MINNEAPOLIS -- The Trine women's basketball team is ranked No. 15 in the final D3hoops.com Top 25 Poll of the regular season.
The Thunder received votes totaling 258 points, a 60-point boost from last week's No. 18 ranking, to achieve its highest national ranking in team history. Trine clinched a spot in the NCAA Division III Women's Basketball Tournament with a pair of victories to win its first MIAA Tournament title last week. The team won its first regular season crown the week before. The Thunder will be making its first NCAA Tournament appearance. Trine is the highest-ranked MIAA team in the poll.
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Cassidy Williams (Archbold, Ohio / Archbold) was named the MIAA Women's Basketball Player of the Week for her efforts in leading the Thunder to the MIAA Tournament title. Her superb defensive work helped hold a pair of All-MIAA performers to a combined 8-of-29 field goal shooting (27.6 percent). Led by Williams' efforts, Trine held Calvin and Albion to season-low scoring outputs. The team defeated Albion 57-42 in the semifinal before beating Calvin 49-42 the following night to claim the championship.
Defense has been the key to success all year. The Thunder ranked eighth in the nation in scoring defense during the regular season. The team allows 47.9 points per game while holding opponents to 33.3 percent field goal shooting. Trine outscores its opponents by an average of 23.6 points per game, one of the best scoring margins in the nation.
Brandi Dawson (Garrett, Ind. / Garrett) was named the MIAA Most Valuable Player. Dawson averages a team-best 15.5 points on 54.7 field goal shooting. Dawson ranked 28th in the nation in field goal percentage during the regular season.
Hayley Martin (Auburn, Ind. / DeKalb) was named the MIAA Defensive Player of the Year. Martin has a school record 60 blocks this season and ranked 35th in the nation in total blocks during the regular season. She averages an even 15 points per game and shoots 51.5 percent from the field.
Trine travels to Ohio Northern to face Illinois Wesleyan in the first round of the NCAA Division III Women's Basketball Tournament. The Titans earned an at-large bid after finishing the regular season 18-9 overall. Check back for more information on game time and ticket information.