Division III and the ninth highest among teams in all three NCAA divisions.

Read Full Bio

Players To Watch

Presleigh Brunner (Sr., G) – The Cardinals’ top returning scorer from last season, Brunner played in all 27 of the Cardinals’ games and started in 26 of them as a junior. She scored a career-high 281 total points (10.4 per game) while shooting 43.1% overall, 38.6% from three and 87.5% from the free-throw line. Brunner scored in double figures in 16 games and produced a career-high 21 points while shooting 9 of 20 (3 of 4 from three) in a 70-67 win over SUNY Brockport on Feb. 8. 

Brunner also grabbed a career-high 120 rebounds, dished out 38 assists and recorded 23 steals last year. 

Hannah Ferguson (Sr., G) – Ferguson set career highs across the board while playing and starting in each of Fisher’s 27 games last season. She averaged 5.7 points per game while shooting 43.8% overall, pulled down 104 rebounds (3.9 per game), tallied 35 assists and recorded 21 steals. 

Danielle Seamon (Jr., F) – A key contributor off the bench for the Cardinals last season, Seamon averaged nearly three points and three rebounds per game as a sophomore. She played in 26 games and made one start.