Get ready to add another chapter to the history books.
As part of the NCAA's 50th anniversary celebration of Title IX, the NCAA Division II and III national championships will be decided at the Women's Final Four site for only the second time in the 41-year existence of NCAA women's basketball.
In Division II, Ashland is looking to win its third title in 11 years, and Minnesota Duluth is aiming to claim its first women's basketball title.
In Division III, Christopher Newport and Transylvania are both vying for their school's first women's basketball championship and an undefeated season. Christopher Newport has the unique opportunity to become the first Division III school to win both the women's and men's basketball championships in the same season after its men's team posted a 74-72 victory against Mount Union on March 18.
In a span of a little more than 24 hours, three women's basketball champions will be crowned in Dallas. All games are taking place at the American Airlines Center at the following times:
- 11 a.m. Central time April 1: Division III championship — Christopher Newport (31-0) vs. Transylvania (32-0), broadcast on CBS Sports Network.
- 2:30 p.m. Central time April 1: Division II championship — Ashland (36-0) vs. Minnesota Duluth (32-3), broadcast on CBS Sports Network.
- 2:30 p.m. Central time April 2: Division I championship — Iowa (31-6) vs. LSU (33-2), broadcast on ABC.
"This is the ultimate celebration for women's basketball, and to be a part of it on the 50th anniversary of Title IX is something really special that myself and all of our coaches and players will never forget during our lifetime," said Christopher Newport head coach Bill Broderick.
Minnesota Duluth's Brooke Olson, Division II's Player of the Year, specifically remembered how excited she was for the sport when this joint event was announced three years ago.
"Now to be a part of it is going to be so, so much fun," Olson said. "We're excited to be here. We've been talking about this since my freshman year."
Transylvania senior Dasia Thornton added, "We are excited to be playing on the biggest stage and combining our national championship games with the other divisions. Many people have fought for our right to play and compete, and combining all the divisions together seems like a great way to celebrate Title IX."
The magnitude and emotions of the moment were not lost on Ashland senior forward Annie Roshak.
"This team is just so special," Roshak said. "To have another week and a half with them is amazing, and I'm so excited. We're one game away from doing what I think a lot of us have dreamed about doing."
Divisions II and III have a short break between their semifinals and title games. For Division III, the wait between games will be two weeks, and Division II has a buffer time of 10 days.
All four coaches spoke about the physical and mental benefits of getting this rest period at the end of a long competitive season before the national championship.
"One of our biggest priorities is to rest and recharge," Transylvania head coach Juli Fulks said. "The last few weekends have been extremely demanding both mentally and physically, and we want everyone to have a chance to regroup."
Coaches also were happy for student-athletes to have this time to catch up on their academics and attempt to keep schedules as normal as possible, considering the circumstances.
The time in Dallas leading up to the game will provide teams plenty of opportunities to enjoy the big stage and soak in the experience. Nerves will be at play, as they always are, but coaches are trying to stress a business-as-usual approach.
"At times there are going to be nerves, but on that stage, I don't know what it's going to feel like. I think it's going to be an incredible experience," Minnesota Duluth head coach Mandy Pearson said. "We will prepare exactly the same way, and I'm really lucky because I have a mature group that is determined to have success on both ends of the floor."
Coaches and student-athletes from all participating schools recognize the added significance of these championship games because of the ties to the Title IX anniversary. Pearson said she is young enough to never have been pushed aside as a female in sports but pays respect to all the trailblazers who have advanced female sports participation.
"There are so many amazing women that came before us, that worked their tails off, made sacrifices and did the dirty work so that we could have moments like this," Pearson said. "To be here, it's a pretty unique thing, and I keep looking at the Title IX 50th anniversary sticker on the basketball. We've talked a lot about that.
"To get to the national tournament, incredible. To do it this year makes it really, really special."
Ashland coach and former Eagles student-athlete Kari Pickens grew up in a town where women's basketball was appreciated, as her high school team won two state championships. But she's aware that isn't the case everywhere and said it's important to recognize what Title IX has meant for women's sports.
"We were a team where everyone wanted to come watch us play. The more I talked to other people, I recognized that's not everyone's story, and we still have a long way to go to close that gap," Pickens said. "I'm really excited to be able to honor 50 years of Title IX by playing in a national championship game. Hopefully, our team and our fans can show people that watch that women's basketball is something that's really fun and special."
Nets will be cut, trophies will be raised and lifelong dreams will be accomplished those first two days of April. A national championship is the goal for all the teams traveling to Dallas. At the same time, the lessons from this rewarding journey are everlasting.
"As my years of being a college athlete are coming to an end, I am realizing that the memories I made at this university and with my team will mean a lot more to me than winning a national title," Christopher Newport senior Sondra Fan said. "Thinking back to my senior year of high school, when I had plans to attend a different college and didn't want to play basketball at the next level, I could not even imagine how different my life would have been. Fast-forwarding to now, I am so grateful Coach Broderick gave me an opportunity to represent this school as a student-athlete. It was always a dream of mine as a kid to be playing for a national championship title, and now it's all becoming reality."
