From Washington University Athletics
The No. 9-ranked Washington University in St. Louis women's basketball team was selected to host the 2015 NCAA Division III Championship First and Second Round Friday-Saturday at the WU Field House in St. Louis. The Bears will face Spalding University at 7 p.m. Friday in the First Round.
The other first-round game Friday will feature No. 13 Transylvania University vs. Wittenberg University at 5 p.m. The winners of Friday's games will square off in the Second Round at 7 p.m. Saturday. Game times are to be determined. Tickets are $3 for students with an ID and $6 for adults. Washington University undergraduate students will be admitted free courtesy of the Student Union. The ticket booth will open one hour prior to game time each night.
Washington University (22-3, 12-2 UAA) earned an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament after finishing as the University Athletic Association (UAA) co-champions, the 21st conference title in school history. The Bears are making their 27th overall and 26th consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance under 29-year head coach Nancy Fahey. WashU owns a Division III-best 63-23 record in its previous 25 appearances, including 10 Final Fours and five National Championships. This marks the 18th time in school history the Bears have hosted a first-round game, and the first time since 2009.
WashU's first-round opponent, Spalding, is making its second straight NCAA Tournament appearance. The Golden Eagles lost their 2014 first-round game at Rhodes College. Spalding (22-4, 17-1 SLIAC) claimed the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SLIAC) championship with an 80-50 win over Eureka College Saturday to earn an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. This will be the third time WashU and Spalding have played each other, with the Bears winning both of the first two meetings.
The Golden Eagles enter the NCAA Tournament riding an eight-game winning streak, and leads Division III with a rebounding margin of +13.5. Freshman forward Kayla Styles, who was named the SLIAC Newcomer of the Year, averages 17.2 points and 9.8 rebounds per game to lead Spalding. Senior forward Jessica Guy, also a first-team all-SLIAC selection, averages a double-double of 13.0 points and 10.4 rebounds per game.
Transylvania University (25-2, 18-0 HCAC) received an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament after falling to Hanover College 106-98 in the championship of the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference (HCAC) tournament Sunday. The No. 13-ranked Pioneers are making their fourth appearance in the NCAA Tournament and are 2-3 in their previous three trips. WashU and Transylvania have played once in school history, an 83-57 win for the Bears in the NCAA Regional Championship March 7, 2009.
Wittenberg University (23-6, 12-4 NCAC) earned an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament after winning the North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) tournament championship 81-57 over Ohio Wesleyan University Saturday. The Tigers are making their ninth trip to the NCAA Tournament and first since 2004, and are 3-8 in their previous eight appearances. A meeting between WashU and Wittenberg would be the first in school history.