The Brockport women’s basketball team is making history this weekend, competing in the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2009, and the first time in head coach Corrine Jones’ career.
The Golden Eagles will take on Elizabethtown College on Friday in the first round. The game will be played at Randolph-Macon College in Ashland, VA.
Brockport failed to earn an automatic spot after falling in the Empire 8 Conference final to SUNY Geneseo on March 1. Geneseo and other conference champions are given an automatic bid in the NCAA tournament. Brockport earned an at-large bid, the NCAA announced Monday.
No. 25 Elizabethtown also earned an at-large bid after losing in the Landmark Conference tournament semifinals. The Bluejays went 22-4 in the regular season, and were 16-2 in conference play. They were solid both offensively and defensively all year, scoring just over 77 points a game and only giving up 61 to their opponents. Both these figures are ranked third in the Landmark Conference.
Elizabethtown has a solid pool of talent, with five players averaging near-double digits a game. Summer McNulty leads the team in scoring with 13.7 a game, eighth in the conference. The senior scored a season-high 24 points in Elizabethtown’s regular season finale versus the University of Scranton, and scored 21 in their conference semifinal loss against Catholic University.
Leading the charge defensively for the Bluejays is Jess King. The six-footer averaged just under nine rebounds a game, and has added 27 blocks and 23 steals this season. Six-foot-two DanniRae Renno is right behind her with 7.4 rebounds a game. Renno leads the league in blocks, averaging 1.6 a game and 39 total on the season.
Elizabethtown will have a size advantage over Brockport, with seven players standing six-foot or taller. The Bluejays grabbed 42 rebounds a game as a team, and allowed opponents an average of 33 a game.
Brockport will rely on their high-scoring offense and relentless defense to grab a win. The Golden Eagles are averaging just under 80 points a game as a team, sixth in the country. They are also ranked 14th nationally in steals per game with 14.3.
With a deep roster, the Golden Eagles can expect everyone to contribute. Stephanie Jean-Baptiste leads the team in scoring, with 17.8 a game. The junior guard was also recently named Empire 8 Co-Defensive Player of the Year. She averaged 2.4 steals a game and added 12 blocks total on the season.
Kaileigh Hunt will also be relied on both offensively and defensively. The graduate student leads the Golden Eagles in rebounds, blocks and is second in scoring with 12 points a game. Hunt was also named Empire 8 All-Tournament Team for her performances in the conference playoffs.
Off the bench, Mandy Brink has been on a hot streak. Brink has scored in double-digits in six of the last seven games, including a career-high 17 points in the conference semifinals versus Nazareth on Feb. 26.
Harmony Philo is another crucial piece of Brockport’s secondary, averaging six points and shooting 36 percent from three-point range. Philo played a season-high 23 minutes and scored nine points in Brockport’s conference final loss.
The Golden Eagles will make the trip south and will be looking to make history by grabbing the program’s first NCAA tournament win in over 15 years. Tipoff for this matchup is scheduled for 4:45 p.m. Watch live on the NCAA website https://www.ncaa.com/game/6385356
