Honestly, if you're only looking at the mid-major landscape through the lens of the "Big Dance" blowouts, you are missing the entire point of what Addie Micir is building in Bethlehem. Most people see a 15-seed losing to a powerhouse like Duke in the first round of the NCAA Tournament and think, "Well, that’s that." They see the final score—that 86-25 result from March 2025—and assume the program is just a small fish in a massive pond.
They’re wrong.
The Lehigh Mountain Hawks women's basketball team isn't just a Patriot League participant; they’ve become the standard for how to handle a "rebuild" that wasn't actually a rebuild. When Sue Troyan stepped away after 27 years, she didn't just leave a coaching vacancy. She left a legacy. Taking over for a legend is usually a thankless task, but Micir hasn't just kept the seat warm. She’s turned Stabler Arena into a place where 27-win seasons aren't just a dream—they're the recent reality.
Why the 2024-25 Season Changed Everything
You've gotta look at the numbers to really get it. Last year wasn't just "good" for the Mountain Hawks. It was historic. We're talking about a 27-7 record and a 15-3 run in the Patriot League. They didn't just stumble into the tournament; they kicked the door down.
What’s wild is how they did it. It wasn't one superstar carrying the load while everyone else watched. It was balance. Maddie Albrecht was everywhere—First Team All-Patriot League and All-Defensive Team. Think about that for a second. Being the best offensive threat on a championship team while also being the person the coach assigns to shut down the opponent's best player? That's rare.
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Addie Micir didn't just inherit a roster; she polished it. She was named Patriot League Coach of the Year for a reason. She took a group that was picked to finish third in the preseason and turned them into the undisputed queens of the conference. They won the regular-season title. They won the tournament. They proved that the "Lehigh Way" of disciplined, high-IQ basketball still works even when the faces on the sidelines change.
The 2025-2026 Reality: A New Look at Stabler
If you've been following the current 2025-26 campaign, you know things look a little different. Graduation hits every mid-major hard, and Lehigh wasn't immune. Losing seniors like Maddie Albrecht, Ella Stemmer, and Meghan O'Brien—players who basically lived on the court—is a lot for any program to swallow.
But here is where it gets interesting.
The Mountain Hawks have shifted from a veteran-heavy squad to a group that is younger, faster, and arguably more international. You’ve got players like Alana Reddy coming in from Australia and Myrto Lianoudi from Greece. It’s a pivot. While the record this year has been more of a rollercoaster—sitting at 7-7 overall but a perfect 3-0 in the Patriot League as of mid-January—it shows that Micir knows how to coach through a transition.
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- Lily Fandre has stepped up as the definitive leader. A 6-2 senior forward who can stretch the floor, she’s been averaging around 14.5 points per game. She’s the anchor.
- Whitney Lind is finally getting the minutes to show why she was such a big recruit out of Kentucky.
- Leia Edwards, a freshman from London, is already playing like a seasoned pro, putting up nearly 14 points and 8 rebounds a night.
Basically, the "down year" everyone expected? It's not happening. They are currently leading the Patriot League standings again.
The Rivalry and the Culture
You can't talk about Lehigh Mountain Hawks women's basketball without mentioning Lafayette. It’s "The Rivalry." It’s personal. Whether it’s played at Stabler Arena or across the way at Kirby Sports Center, these games feel different. The intensity is higher, the crowds are louder, and the record books basically get thrown out the window.
One of the coolest things about this program is the "homecoming" philosophy Micir has adopted. This season, they scheduled games at Cincinnati so Whitney Lind could play in front of her home crowd. They flew to California to play Stanford and San Francisco so Belle Bramer, Keshia Vitalicio, and Gracyn Lovette could play in front of their families.
That kind of stuff matters. It’s why players stay. It’s why the culture at Lehigh feels more like a family than a business. In an era of the transfer portal where players change schools like they change sneakers, Lehigh’s core tends to stick together.
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The Stabler Arena Experience
If you haven't been to a game at Stabler, you're missing out on one of the best kept secrets in the Lehigh Valley. It’s not a massive 20,000-seat NBA arena, and that’s why it works. With a capacity of about 5,600, it feels intimate. You can hear the squeak of the shoes. You can hear the coaches yelling instructions.
The student section—the "Clutch" as they're sometimes called—is genuinely engaged. They aren't just there for the free t-shirts. They know the players. They know the stats. When the Mountain Hawks go on one of those 12-0 runs they're famous for, the place actually shakes.
What to Watch For Next
As we move deeper into the 2026 conference schedule, the path back to the NCAA Tournament goes through Bethlehem. The Patriot League is notoriously competitive, with Holy Cross and Boston University always lurking, but Lehigh has proven they have the defensive identity to stay in every game.
They aren't the highest-scoring team in the country. They aren't going to wow you with 100-point games. But they will outwork you. They will rotate on defense until you're exhausted. And they will find the open shooter.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Students:
- Check the Schedule for Doubleheaders: The rivalry games against Lafayette (like the one on January 24, 2026) are usually doubleheaders with the men’s team. You get two games for the price of one, and the atmosphere is doubled.
- Follow the Freshmen: Keep a close eye on Leia Edwards. She is currently a frontrunner for Patriot League Rookie of the Year. Her ability to rebound as a guard/forward hybrid is changing how Lehigh plays in transition.
- Watch the "Home" Stand: Lehigh has a massive stretch of home games in February. If they want to secure the #1 seed for the tournament again, they have to defend Stabler.
- Tickets are Accessible: Unlike big Power 5 schools where you need a second mortgage for courtside seats, you can get into a Lehigh game for about $25. It’s the best value for high-level basketball in Pennsylvania.
The Mountain Hawks are no longer the underdog story. They are the team with the target on their back. And honestly? They seem to like it that way.