Loyola Women’s Basketball 2025-26 Season Recap: Greyhounds Show Progress Under Danielle O’Banion

The 2025-26 season represented another step forward for the Loyola University Maryland women’s basketball program.

After finishing 9-21 the previous season, the Greyhounds improved to 12-18 overall and 8-10 in Patriot League play, showing growth throughout the year and remaining competitive in the conference race well into February. The improvement may not seem dramatic on paper, but Loyola played a significantly better brand of basketball and earned several quality conference victories.

Under head coach Danielle O’Banion, the Greyhounds continued building a culture centered around defense, rebounding, and player development. Several veterans took major steps forward while younger players gained valuable experience that should benefit the program moving forward.

Season Overview

Final Record: 12-18

Patriot League Record: 8-10

Home Record: 6-7

Road Record: 6-11

Patriot League Finish: Middle of the conference standings

Improvement From 2024-25: +3 wins overall

The Greyhounds showed noticeable improvement against Patriot League opponents and remained competitive against many of the conference’s top teams.

Tough Non-Conference Schedule

Loyola opened the season with one of the toughest stretches any Patriot League team faced.

The Greyhounds traveled to face nationally ranked Maryland in the season opener. The Terps overwhelmed Loyola 80-26, but Maryland would go on to be one of the nation’s top programs.

Additional early losses came against:

• La Salle (71-59)
• Virginia Tech (64-48)
• Radford (59-50)
• Drexel (66-57)
• Mount St. Mary’s (69-50)

Rather than folding after the difficult start, Loyola continued improving and eventually earned one of its biggest wins of the season with a 73-48 road victory over Yale. That win provided confidence entering conference play.

Koi Sims Leads The Way

Graduate forward Koi Sims emerged as one of Loyola’s most important players.

Sims provided leadership, rebounding, interior scoring, and toughness throughout the season. Opposing coaches frequently highlighted her physical play and ability to impact games on both ends of the floor.

The veteran forward became the foundation of Loyola’s frontcourt and regularly produced double-digit scoring performances during conference play. Her consistency helped stabilize the team during difficult stretches.

Amandine Amorich Continues To Develop

Junior guard Amandine Amorich took on a larger role in the offense.

Amorich’s ability to create shots, push the pace, and facilitate for teammates made her one of Loyola’s most important perimeter players. Entering the season, she was already viewed as one of the team’s top returning contributors, and she delivered throughout the year.

Conference opponents often focused defensive attention on Amorich, but her growth as a playmaker allowed Loyola’s offense to remain balanced.

Kimmie Hicks Returns

One of the biggest stories entering the season involved Kimmie Hicks.

After missing significant time due to injury, Hicks returned to provide scoring and perimeter shooting. Prior to the injury, Hicks had been one of Loyola’s most productive offensive players.

The return added another weapon to the Greyhounds’ rotation and helped improve offensive depth throughout conference play.

January Surge

Conference play brought out Loyola’s best basketball.

The Greyhounds played some of their strongest games during January, including a 63-53 road victory at American. That win helped Loyola climb back into the Patriot League race and demonstrated the team’s ability to win difficult road games.

Several close contests against conference contenders showed just how much the program had improved.

While not every game resulted in a victory, Loyola consistently competed for four quarters and rarely looked overmatched.

Strengths Of The Team

Rebounding

Rebounding remained one of Loyola’s greatest strengths.

The Greyhounds frequently competed with larger opponents because of their physicality on the glass. Sims and the frontcourt played a major role in helping Loyola stay competitive against teams with superior size.

Defensive Effort

Defense became another hallmark of the program.

The Greyhounds often relied on defensive pressure to stay in games. While offensive consistency occasionally disappeared, effort on the defensive end remained steady throughout the season.

Veteran Leadership

The veteran core provided stability.

Players such as Sims helped establish a culture that allowed younger contributors to develop without carrying the entire burden of the program.

Areas For Improvement

Turnovers

Turnovers remained an issue throughout the season.

Protecting the basketball has been a challenge for the program in recent years, and improving ball security could significantly boost the offense moving forward.

Offensive Consistency

Loyola occasionally struggled to generate offense against stronger defenses.

The Greyhounds often won games through effort, rebounding, and defense, but adding more consistent scoring punch will be a priority entering next season.

Biggest Wins Of The Season

Several victories stood out:

• Yale – 73-48
• American – 63-53
• Multiple Patriot League home victories that kept Loyola in conference contention

These wins demonstrated the program’s progress and provided evidence that Loyola is moving in the right direction.

Looking Ahead To 2026-27

The future appears encouraging for the Greyhounds.

An improvement from nine wins to 12 wins may not grab national headlines, but it reflects real progress. Loyola returns a core that understands the Patriot League and now has experience competing in meaningful conference games.

Continued development from Amorich, additional contributions from returning players, and another strong recruiting class could allow the Greyhounds to take another step forward next season.

The Patriot League remains one of the nation’s most competitive mid-major conferences, but Loyola appears positioned to continue climbing the standings.

Final Grade: B

The Greyhounds improved their win total, competed harder in conference play, and showed clear signs of growth. A 12-18 record does not tell the entire story. Loyola became more competitive, more experienced, and more confident during the 2025-26 season.

If the upward trend continues, the Greyhounds could emerge as a legitimate Patriot League contender over the next few years.