IOWA CITY, IOWA – The magical 2025-26 FDU women's basketball season ended on Saturday afternoon. The #15-seeded Knights fell to #2 Iowa in the NCAA tournament by a score of 58-48.

It was boiling in Carver-Hawkeye Arena. With a temperature of 86 degrees outside, a sold-out crowd, and a lack of AC in the building, it was simmering inside the arena. To add to the heat, Iowa got out to a red-hot start. The Hawkeyes started off with a 21-3 lead, holding FDU to just one made basket across the first seven minutes. 

With three minutes left in the first quarter, FDU proceeded to turn the heat up on Iowa. Bella Toomey, Reese Downey, and Madlena Gerke all hit three-pointers to engineer a 14-2 FDU run. As the first quarter came to a close, the Knights found themselves trailing just 20-17. 

The game turned into a rock fight from that point on. FDU went blow-for-blow with the Hawkeyes in the second quarter, pulling to within one point at halftime. The Knights defense held the Hawkeyes to just three made baskets across the second quarter. Ava Renninger took over in the second, scoring six of the Knights' nine points during the defensive battle. 

The heat continued to rise in the second half, both in temperature and in intensity. Iowa jumped out to a hot start to begin the third quarter, going on an 8-0 run. The Knights offense couldn't find answers early, going on a seven-minute scoring drought to begin the half. Madlena Gerke broke the drought with a lay-in at the three-minute mark. From there, FDU went on a mini run to close the quarter, making it a two-point game heading into the final stanza.
For context, a #2 seed has never lost to a #15 seed in NCAA women's basketball tournament history. The Knights stood just ten minutes away from toppling that record. The Hawkeyes jumped out early again in the fourth, building up to an eight-point lead. Then, in theme with the flow of the game, the Knights stormed back. Ava Renninger knocked in a layup to cut things to two possessions. Kailee McDonald hit a three to pull the Knights within three. Then, McDonald scored on a fast break layup after a Toomey steal, pulling FDU within one with six minutes left. 

Iowa would pull away by multiple possessions once more, but a Bella Toomey three with five minutes left had the Knights down two.

By that point, fouls started to catch up to FDU. As the team foul total rose for the Knights, Iowa found themselves in the bonus, grabbing several trips to the free throw line. The Hawkeyes were able to control the free throw game, steadily building up a lead over the waning minutes. When the final buzzer sounded, Iowa emerged victorious by a score of 58-48. 

The Knights went out fighting, earning a multitude of respect for the program and the NEC. "I think first it puts a lot of respect on the NEC and mid-major schools," said Ava Renninger on the Knights' performance. "[Iowa] is a top-ten team in the country and we came in and showed what we're made of and showed what mid-major schools can do against these high teams and that's the impression we gave off."

I think Ava hit it on the head," said head coach Stephanie Gaitley. "The respect that we brought to the NEC and that we brought to FDU and to show that on any given day anybody can beat anybody, I think that's a huge step forward for women's basketball in the east."

The loss wraps the season at 30-5 for FDU. The Knights finish with the highest win total in program history and ties the NEC record for wins in a single season. FDU now sets their sights on 2026-27, where they will look to three-peat as NEC champions.

• Ava Renninger led the Knights with 13 points, playing all 40 minutes of the contest.
  • Six of Renninger's 13 points came in the second quarter.
• Bella Toomey played a stellar game off the bench, scoring nine points.
  • Toomey knocked down three triples in the game.
• In her final collegiate game, Madlena Gerke scored eight points, tied for second among all Knights.
• Reese Downey contributed early, hitting two threes in the first quarter to engineer the early Knights run.
  • Downey finished the game with six points.
• The Knights' perimeter defense was excellent, holding Iowa to just one make from deep on thirteen tries.
• Points in the paint proved to be the difference. FDU was out-scored 28 to 12 inside.