It's NCAA DIII women's basketball tournament time once again, and for the third time in program history, SUNY New Paltz will host the first two rounds of the Big Dance.

On Friday evening, the tournament opens with Trinity College against Baldwin Wallace University, followed by the nightcap featuring the SUNY New Paltz Hawks meeting Penn State-Harrisburg University.
The Hawks earned the privilege to serve as hosts once again by virtue of winning their seventh SUNYAC championship, their sterling 24-3 record, their first-place position in NCAA DIII Region III and their 24th place ranking in the latest D3hoops Top 25 poll.

Here's a look at each of the tournament teams:

---

Penn State Harrisburg University (Middletown, PA) "Lions"

Penn State-Harrisburg earned an at-large bid to this year's DIII tournament on the strength of it capturing both the United East Volt Division title and winning the United East conference championship last Saturday. The Lions defeated St. Elizabeth University 65-54 to secure them a spot in the national tournament.
Under head coach Ross Patrick (16 years, 166-196), the Lions posted a 17-11 overall record and an 11-1 United East mark. As a team, they have scored an average of 68.4 points per game on 37.1 percent shooting from the field, while limiting opponents to 63 points per game. They pulled down an average of 37.1 rebounds per game while totaling 14.2 assists, 13.9 steals and 2.5 blocks per game. In the conference championship, Penn State-Harrisburg shot 41.7 percent from beyond the arc and its bench outscored its opponents, 23-9.

The Lions have been led all season by United East Tournament MVP, junior guard Giahny Correa (5'7"/Lebanon, PA). Correa, who set the single season scoring mark with 434 points this year, averages 17.4 points per game along with 2.6 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game. Second in the scoring column is senior guard Jayla Galbreath (5'1"/Shrewsbury, PA), who topped the 1,000-career point mark, while averaging 11 points per game, while shooting 33.5 percent from 3-point range, along recording 2.4 rebounds and two assists per game. Senior guard Jenna Montana (5'7"/Roaring Brook Township, PA) tied Correa for scoring honors in the UE title game with 13 points. She averaged 7.6 points, 3.6 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game leading into the weekend.
 
Scoring a double-double in the UE title match, senior guard Ciani Redd-Howard (5'9"/Atlantic City, NJ) has averaged 9.1 points and a team-high 6.9 rebounds per game. Junior forward Ali Lister (5'9"/Allentown, PA) dished out six assists with two steals in the title game, and has averaged 8.2 points, 5.6 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game. Bailey Oehmis (5'9"/York Springs, PA) hit for an average of 7.2 points and 4.4 rebounds per game. Also contributing to the team throughout 2024 has been senior forward Mikayla Wright (5'10"/Harrisburg, PA), who averages 4.7 points and nearly five rebounds a contest.
 
 

Trinity College (Hartford, CT) "Bantams"

The Bantams of Trinity College earned their second consecutive NCAA DIII tournament invitation as an at-large selection. Playing in the renowned New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC), they finished the regular season with an overall record of 19-7 and an 8-2 conference mark, with a No. 3 ranking in NCAA Region I. They are one of three NESCAC teams to land in this season's NCAA DIII Tournament.
Under the guidance of eighth year coach Emily Garner (99-48) the Bantams averaged more than 76 points per game, while allowing only 52 points against. They are an efficient shooting team, averaging nearly 41 percent from the field and have out-rebounded its opponents, 39.7 to 34.2 boards per game throughout the year. Additionally, Trinity has totaled 13.3 assists, 5.8 steals and three blocks per game, and score an average of 12 points off of opponent's turnovers.
 
A D3hoops Team of the Week pick, senior center Reilly Campbell (6'2"/Wallingford, CT), has led the Bantams in scoring, with 14.6 points per game, rebounding with 8.5 rebounds per game, steals with 22 on the year, and blocks with 25 this season. Senior forward Emma Wax (5'10"/Pine Brook, NJ) is second in scoring, recording 10.1 points per game, is third in rebound (4.5 per game), second in both assists (58) and steals (21).
 
Senior guard Bria Fuller (5'7"/Springdale, MD), who pulled own a team-high nine rebounds in the Bantams NESCAC semifinal loss to Bates, averages 6.8 points per game, was second on the team in rebounds (4.6 per game) and had 28 assists, 19 steals and was second in blocks with 15. Junior guard Indi DelRocco (5'7"/Branford, CT) hit for a team-high 22 points and two assists in the NESCAC semifinal loss to Bates, averaging 5.6 points and 2.4 rebounds per game, while leading the team with 59 assists to go along with 15 steals this season.

 

Baldwin Wallace University (Berea, OH) "Yellow Jackets"

The Yellow Jackets of Baldwin Wallace University are no strangers to the NCAA III Tournament. They have appeared in 18 tournaments overall and 2024 marks their fifth consecutive trip to the Big Dance.

This season they enter as an at-large invitee, Baldwin Wallace, currently sits third in the NCAA DIII Region VII rankings. They finished the regular season as the top seed in the Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) but lost to eventual OAC champion Ohio Northern University in OAC semifinal round.
The Yellow Jackets are coached by the legendary Cheri Harrer, who has amassed a 34-season record of 686 wins and 244 losses, with 19 seasons of 20 or more wins. This year's entry sports an overall record of 20-7 with a 16-2 OAC mark.
As a team, Baldwin Wallace has scored an average of 65.3 points per game, while limiting foes to 54.9 points against. The Yellow Jackets have shot 38.3 percent from the floor and average 43.6 rebounds, 13.3 assists, 6.8 steals and four blocks per game.

Harrer has liberally used 12 players over the season, with five serving as the season mainstays. Leading the way has been D3hoops Team of the Week selection, senior forward Bella Vaillant (5'11"/ Perrysburg, OH) who tops the team in scoring and rebounding, averaging 10.3 and 7.8, respectively. She has also added 27 assists, 15 steals and 11 blocks on the year.

Junior guard/forward Caely Ressler (5'11"/Napoleon, OH) follows offensively, averaging nine points and just more than seven rebounds per game, while adding 42 assists and 34 steals. Junior guard Emily Irwin (5'4"/Pickerington, OH) added 8.6 points and 2.4 rebounds per game with 57 assists and 28 steals. Sophomore guard Alyssa Miller (5'11"/New Philadelphia, OH) has registered five points and nearly four rebounds per clip with 38 assists, while fellow sophomore guard Kaycie Badylak (Cincinnati, OH) has added nearly five points and two rebounds per game with 21 assists.

Coming off the bench for Baldwin Wallace in 22-plus games have been seven players who have made significant contributions including seniors Carolyn Wochele (G/5'8"/Mentopr, OH). forward Kira Philpot (6'0''/Stow, OH), junior guard Alek Johnson (5'8''/Gibsonia, PA), sophomore guard Leah Riley (5'7''/Cincinnati, OH) and first year guards Ava Wilkerson (5'7''/Marysville, OH), Kayla Jones (5'9"/Gropve City, OH) and Maddie Ebbert (5'9", Lake Orion, MI).

 

SUNY New Paltz (New Paltz, NY) "Hawks"

The SUNY New Paltz Hawks are fresh off their seventh SUNYAC championship win after defeating SUNY Oswego 55-53 in the semifinal and topping perennial rival SUNY Geneseo, 52-47 to earn their eighth appearance in the NCAA DIII tournament.

Ranked at No. 24 in the nation by D3hoops, the top ranked NCAA DIII Region III Hawks sport a stellar 24-3 record and a 17-1 SUNYAC mark. Under the guidance of 17th year head coach Jamie Seward (329-139), SUNY New Paltz place in the top 50 of five NCAA statistical categories: winning percentage (.889), blocks per game (5), offensive rebounds per game (16.3), turnover margin (6.19) and assists to turnover ratio (1.27).
 
The Hawks have scored an average of 69.4 points per game, while shooting 37.5 percent from the floor while limiting opponents to less than 58 points a contest. They have out-rebounded foes 41.5 to 37.5 per game, while averaging 15.1 assists, 11.3 steals and five blocks per game. Most significantly they have scored an average of
20 points off of opponent turnovers.
SUNY New Paltz is an experienced and well-tested group who are led by none other than senior All-American guard/forward Brianna Fitzgerald (5'10/Dix Hills,NY). Fitzgerald, a two-time SUNYAC Player of the Year and this year's SUNYAC Tournament MVP, is averaging 19.3 points and 8.1 rebounds per game with 86 steals and 39 blocks — all tops on the team — while also dishing out 92 assists.

SUNYAC First Team select, senior guard Jenny Walton (5'9"/Glenwood Landing, NY) averages 15 points per game, with 4.9 rebounds per game, 49 assists and 52 steals. Senior forward Abby Korzekwinski (6'0"/Shoreham, NY) a SUNYAC Third Team pick, adds 8.7 points and 5.6 rebounds per game with 24 assists and 33 steals. Junior guard Morgan Hammell (5'8"/Pleasant Valley, NY) has scored 6.6 points per game, with 4.1 rebounds per game, 67 assists and 28 steals. Rounding out the Hawks starting five is senior guard Julia Sabatino (5'7"/Bayville, NY) who has dished out a team high 111 assists, while adding six points and nearly five rebounds per game with 54 steals.

With only 10 players, SUNY New Paltz's bench has been key to its continuing success. Each has played a crucial part in this year's championship season. Senior guard/forward Madison Mullman (5 '10"/East Northport, NY) scores an average of 5.1 points per game; Senior forward Semaiah Williams (6' 0"/Harlem, NY) adds rebounding strength with 6.2 a contest, plus 4.4 points per game and 38 blocks to her credit. Graduate student Gabby Palladino (5'10"/Newburgh, NY), senior guard Erin Cooney (6'0"/Montgomery, NY) and first year guard/forward Hannah Vanderzee (5'9"/Ravena, NY) all have come up big for the team this season.

First round games begin Friday in the Hawk Center with Trinity College facing Baldwin Wallace at 5 p.m. Before SUNY New Paltz will take on Penn State-Harrisburg in the 7:30 p.m. nightcap.

Winners of Friday's first round games will face off Saturday at 7:15 p.m. back in the Hawk Center with a trip to the Sweet 16 on the line.

Doors open at 4:30 p.m. For more information, click here.


*****************
To stay up to date with everything #NPHawks be sure to follow us on Twitter at @nphawks, Instagram and Facebook at @newpaltzhawks, and subscribe to our Youtube channel, New Paltz Hawks.