SPRINGFIELD, Mass., February 27, 2006 – Springfield College learned earlier today that it will play Messiah College in a first-round game of the NCAA Division III Women’s Basketball Tournament in Grantham, Pennsylvania, on Friday, March 3 at 7:30 p.m.

In the first game of the doubleheader to be played at Messiah, it will be Williams (21-5) versus NYU (18-7) at 5:30 p.m. The winners of the first-round contests will play on Saturday, March 4 at 7:00 p.m. – also at Messiah.

Yesterday, Springfield (22-6) defeated Mount Holyoke, 57-51, to win the New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) post-season tournament and the automatic NCAA Tournament berth that goes with it for the fifth time in the last six years. In the quarterfinals of that tourney, #1-seeded Springfield overwhelmed Wellesley, 82-44. In the semis, the Pride defeated #4-seeded Clark, 81-62. All three games were played at Springfield’s Blake Arena, site of the NCAA Division III Final Four on March 17-18.

Messiah College (25-2) is ranked ninth according to last week’s D3hoops.com national poll. The Falcons are champions of the Commonwealth Conference.

Last season, Springfield had its finest run in the NCAA Tournament, winning three games and reaching the 'Elite Eight', before losing to Southern Maine at Southern Maine, a team that is currently ranked #1 nationally this season.

Springfield is led by Head Coach Naomi Graves, now in her 15th year at the helm. Overall, she is in her 21st year as a head coach. Her overall record is 291-250 (.538). Her record at Springfield entering this weekend is 233-167 (.583).

The Pride is led by senior forward Courtney Parvin (Brackney, Pa./Montrose Academy), who is averaging 15.2 points per game and 7.0 rebounds per game. She is shooting .461 from three-point range (she has not made enough three-pointers per game to appear in the national statistics in that category).

Behind her is sophomore guard Christine Cotter (Stoughton, Mass./Stoughton HS) at 11.1 ppg and 2.9 rpg, followed by senior center Erin Schwartz (Milford, Conn./Joseph A. Foran HS) at 10.0 and 7.6. Behind her is sophomore guard Tara McCarthy (Bristol, R.I./LaSalle Academy) at 9.8 and 2.8, then freshman center Lauren O’Connor (Valhalla, N.Y./Valhalla HS) at 8.5 ppg and a team-leading 7.7 rpg. O’Connor shoots a team-best .541 from the floor. Starting junior point-guard LaToya Franklin (Latham, N.Y./Shaker HS) averages 5.5 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 3.1 assists.

published: 02/28/2006