Staten Island, NY – The Wagner women's basketball team returns to the friendly confines of the Spiro Center to meet the Lafayette College of the Patriot League in a rare 5:00 p.m. tip at the Spiro Sports Center today.

Something in Common
Both coaches in today's game have ties to the University of Illinois. Wagner fourth-year head coach Lisa Cermignano served as an assistant coach with the Illini from 2009-2012.The Leopards are led by Hall of Fame head coach Theresa Grentz, the head coach of the 1992 U.S. Olympic Team, and former longtime coach at Rutgers and Illinois, who is in her first season at Lafayette. Grentz served as Illinois head coach from 1995-2007.

Nwajei Named NEC Player Of The Week By League Office And College Sports Madness

Junior guard Jasmine Nwajei (Rockaway Park, NY/Murry Bergtraum) was named Player of the Week by both the Northeast Conference (NEC) and College Sports Madness on Monday. Nwajei, the nation's second-leading scorer a year ago at 24.8 points per game, had her full arsenal on display in the Seahawks' two games this past week. On December 2, she recorded a triple-double with 16 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists in leading Wagner to a convincing 76-53 victory over Atlantic Sun member NJIT. In addition, Nwajei earned Honorable Mention Player of the Week honors by the Met Basketball Writers Association. One of seven NCAA Division I players to record a triple-double this season, Nwajei followed that effort with a season-high 32-point outing at Yale on Sunday (12/8), in a game that saw the Ivy League team pull away late for a 78-60 win over the shorthanded Seahawks. Nwajei went 14-of-29 from the floor while grabbing six rebounds and dishing out three assists vs. Yale. For the 5-8 Nwajei, the 32-point outburst was a season high and marked the 11th time in her career that she has hit for 30 or more points in a game. In the two games, the New York City guard, who has now earned five NEC Player of the Week and three College Sports Madness honors in her career, averaged 24.2 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 6.5 assists. Nwajei's big week also allowed her to crack into the all-time top 10 scoring list at Wagner. Entering the week at No. 11, Nwajei has now vaulted into No. 9 on the Wagner career list with 1,348 points. Meredith Kerns (1998-2002) is in eighth place at 1,397.

Yale (December 6, 2015 - Lee Amphitheater)

New Haven, CT – Junior guard Jasmine Nwajei (Rockaway Park, NY/Murry Bergtraum poured in a season-high 32 points and the short-handed Wagner women's basketball team gave Yale of the Ivy League a battle before falling 78-60. For the 5-8 Nwajei, the 32-point outburst was a season high and marks the 11th time in her career that she has hit for 30 or more points in a game.  The nation's second-leading scorer last season at 24.8 points per game, Nwajei shot 14-of-29 from the floor, while grabbing six rebounds and dishing out three assists. The Seahawks were without three guards as senior Jordyn Peck (Shaker Heights, OH/Shaker Heights), fifth-year senior Alexis Smith (Medford, NY/St. John the Baptist), and freshman Julia McClure (Secaucus, NJ/Secaucus) were all sidelined due to injury. Peck is the 14th-leading scorer in school history with 1,243 points, Smith is a transfer from Illinois who was coming off of a season-best 14-point outing in last Wednesday's 76-53 victory over NJIT, while McClure had played in all five previous games off the bench. Sophomore forwards Sofia Roma (Richmond Hill, NY/Nazareth Regional) and Samantha Sullivan (Manasquan, NJ/Manasquan) led the Seahawks on the boards as they corralled eight and seven rebounds, respectively. For Yale, Tamara Simpson led four players in double figures with 22 points, Jen Berkowitz supplied 16 while Katie Werner and Whitney Wyckoff added 12 and 13 points, respectively. The Bulldogs appeared to be on the verge of a early knockout punch by jumping out to a 21-8 lead. The Seahawks scrapped back with a 9-1 run to make it 27-17 after one quarter of play. Yale maintained its 10-point advantage at halftime, 40-30, and the Seahawks were still within striking difference, down nine at 60-51, with 6:28 left in the game following a Nwajei jumper. But this is as close as the Green & White would get as the Bulldogs answered with a 12-4 spurt to push the lead back to 18mm at 72-55, en route to the 78-60 win.

Wagner All-Time vs. Lafayette

Tonight's game marks the ninth all-time meeting between the Seahawks and the Leopards and the series is tied 4-4.

Wagner All-Time vs. the Patriot League

The Seahawks have an all-time record of 14-26 vs. teams that are current members of the Patriot League:
American (1-3)
Army (3-5)
Colgate (4-10)
Lafayette (4-4)
Lehigh (2-4).

Follow Wagner Athletics on Facebook (facebook.com/WagnerAthletics), Twitter (@wagnerathletics), Instagram (@wagnerathletics) and YouTube (@WagnerSeahawks) for all the latest news and updates on the athletic department. Follow the women's basketball team on Twitter @WagSwagg_WBB for news and updates on the women's basketball program and @CERMIGNANO for news on the fourth-year coach. ?