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| Nancy Fahey has collected five Division III national championship trophies to go along with her 700 career wins. Photo by Joe Angeles, WUSTL Photo Service |
No. 11 Washington U. handed 21st-ranked Carnegie Mellon its first loss of the season, and in the process, earned women's basketball coach Nancy Fahey her 700th career win.
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Fahey becomes the fourth coach in Division III women's basketball history to reach the 700-win mark. She follows Scranton's Mike Strong, who won 815 before retiring in 2014; Emmanuel coach Andy Yosinoff, who won his 759th career game on Saturdaay; and Phil Kahler, who won 757 for St. John Fisher. She entered the season with an .847 winning percentage, the highest of any coach in the Top 25 all time in wins in Division III.
Washington U. has won five Division III women's basketball national championships under Fahey, most recently in 2010.
"After the game, I reminded the team of all of the past Bears they represented today," Fahey said. "I haven't made a shot, ran a line or lifted a weight. This win is about the tradition of WashU women's basketball.
Fahey is the second-fastest coach in NCAA men's and women's basketball history to reach 700 wins, doing so in her 826th game. University of Connecticut head women's coach Geno Auriemma, who reached the milestone in his 822nd game, is the only coach to accomplish the feat faster than Fahey.
The Bears played stingy defense throughout the game, limiting Carnegie Mellon to a season-low 32.7 percent (16-for-49) from the field, including just 2-of-16 from 3-point range. WashU finished with 38.8 percent shooting (26-for-67) in the game, including 44.8 percent (13-for-29) in the second half, and made eight of 20 from beyond the arc. The Bears forced 20 turnovers, including 11 steals, and finished with a 15-0 advantage in points off turnovers.