Strong at Home, Steady All Season: Essex Women Finish 16–9
2025–26 Essex Women's Basketball Season Recap
The Essex Women's Basketball team delivered a strong and competitive campaign, finishing 16–9 overall and 9–7 in conference play. With an impressive 11–3 record at home, the Lions established Essex as a tough place to play, fueled by balanced scoring, dominant rebounding, and consistent guard play throughout the season.
November: Fast Start and Statement Performances
Essex opened the year with a road victory over Westchester Community College, 68–58, behind Gabriella Brown's 18 points, 12 rebounds from Kayley Lynch, and 6 assists from Aniya Brown.
The Lions followed with a thrilling overtime win against Chesapeake College, 91–83, as G. Brown erupted for 31 points in one of the team's top offensive showings of the year.
Defensive intensity defined a 53–46 victory over Prince George's Community College, with Essesnce Cushionberry leading the way with 19 points and 6 rebounds.
After a tough loss to UCNJ, Essex responded emphatically, defeating Salem Community College 64–35 and delivering one of the most dominant performances of the season in a 125–20 win over County College of Morris, powered by 31 points from Gabriella Brown and 9 assists from Aniya Brown.
December: Battling Through the Conference
Conference play intensified in December. Essex earned a solid 71–61 win over Middlesex College, with G. Brown posting 20 points and 6 assists.
Close losses to CCBC Catonsville (61–59) and Harcum College tested the Lions, but they rebounded with strong wins over Raritan Valley Community College (69–53) and Lackawanna College (61–48).
A. Brown's 22-point outing and Michelle Hernandez's dominant 19-rebound performance helped secure a 73–58 road win at Delaware Technical Community College to close the month.
January: Midseason Momentum
January marked Essex's most consistent stretch of the season. The Lions earned decisive wins over Camden County College (86–55) and Howard Community College (67–50), showcasing balanced scoring and defensive discipline.
A 79–64 victory over Delaware Tech featured 24 points from G. Brown and 14 rebounds from Katherine Avecillas, while a gritty 68–64 win over Westchester highlighted Cushionberry's 15 points and A. Brown's all-around effort.
The Lions continued their strong home play with a 71–54 win against Passaic County Community College, where Cushionberry scored 20 and Lynch controlled the boards with 15 rebounds.
February: Competitive Finish
February featured several tightly contested conference matchups. Essex earned a key 67–62 road win at Middlesex, sparked by G. Brown's 27-point performance.
Though the Lions dropped games to UCNJ and Harcum, they closed strong at home with a dominant 86–34 win over Lackawanna, as Natalie Fonseca scored 17 and Hernandez grabbed 17 rebounds.
The regular season concluded with competitive losses to Raritan Valley and Harcum, finishing the year on a two-game skid but with a winning record and significant growth.