Seton Hall Pirates 2025-26 Preview & Outlook

Season Snapshot

The Seton Hall Pirates finished the 2025‑26 campaign at 19‑13 overall and 12‑8 in the Big East, tying for third place with Marquette but holding the head‑to‑head advantage. The team’s NET ranking landed at #65, while Her Hoop Stats placed them at #90 and BartTorvik.com rated them #61. After a solid run in the Big East tournament—skirting St. John’s in the quarterfinals only to fall 62‑48 to Villanova—they secured a spot in the WBIT, where they lost a home game 67‑57 to #4 seed Missouri. This mix of near‑misses and early postseason exit sets the stage for a rebuilding focus next year.

Major Departures

Seton Hall will miss four key contributors who are moving on to new programs. Mariana Valenzuela, a three‑year starter who logged every game and averaged 7.2 rebounds per outing, is heading to Florida State. Messiah Hunter, who appeared in all 32 contests, saw her minutes dwindle late and averaged 11.7 points per game before departing. Freshman Jordana Codio, a breakout scorer with 12.5 points and 4.3 rebounds, joins Georgia, while veteran Jada Eads—once the team’s top scorer with 10.6 points, 5.1 rebounds and 4.1 assists—faces an uncertain return after a season‑ending ACL tear; she is slated for Tennessee if she recovers fully. Zahara Bishop, who contributed 8.4 points and 3.3 rebounds while playing near 23 minutes per game, departs for Auburn.

Returning Powerhouses

Only one of Seton Hall’s top five scorers is back for another season, but the Pirates still have several pillars to lean on. Savannah Catalon, in her fourth year, led the team in scoring (13.1 ppg) and steals (2.8 spg) while adding 4.6 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game. Ja’Kahla Craft returned with 6.9 points per outing and a team‑leading 40% three‑point conversion, though she averaged only 18 minutes. Shailyn Pinkney, who started 17 of 28 games, posted 3.8 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.2 assists while logging over 21 minutes per contest. Ari Woodard emerged late, averaging 6.6 points, 3.6 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 2.1 steals per game after limited earlier exposure.

Key Additions

The Pirates are counting on a fresh influx of talent to fill the void left by departed players. Freshman Shamira Morton, a 6’3” forward, arrived at #63 in the 2026 recruiting rankings, the highest‑rated of five newcomers. Fellow freshmen Inieye Oruh (6’4” forward) and Kenadie Maughan (6’5” center) are also expected to factor into the rotation. Transfers include Samari Bankhead, a sophomore guard who lost significant minutes last year (4.1 ppg, 1.6 rpg), Jada Crawshaw, a senior forward with Big Ten experience (10.4 ppg, 4.8 rpg at Long Beach State but only 7.2 ppg, 3.0 rpg after a knee issue at Georgia Tech), and Saniyah King, a junior guard who saw her production drop from a MEAC‑leading 4.5 assists per game at Howard to just 2.5 assists and 2.5 points at Mississippi State.

Coaching Stability

Tony Bozzella enters his 27th season as a Division I head coach and his 14th year leading Seton Hall, holding a 229‑164 record with the Pirates. Overall, his collegiate ledger sits at 535‑482 wins across all divisions. Bozzella’s long tenure provides continuity, but the roster turnover demands fresh schemes and deeper role‑player contributions to offset the loss of scoring and defensive anchors.

Rebuilding Forecast

The Pirates’ dip after Jada Eads’ season‑ending ACL injury aligns with a stark statistical slide. Following the second loss to UConn, when Eads missed her first game, Seton Hall sat at 14‑6 overall and 8‑3 in the Big East while ranking in the top 50 for both offensive and defensive efficiency. The subsequent stretch—5‑8 overall, 4‑6 in the Big East, dropping to #84 nationally, #111 in offense and #69 in defense—suggests the team struggled without its primary scorer and playmaker. With Valenzuela and Hunter gone, plus Eads’ uncertain return, the outlook leans toward a transitional year built around sophomore and freshman contributions, especially from Bankhead, Woodard and the incoming prospects.

Follow Anonymous Eagle on social media

Facebook: AnonymousEagle
Instagram: AnonymousEagleSBN
Bluesky: AnonymousEagle