Trojan News

JACKSON, Tenn. - NAIA No. 19 Trevecca (22-10) advanced to the Sweet 16 of the 2010 NAIA Women's Basketball Division 1 National Championships at Oman Arena in Jackson, Tenn. on Wednesday (3/17) morning with a 71-64 upset win of third-seeded and No. 15 William Woods. The Owls season ends at 29-3.

The Trevecca/William Woods game was the first of 31 games over seven days at the 30th edition of the NAIA's 32-team National Tournament.

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At 6:40 a.m. Van Atta moved to the AM dial with Greg Pogue and David Coleman on the Morning Sports Page on WNSR 560 AM. WNSR

The Trojans finished in a three-way tie for second place in the TranSouth Athletic Conference regular season race and lost at No. 1 Union in the semifinals of the TranSouth Tournament.

In the 2008 NAIA tournament, Trevecca was also seeded sixth and upset four higher seeds on their way to the championship game. Trevecca entered the 2008 tournament with a 19-10 record and lost at Union in the TranSouth Tournament semifinals.

This is the 11th consecutive tournament appearance for the Trevecca women's program that was restarted just 14 years ago. Trevecca has an 11-10 overall record in tournament play. Trevecca reached the championship game in 2008. The team has three Elite 8 (2005, 2006, 2007) appearances and one Sweet 16 (2000) appearance. This is the 10th time Gary Van Atta has led a team to the NAIA Tournament. He led Montevallo to five appearances in the 90's and has now led Trevecca to five consecutive tournaments.

Steve Ulrey will provide all the play-by-play action live from Oman Arena in Jackson, Tenn. All games are broadcast over WNAZ 89.1 FM (Nashville) and WNRZ 91.5 FM (Dickson). Games are also available live over the internet at www.tnutrojans.com 

Trevecca has three players on the roster who have scored more than 1000 career points in K.C. Van Atta, Abby Lawson and Christian Gibson.

Van Atta, a 6'0 junior forward from Mt. Juliet, Tenn., leads the team with 12.9 points per game. Van Atta surpassed the 1000 career scoring mark earlier this season and also holds the TNU record for most career 3-point field goals and most 3-point field goals made in a game.

Lawson, a 5'10 senior guard from Ashland City, Tenn., averages 11.2 points and five rebounds per game. Lawson, a first-team NAIA All-American last year, was named to the NAIA All-Tournament team as a freshman. Lawson was honorable mention All-American as a sophomore and has at least made the second team All-TranSouth all four years at Trevecca. Additionally she made the All-Freshman team. Lawson is the first Trojan to amass more than 1600 points, 600 rebounds, 300 assists, 250 steals, and 150 blocks in their career. She has 1658 points, 624 rebounds, 346 assists, 270 steals, and 160 blocks. Lawson is just a handful of steals away from the career steals record.

Gibson, a 5'6 senior point guard from Mt. Juliet, Tenn., averages 10.9 points per game and leads the TranSouth in steals. Gibson was named second team All-TranSouth this year and also made the TranSouth All-Tournament team averaging 22 points, 3.5 steals, and three assists per game in Trevecca's two tournament games. Gibson also shot 58% (11-19) from the field and hit 83% (19-23) from the foul line. Among players who played two or more games, Gibson had the highest points and assists average and top shooting percentage.

The Trojans are third in the NAIA in total blocks, fourth in blocks per game, eighth in three-point field goal percentage defense and ninth in field goal percentage defense. Trevecca averages 73.5 points per game, and allows 59.9 points but have been out rebounded 1248-1236. TNU is shooting 43.3% from the field on the season and hold opponents to just 35.2% from the field.

The Owls advanced to their second consecutive National Tournament appearance with a 66-56 win over Columbia College in the AMC Championships game. It was WWC's second consecutive AMC postseason tournament championship. William Woods split a share of the regular season American Midwest Conference championship with Columbia College and McKendree University.

The Owls are 29-2 on the season, and were ranked 15th in the final NAIA Division 1 Women's Basketball Top 25 poll.

This is the second consecutive and third overall for the Owls at the national tournament. They are 0-2 in their previous two NAIA appearances. Last season the Owls lost 57-51 in the first round to third-seeded Lubbock Christian.

 

William Woods is located in Fulton, Mo. with an enrollment of 3,500. The school was founded in 1870. Fulton, Mo. is where Winston Churchill made his famous "Sinews of Peace" (Iron Curtain) speech at Westminster College in 1946.

Three Owl players were named to the 2009-10 All-American Midwest Conference Awards. Rachel Baker and Eshell Estrella were named First Team All-AMC and Jestine Gerber was selected Honorable Mention All-AMC.

Baker, a 6'0 junior forward from Mexico, Mo., is averaging 14.6 points and 9.2 rebounds per game. Baker, the AMC Player of the Year and Newcomer of the Year in 2008-2009, played at Arkansas State prior to transferring to WWC. She has been the AMC Player of the Week five times in the last two seasons and was named to the NAIA All-American Third Team as a sophomore.

Gerber, a 5'9 junior guard from Jefferson City, Mo., averages 11.4 points per game for the Owls. Gerber transferred from Lincoln University.

Estrella, a 5'7 senior guard from Santa Ana, Calif., has dished out 159 assists and is averaging 10.5 points per game. She, who played high school basketball at Mater Dei High School, is a transfer from Fullerton Community College. Estrella is a 2-time member of the All-AMC First Team.

The Owls rank second in the NAIA in defensive rebounds per game, fourth in three-point field goal percentage defense, eighth in field goal percentage defense, ninth in blocks per game and ninth in total blocks. WWU averages 70.5 points per game while holding their opponents to just 57.4 points per outing. The Owls have out rebounded opponents 1301-1095. William Woods is shooting 43.4% from the field while limiting opponents to just 34.7% shooting from the field.