NEW PALTZ, N.Y. – The State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) champion State University of New York at New Paltz women's basketball team will compete in the NCAA Division III Women's Basketball Tournament for the second-straight season and third time in five years.
New Paltz earned an automatic bid into the tournament after upsetting then-No. 16 SUNY Geneseo in the SUNYAC Finals by a score of 58-57. The Knights held an undefeated record of 26-0 before the contest.
11th-year head coach Jamie Seward said that the team was not intimidated by the Knights, despite losing to them twice earlier this season.
"Everybody has been talking about it being such a huge upset, but we don't see it that way," Seward explained. "We expected to win. No disrespect to them, they're obviously a good team. But we didn't fear them."
The Hawks will face No. 19 Bowdoin College in the first round this Friday at a neutral site hosted by Ithaca College. The Polar Bears earned an at-large bid to the tournament after losing to No. 4 Tufts University, 49-44, in the semifinal round of the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) Tournament. This will be the first-ever meeting between the two teams.
Ticket prices are $7 for adults and $4 for students, children and senior citizens with proper identification. Tip-off between the Hawks and Polar Bears is set for 5 p.m. Following that game will be host Ithaca taking on Rochester Institute of Technology at 7 p.m.
New Paltz has never faced RIT and lost 78-50 to Ithaca earlier this season back on Jan. 10. RIT earned an automatic bid into the tournament after claiming the Liberty League championship with an 85-72 win over Clarkson University. Ithaca defeated Stevens Institute of Technology, 77-74, in the Empire 8 Finals to earn an automatic bid into the tournament.
NEW PALTZ (18-8): The Hawks are ranked second in the SUNYAC in scoring with 65.0 points per game… New Paltz allows the third-fewest points per game in the conference with 57.9… Senior Kit Small and sophomore Lindsay Bettke were named to the SUNYAC All-Tournament Team with Bettke earning MVP honors… Small leads the team in points per game with 12.7, rebounds per game with 5.8, assists per game with 2.8 and steals per game with 1.9… Bettke is second on the team with 11.3 points per game and 1.7 assists per game… Senior Courtney Irby is ranked first on the Hawks with 1.0 blocks per game and is averaging 8.5 points per game and 5.5 rebounds per game… Small earned All-SUNYAC First Team honors, while Bettke was named to the All-SUNYAC Second Team and Irby was named to the All-SUNYAC Third Team.
BOWDOIN (21-4): The Polar Bears lead the NESCAC in scoring with 73.5 points per game… Bowdoin allows the third-fewest points per game in the conference with 50.7… Junior Kate Kerrigan leads the team in points per game with 8.8, rebounds per game with 4.8, steals per game with 2.1 and blocks per game with 0.5… Senior Marle Curle is ranked first on the Polar Bears with 3.4 assists per game and she is averaging 7.5 points per game, 1.2 steals per game and 4.1 rebounds per game.
Coach Seward on playing Bowdoin:
"We are going to play a really, really good Bowdoin team. They are going to be the best team we play all year. But we are not just going to show up and be happy to be there. If Bowdoin is going to advance, then they are going to have to beat us and I do not think that is going to be an easy thing to do."
ITHACA (24-3): The Bombers lead the Empire 8 Conference in scoring with 71.6 points per game… Ithaca allows the fewest points per game in the conference with 56.8… Senior Ali Ricchiuti leads the team in scoring with 10.9 points per game and is averaging 3.9 rebounds per game and 2.4 assists per game… Senior Erin Ferguson leads the team in rebounds per game (5.6) and is averaging 10.5 points per game and 1.3 assists per game… Junior Erin Woop is ranked first on the Bombers with 2.6 assists per game and is averaging 3.7 rebounds per game.
RIT (19-8): The Tigers lead the Liberty League in scoring with 73.1 points per game… RIT allows the fourth-fewest points per game in the conference with 59.6… Sophomore Cori Okada leads the team in scoring with 14.3 points per game and is averaging 3.7 rebounds per game… Sophomore Tara Lynch leads the team in rebounds per game (5.1) and is averaging 12.6 points per game… Junior Jessica Glaz is averaging 13.0 points per game and 3.9 rebounds per game.