LATHAM, N.Y. – For the fourth time in the past five seasons, the SUNY Poly Wildcats are the North Eastern Athletic Conference (NEAC) Women’s Basketball Champions. 

The Wildcats, who earned the No. 1 North seed and right to host the Final Four and Championship after winning the NEAC’s regular season title, completed its championship run by running out to a huge halftime lead and held it to top the No. 2 North seed Morrisville State Sunday afternoon.

SUNY Poly advanced to its sixth NEAC title game in program history and fifth straight. 

The Mustangs were making its third appearance in the title game and were seeking its first NEAC Women’s Basketball Championship.

SUNY Poly will receive an automatic berth to the 2020 NCAA Division III Women’s Basketball Tournament.  The Wildcats will discover their opponent during the NCAA Selection Show on Monday at 2:30 p.m.

Coverage will be streamed on https://www.ncaa.com/news/basketball-women/article/2020-02-29/2020-diii-womens-basketball-selection-show-date-time-how. 

The First Round is scheduled for Friday on campus sites. 

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No. 2 North seed Morrisville State 58, No. 1 North seed SUNY Poly 71 (Boxscore)

SUNY Poly took a 48-23 lead into halftime and led comfortably wire to wire.  

Behind a hefty rebounding advantage (54-29), and major edge in second chance points (25-2), the Wildcats spread out their scoring attack as five players produced at least nine points. 

Senior forward Jaida Washington (Elmira, N.Y.) was named the Most Valuable Player with a dominant performance, shooting 10 of 19 from the floor with 22 points, 17 rebounds, and three blocks.

Sophomore guard/forward Molly Burdick (Johnson City, N.Y.) scored nine points, and gathered 13 rebounds with a team-high six assists.

Junior guard Taylor Ann Day (Brooktondale, N.Y.) contributed with 12 points and seven rebounds while senior guard Taylor Aybar (Woodside, N.Y.) chipped in 11 points, five assists and four rebounds. Senior guard Kiersten Leos (North Bay, N.Y) had 10 points, five rebounds and four assists.   

The lead grew to as many as 29 points with 8:47 remaining in the third quarter on a layup by Aybar.  But, the Mustangs were able to cut it down to 14-point lead with 7:17 left after a 3-pointer by Brooke Hammersley (Weedsport, N.Y.). The Wildcats answered with an 8-0 run capped by a layup from Washington to effectively seal it.

SUNY Poly upped its record to 20-7 and did not lose against a conference opponent this season.  It went 16-0 in conference play during the season and won both tournament games. 

Mustangs senior guard Tori Rockefeller (Bloomville, N.Y.) scored 18 points on 5 of 12 shooting from the outside with seven rebounds, six assists and two steals. 

Hammersley, a freshman guard/forward, scored 18 points while fellow freshman guard Taylor Colone-Microni (Oneonta, N.Y.) had 11 points.   

Morrisville State finished with a 19-9 overall record. 

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The North Eastern Athletic Conference (NEAC) has 12 NCAA Division III member institutions which include: Cazenovia College, Gallaudet University, Keuka College, Lancaster Bible College, Morrisville State, Penn College, Penn State Abington, Penn State Berks, Penn State Harrisburg, SUNY Cobleskill, SUNY Poly, and Wells College. Associate members are: Alfred State (M Lacrosse), Cedar Crest College (W Swimming), College of Saint Elizabeth (M Tennis & M Volleyball), D’Youville College (W Lacrosse), Hilbert College (M&W Lacrosse), Medaille College (M&W Lacrosse), Rutgers University – Camden (M Golf), SUNY Potsdam (M Volleyball) and Wilson College (M Volleyball). The NEAC has also partnered with the North Atlantic Conference in the sport of men’s tennis and women’s tennis. For more information, please visit: www.neacsports.com