Photo courtesy of Mount Holyoke Athletics
Mount Holyoke College’s Basketball team will be kicking off the 2026-27 season with a match on Friday, November 6, against Gordon College.
BY BEI JIA VIGGIANO ’28
PUBLISHER
Mount Holyoke basketball is poised to kick off the 2026-27 season with its first match this Friday. Sophomore Ash DiRienzo ’29 wrote to Mount Holyoke News to discuss the team’s practices, activities and dynamic.
“We’ve been doing a lot of work on running our offense, defense, and other plays,” DiRienzo said in an email to Mount Holyoke News. “There has been an emphasis on making sure we understand the small details and the overall structure. Our upcoming scrimmage will be a great way to put these principles into motion and provide us a measure in [regard] to where we are at.”
The first game of the season is on Friday, Nov. 6, against Gordon College, at 6 p.m. in Wenham, Mass. Two days later, the Lyons will compete against Thomas College on Sunday, Nov. 8, at 12 p.m. in a home game.
While the team may not have traditions, there are plenty of bonding activities that encourage its members to work together off the court.
“I wouldn’t say our team has traditions,” DiRienzo explained, “but we adore team bonding activities overall. We’ve been engaging in group study nights and had a team movie night a few weekends ago, which I greatly enjoyed. We are a very creative team, so we hope to enjoy some crafting activities together soon. Events such as the Trunk or Treat really allow us to create and learn to problem-solve together.”
The next three matches are set on Saturday, Nov. 14, against the Wentworth Institute of Technology, at 5 p.m. in Boston; Wednesday, Nov. 18, facing the University of Massachusetts Boston, at 7 p.m. in a home game; and Saturday, Nov. 21, with Regis College, at 1 p.m. in another home match. The last game of this month is on Tuesday, Nov. 24, when the Lyons will compete against Elms College at 6 p.m. in a third game on Mount Holyoke turf.
“The team dynamic is phenomenal this year,” DiRienzo continued. “Everyone has been getting along extremely well. We tend to get together over dinner a lot or even just watch other teams compete at their games. The overall feel of the team is what I would describe as very lighthearted and fun. We’re very supportive of one another on and off of the court, which I believe is a great strength of ours. This open and honest communication will really help us hold one another accountable and stay disciplined throughout the season.”
December remains busy with six games lined up before the end of the calendar year. On Tuesday, Dec. 1, Mount Holyoke will face Bard College at 7:30 p.m. in Annandale-on-Hudson, New York. Next, the Lyons will compete on Saturday, Dec. 5, against Fitchburg State University at 12 p.m. in Fitchburg, Mass. Four days later, on Wednesday, Dec. 9, a game against New England College will be held at 6 p.m. in Henniker, New Hampshire. The last game before winter break is set for Saturday, Dec. 12, where the Lyons will play against Dean College at 1 p.m. in a home match.
The final games of the calendar year will be at the Puerto Rico Classic on Tuesday, Dec. 29, against Eastern Connecticut State University, at 12 p.m., and Wednesday, Dec. 30, facing The College of New Jersey, at 1:30 p.m., respectively.
“I’m very excited to play with this group and see just where our capabilities lie,” DiRienzo concluded, “and to just start the season as a whole. I think we’ve grown a lot as a group and as individuals, and I’m looking forward to seeing how this will translate onto the court.”
Madeleine Diesl ’28 contributed fact-checking.
