WBB Captures Second Straight NECC Title

NEW LONDON, Conn. - The top-seeded Mitchell College women's basketball team won the 2023 New England Collegiate Conference championship on Saturday afternoon, defeating second-seeded Eastern Nazarene College 82-59 at the Yarnall Athletic Center. It marks the second consecutive conference title for the Mariners, who improved to 18-9 overall, breaking the school record for single season wins in the Division III era. 

Sam McKenna (Millbrook, N.Y.) paced the Mariners, leading all scorers with 20 points to go along with seven rebounds. Amina Wiley (New Rochelle, N.Y.) finished one assist shy of a triple-double, posting 11, points, 10 rebounds, and nine assists. Yasmine Santos (Pawtucket, R.I.) also registered a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds, while the backcourt duo of Dede Stevenson (Hartford, Conn.) and Na'Jae White (Hartford, Conn.) poured in 19 points apiece. Stevenson added six rebounds and six assists, while White tallied four rebounds, three assists, and three steals.

The Mariners (18-9 overall) claimed the league title for the second time in school history. Mitchell also earned the conference's automatic bid for the NCAA Championship. The entire Division III women's field will be announced via NCAA.com on Monday, February 27 at 2:30 p.m.

The first half was a slugfest on Saturday, as both teams traded leads and jockeyed for an advantage.

The Lions led by one after the first quarter, but the Mariners responded by scoring the first five points of the second stanza on a three-pointer by McKenna and a close range jumper by Wiley. A three ball by Stevenson gave Mitchell a 10-point lead midway through the frame, which in turn led to an Eastern Nazarene timeout.

The Lions followed with an 11-0 run which vaulted them back into the lead and forced Mitchell to use a timeout at the 3:15 mark. Stevenson knocked down back to back shots out of the timeout, which put the home squad ahead 32-28, but baskets by Alondra Jimenez and Michala O'Donoghue in the waning seconds of the half made it a 32-32 tie at the intermission.

The third quarter is where the Mariners broke the game open, as they scored the first 12 points of the half to build a lead which they would not relinquish. Mitchell outscored the Lions 30-10 in the third, and entered the final quarter with a comfortable 20-point edge.

The Mariners shot 41.8% from the floor and outrebounded the Lions 43-27. That dominance was reflected on the offensive side, as Mitchell scored 32 points in the paint. The Mitchell defense also forced 26 turnovers and held Eastern Nazarene to just 16.8% shooting from three-point territory.

Jimenez led the Lions (11-15 overall) with a team-best 19 points, Ashley Quigley added 18 points, and Te'yalla Simpson grabbed nine rebounds off the bench.

All-Tournament Team 

Sophia Torres – Lesley University
Kathleen Rodriguez – New England College
Alondra Jimenez – Eastern Nazarene College
Ashley Quigley – Eastern Nazarene College
Amina Wiley – Mitchell College
Sam McKenna – MVP – Mitchell College