Women's Basketball | 1/25/2026 7:22:00 PM

PHOTO GALLERY: Jersey Retirement Ceremony | Hall of Fame Announcement 

Saint Francis honored an unprecedented era of Red Flash women's basketball. From 1995-2005, Saint Francis won nine NEC Championships in 10 years. Many great players contributed to that success, but it was led by Stacy Alexander (1992-96), Mary Markey (1994-98), Jess Zinobile (1996-00), and Beth Swink (2001-05). Zinobile had her jersey retired on February 9, 2019, and Alexander, Markey, and Swink joined Zinobile in the rafters in a pregame ceremony on Saturday. 

Saint Francis lost the game to New Haven, 61-60, but head coach Chynna Bozeman appreciated the effort in front of the distinguished guests, " I loved the effort. We retired jerseys before the game and to have alumnae come back with the tradition and be in the crowd supporting us meant something to us."

Alexander (1994-95), Markey (1996-97), Zinobile (2997-98, 1999-00), and Swink (2003-04) represent the first five NEC Players of the Year in team history. Each player left as at least the second all-time leading scorer upon graduation and accounted for 7,740 points among the quartet. They also represent an era that went 200-102 overall and 144-36 in NEC play during this 10-year period.

"It's such a special, great honor to be recognized. Mary and I were talking about being a small town kid, and getting this opportunity to go play. We never dreamed of doing what we did with our time here at Saint Francis," said Alexander.  

"I was truly surprised. I really thought I'd been inducted into the Hall of Fame, and that our team had been inducted into the Hall of Fame that I really thought that legacy was it for me. I was never, ever expecting this honor. It's truly awesome to be honored for it and to be recognized," said Markey.

"It will eventually sink in, but I like seeing it up there on the wall," Swink said, still in disbelief about the honor.

Alexander arrived from Portage in the fall of 1992 after Saint Francis was 165-278 in the first 24 years of program history. After going 8-18 in Alexander's freshman year, the Red Flash went 15-14 overall and 12-6 in NEC play to set team records for overall and NEC wins, both marks would not stand for long. Saint Francis advanced to the NEC Championship Game for the first time, a regular occurrence over the next 12 years. Markey joined the team in Alexander's junior year. The Red Flash finished a program-record 21-9 overall and 16-2 in NEC play in 1995-96. After falling to the Mount in the first two NEC Championship bouts in 1993-94 and 1994-95, Saint Francis ended the Mountaineers' dynasty hopes in Emmitsburg at Knott Arena with an 83-75 victory, and Markey was named the NEC Tournament Most Valuable Player.

"No one expected us to be there. In my second and third years, we made the NEC Championship Game at Mount St. Mary's, and then in my senior year, we won. What a ride that was, said Alexander about that time for the Red Flash.

"It was an amazing time that we had at Saint Francis. We had six freshmen. We played together all four years. Those accomplishments don't happen without your team and a great coaching staff. So all of that goes to obviously, your teammates and your coaches, and the work ethic," said Alexander about her teammates.

"This gives me an opportunity to really pay homage to the practices that we put together, the preparations that we did, and it all came down to your teammates. If your teammates are playing hard and they're not pushing you hard in practice, then you're not really prepared for those types of moments in the game. This honor truly pays homage to all of the players that have touched my life and been a part of my success and pushed me and advanced me to where I was and what I was able to do," said Markey about her teammates.

"It's crazy because it feels like it was just yesterday, but at the same time, it's like it seems like forever. I wish I could be out there playing there, but it's crazy how time flies. It is a special thing, and I'm glad some of the teammates were able to be here. I know the weather had played in on a little bit of some people not making it and whatnot, but I'm so glad we were able to do this," said Swink about the event and her teammates.

Markey played two years with Alexander and two years with Zinobile, but did not play with Swink. She was happy to share the day with Alexander and Swink. "I'm really glad I'm not by myself. I was happy to have Stacy and Beth here with me. I didn't know about all of Beth's accomplishments. So for her to carry on the legacy, because when you're in it, you don't know what's going on. You can't foresee the future. We were just excited that we were winning, whenever it came time, year after year, and you just kept winning, you're like, wow. But you really don't recognize the impact. And so years later, whenever we're able to reflect back on it and call it the golden years, and it truly is amazing what we've been able to do, and those who have been after us have been able to step on the court, collect those wins, and get those titles. It really is amazing to look back on," said Markey.

While Alexander and her class started the run, Swink and her class had to reignite it after the only losing season in the era. Swink looks back at the way that the second half of the dynasty started, "I think we all knew, especially my freshmanyear, that the history was here at Saint Francis. We wanted to win too. We weren't gonna accept anything less. We never doubted ourselves. The players that were here when we arrived, they really helped mold us and teach us that tradition that was there from before, and we really took it and ran with it."

Alexander, Markey, and Swink all returned with their families, including their children. 

"It's been really wonderful. My daughter is currently playing. She's a sophomore. She's playing in varsity for the high school. This is like a walk back in history. My kids are  watching the film of our championship games, and just getting to see me as a player has been really fantastic. Their eyes light up. Their faces are just full of laughter because it's just weird for them to see their mom as an athlete," said Markey.

Saint Francis and the community are a special place, and even after being away for 25-30 years, Alexander and Markey both appreciate what the university and the area do for student-athletes.

"It's so fun to see so many familiar faces from even back in 1996 when I graduated. It's a wonderful place to be, and they're just going to continue the tradition," said Alexander.

"I think it speaks volumes to the fact that this local area, the community, is so inviting, and it helps us to get the recruits that we need to come in here that we need to win, and plays like that all year after year. It really is a special place," said Markey.

During halftime, Saint Francis made a special announcement revealing that the 2003-04 team would be going into the 2026 Hall of Fame in July.

"I always say I could never have gotten to where I was without my teammates. I don't think they get enough credit. I'm so happy with the announcement that the 2003-04 team will go into the Hall of Fame because we were a family. My teammates have been a huge part of my career, and I would have never been here have my jersey retired, and have had all the success that I had without them and they, I mean, they deserve all the recognition that they get because we were a great team," said Swink about her teammates.