Photo courtesy Saint Francis University From left: Mary Markey, Stacy Alexander and Beth Swink were present at SFU last Saturday for the retiring of their uniform numbers.

LORETTO — Saint Francis turned back the clock last weekend as the Red Flash honored an unprecedented era of its women’s basketball program.

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 Feb. 9, 2019, and Alexander, Markey and Swink joined her in the rafters in a pre-game ceremony last Saturday.

Each was in attendance.

Alexander (1994-95), Markey (1996-97), Zinobile (1997-2000) 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.

“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,” Alexander said.

“I’d been inducted into the Hall of Fame, and our team had been inducted into the Hall of Fame, and I really thought that legacy was it for me,” Markey said. “I was never expecting this honor. It’s awesome.”

“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 with an 83-75 victory, and Markey was named the NEC Tournament’s most valuable player.

“No one expected us to be there,” Alexander said. “What a ride that was. 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.”

Swink, who resides in her hometown of Connellsville, can’t believe how quickly 20 years have passed.

“It’s crazy because it feels like it was just yesterday, but at the same time, it’s like it seems like forever,” she said. “I’m glad some of the teammates were able to be here.”

Markey played two years with Alexander and two with Zinobile but did not play with Swink.

“I didn’t know about all of Beth’s accomplishments,” Markey said. “So for her to carry on the legacy … it is amazing to look back on.”

While Alexander and her class started the run, Swink and her class had to reignite it after the only losing season in the era.

“I think we all knew, especially my freshman year, that the history was here at Saint Francis,” Swink said. “We wanted to win, too. The players that were here when we arrived, they really helped mold us and teach us that tradition, 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,” Markey, who resides in Chambersburg, said. “My daughter is currently 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 because it’s just weird for them to see their mom as an athlete.”

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 has done 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,” Alexander, who resides in Annapolis, said.

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’m so happy with the announcement that the 2003-04 team will go into the Hall of Fame because we were a family,” Swink said. “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.”

David C. Musil is assistant athletic director for communications at Saint Francis University.