COLUMBUS – After five months and 36 games, the Ashland University women’s basketball team’s season comes down to 40 minutes and the Virginia Union women’s team. That’s all that stands between the Eagles and a perfect, undefeated 37-0 season and a second national title for the school in five seasons.
AU will tip off at 7 p.m. Friday against the Panthers in the Division II title game from Alumni Hall at Ohio Dominican University.
The Eagles made their way into the national title game with a 90-77 win over Harding Wednesday in the Final Four. They topped West Texas A&M, 82-67, in the Elite Eight.
“What a time,” said Ashland head coach Robyn Fralick. “March Madness, it’s unbelievable. We’re really, really grateful for this season, for this opportunity to play in a national championship game.
“One of the things we talked about as a team going into this season was, what’s the story going to be? When we look back on this season, what story are we going to tell? You control that. Obviously, winning’s really fun, and you want that to be part of your story. Playing in a national championship game is something that we wanted, and here we are, in the middle of the story.”
AU’s two All-Americans, juniors Laina Snyder and Andi Daugherty, have led the Eagles all season long and both have upped their production during their tournament run. In the 5 games of the NCAA tournament, Snyder is averaging 18.0 points and 9.4 boards and her cohort is scoring at an 18.6 clip and grabbing 5.6 boards.
“Last year, we fell short of what our potential was, tremendously,” Snyder said. “As the postseason started, the week after we had lost, we started talking national championship, because that’s what we knew we could have gotten to last year, and we didn’t.vThat’s been the driving force behind this entire season.”
Daugherty said it feels “excellent” to be in the national title game this season after an early tourney exit last season.
“After we lost early last year in the tournament, the next day we were ready,” the junior said Wednesday. “You don’t win a national championship in a game. It’s over the course of a year and this team and our coaching staff has put in the work and I’m just really proud and ready. I wish it was Friday. I know we need the rest tomorrow but we’ll come ready to play.”
Other key players for Ashland include senior Kelsey Peare, the top 3-point shooter in Division II, and GLIAC Freshman of the Year Jodi Johnson, both of whom average in double figures for the Eagles.
Virginia Union tied for the lead in the Northern Division of the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association with a 7-3 conference record and 28-4 overall mark before falling in the CIAA semifinal to Johnson C. Smith, 81-75.
The Panthers rebounded from that disappointing conference tournament loss to win the Alantic Region and earn a trip to Columbus.
In the Elite Eight, the 6th-seeded Panthers upset Columbus State, 78-73. In a fast-paced Final Four contest, Virginia Union pulled off another upset against No. 2 Cal Baptist, 86-81.
On the season, they are averaging 78.5 points per game and opponents are scoring 63.8 per game.
“We’re going to have to play well and they’re going to pose a lot of different challenges,” Fralick said.
Virginia Union boasts the CIAA player of the year and defensive player of the year in Lady Walker. The Cleveland native averages 14.9 points and 11.4 rebounds per game. Alexis Johnson adds 12.3 points and 8.0 boards per game and Jayda Luckie chips in with 11.5 points per game.
The Panthers are playing without their leading scorer, Brittany Jackson, who averaged 18.4 points per game and 8.4 boards. Jackson was dismissed from the team prior to the start of the NCAA tournament for repeated violations of team rules.
Like Ashland, the Panthers are seeking the program’s second national championship after winning the 1983 title.
To add a little extra incentive, the two universities’ presidents have made a friendly wager.
Ashland University president Carlos Campo and Virginia Union President Joe Johnson have squared off with a “friendly wager” on their women’s basketball teams who meet Friday night for the Division II National Championship.
They have agreed to the following terms:
If Virginia Union wins, Campo will send a platter from Ashland’s iconic Grandpa’s Cheese Barn for President Johnson and his staff to enjoy.
If Ashland University is crowned champion, President Johnson will send a selection of Ukrop’s famous Rainbow Cookies, a signature Richmond delicacy.
Coverage of Ashland University Eagles athletics is produced in partnership with OhioHealth, the official sports medicine provider for Ashland University and dozens of high schools and universities throughout Ohio.
