It’s been a season of firsts for the Bryant women’s basketball team, which roared out to the best start in program history and then bounced back from some tough losses to register their first-ever win against a Power 4 team.
The Bulldogs opened their 2025-26 campaign with a record seven straight wins before falling to 62-53 on the road to the Big East’s Providence College. Disappointing losses to Yale and Holy Cross followed, but the Bryant women rebounded in a big way by going on the road and knocking off Boston College, 80-71, for the first win over a Power 4 program and ACC conference team in the Bulldogs’ Division I history.
“[Beating] BC was huge for this program,” says Head Coach Lynne-Ann Kokoski.
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Shaking off hard times is nothing new to her team, adds Kokoski.
“This group set their sights to practice and train with a purpose,” she says. “The way last season ended, losing in the America East semifinals to Vermont and having a tough first round in the WNIT (where the Bulldogs lost 59-58 at home to Army), they're hungry this year, and as a coach you couldn't ask for anything more than that.”
"They're hungry this year, and as a coach you couldn't ask for anything more than that."
Kokoski is aided by a group of veteran players, including her captains Maranda Nyborg '26MBA and Mimi Rubino '26MBA and juniors Mia Mancini '27, Nia Scott '27, and Martina Boba '27.
“Those five are definitely coaches on the floor,” she says. “There are times in practice that I don't even need to speak. They’ll stop the drill and say, ‘Guys, this isn't right,’ or ‘Coach just said this.’ When you have players who have your back like that, and who can really lead a drill, I don't have to do the correcting.”
Even during the team’s undefeated run, it wasn’t all smooth sailing: the Bulldogs had to overcome early deficits in road games against Marist and Merrimack, for example.
“I was proud of the way we came together as a unit falling behind in those early road games. They fought for each other,” Kokoski says.
Likewise, she credits her team for coming back to make the PC game close late after giving up a first-half lead.
“For us, it's always been about contribution versus credit,” says Kokoski. “When we play as a unit, and no one cares who gets the credit, we play some of our best basketball and they have fun with it. In the second and third quarter at Providence College we did our own thing, and we didn't do as well. We struggle when we aren’t relying on each other.
"What I like the most about this team is we don't quit,” she continues. “I think they realize that they can play with some of the best. And I think they realize that they’ve got to stick together in order for us to be successful.”
"For us, it's always been about contribution versus credit."
In the Yale game, Bryant was undone by cold shooting, and the team fell just short in a defensive battle against Holy Cross. Still, says Kokoski, “The girls believed we were better than how we played and had great attitudes and leadership through the three-game slide, which is what makes this team special.”
At the start of each season, Kokoski stresses to her team that they “start as nobodies with something to prove.” And each season, it’s up to some of those ‘nobodies’ to become somebodies. This year, that’s included players like guard Izzy Adams ’29, guard Abbey Lindsey ’27, and forward Rose Nelson ’26.
“Those three have played big roles for us without getting major credit,” says Kokoski. “Against, BU, Izzy did exactly what we knew she was capable of, scoring 24 points and playing solid defense.
“We don't beat Marist without Abby coming into that game. And Rose is a great spark off the bench — she brings an athleticism that you don't see a lot.”
In a season that has had some really high highs and a couple of low points, too, Kokoski remains confident that the Bulldogs are a team that can compete for a championship.
“If they continue to stick together and not care who gets the credit, they can shock some of the people that have doubted us,” she says.