HARTFORD, Conn. - The Trinity College women's basketball team, which defeated Cortland State, 64-59, on Saturday in the NCAA Division III Championship Second Round to improve to 24-5, has advanced to the NCAA Sectionals at Smith College on Friday, March 10 and Saturday, March 11. The Bantams will play the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater in the NCAA Third Round Friday, while the host Smith Pioneers will face Mary Washington. The winners will advance to the NCAA Quarterfinals on Saturday and Saturday's victor will advance to the NCAA Semifinals, hosted by Trinity at Oosting Gymnasium for the first time, on Saturday, March 18. The NCAA finals will be two weeks later in Dallas, Texas.
Trinity started the year 19-1 and advanced to the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) Championship game, earning an at-large bid to the NCAA Division III Championship Tournament. The Bantams, coached by Emily Garner (7th Season) were selected as a host site for the first and second rounds of the NCAA Tournament and downed Notre Dame (Md.) on Friday, 58-43, before defeating Cortland the next night. Trinity is making its third appearance in the NCAA Tournament and its first since 1997. Trinity owns a 3-2 all-time record in the tourney and has never played in the third round prior to this weekend.
Trinity junior center Reilly Campbell (Wallingford, Conn.) paced the Bantams statistically against Cortland with 19 points and 11 rebounds, recording her 20th double-double of the season. She was 8-for-9 from the floor to finish as one of four Bantams in double digits in scoring. Bantam junior guard Emma Wax (Pine Brook, N.J.) added 13 points to go with five rebounds and game-high six assists, while classmate Tori Varsamis (Belmont, Mass.) scored 12 points on 4-for-7 shooting from distance. Trinity sophomore Indi DelRocco (Branford, Conn.) had 10 points and senior forward Frankie Silva (Auburndale, Mass.) contributed all seven of her points after halftime and grabbed eight boards with three assists. Trinity shot 54.2 percent from the field in the second half and held the Red Dragons to 36.4 percent from the floor over the same time.
