New Haven, Conn. – (2/25/2016) – In their maiden season under the direction first-year Head Coach Mike West, the Chestnut Hill College women's basketball set a program record for league wins (10-9 CACC) and earned their first appearance in the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) Championship Tournament. As the fourth seed in the CACC South, the Griffins will travel to #1N Bloomfield College on Saturday, February 27, for a 2:00 p.m. Opening Round contest. CACC Commissioner Dan Mara announced the bracket late Tuesday evening, placing Philadelphia University, with an 18-1 conference standing, as the top seed in the CACC South; while, an identical 18-1 league record captured the CACC North's top seed for Bloomfield College.
With the higher seed serving as host, all CACC Opening Round contests will take place on at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, February 27. In addition to Chestnut Hill College's (12-14, 10-9) matchup at #1N Bloomfield College, #1S Philadelphia University (22-6, 18-1) will host #4N Nyack College, the defending CACC Champions, #2S Holy Family University welcomes #3N Dominican College to the Campus Center, while #3S the University of the Sciences (USciences) travels to #2N Caldwell University for the fourth Opening Round contest of the afternoon.
The winners will advance to the championship site, at Dominican College, for the CACC Semifinals (12:00 p.m. & 2:00 p.m.), on Friday, March 4. The CACC Championship follows on Saturday, March 5, with a 4:00 p.m. tip-off. The eventual winner of the CACC crown will automatically clinch a spot in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division II (DII) Championship Tournament with East Regional play beginning on Friday, March 11.
In their only meeting, on Friday, January 22, Chestnut Hill College played catch-up with Bloomfield College for the entire evening. The Bears used their size advantage and seven first-quarter turnovers to establish a 25-7 lead at the close of the first quarter. With a united effort the Griffins made up some ground in the second quarter, 34-20, but an evenly played third quarter left the Scarlet and Gold scrabbling in a 65-48 league final. Three Griffins finished in double figures as junior forward
Caity Kuhnen (Binghamton, N.Y.) headlined the trio with 13 points and freshman forward
Jaeda Wildgoose (Somerset, N.J.) best supported her double digit performance (12 points) with a team-high nine rebounds and a block.
The loss may have served as the low point in the Griffins' season, but Chestnut Hill College consistently improved over the course the year. Operating with a pair of freshman starters from Somerset, New Jersey, a sharp-shooting junior transfer from SUNY Broome Community College, a high-paced acrobat from Brooklyn, New York, and a versatile English enforcer, the Griffins were initially mired behind a 3-9 overall record and a 1-4 league start. But the Scarlet and Gold seized the New Year, eventually winning six of their last nine league contests for the program's first-ever CACC Championship Tournament appearance.
2016 CACC WOMEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP TOURNAMENT Saturday, Feb. 27 (Opening Round/Quarterfinals)#4S Chestnut Hill College at #1N Bloomfield College (2:00 p.m.) | Live Stats | Live Video | Live Audio#3N Dominican College at #2S Holy Family University (2:00 p.m.)
#4N Nyack College at #1S Philadelphia University (2:00 p.m.)
#3S USciences at #2N Caldwell University (2:00 p.m.)
Friday, March 4 (Semifinals @ Dominican College)Bloomfield/CHC Winner vs. HFU/Dominican Winner (12:00 p.m. or 2:00 p.m.)
PhilaU/Nyack Winner vs. Caldwell/USciences Winner (12:00 p.m. or 2:00 p.m.)
(Highest remaining seed will play in the 12:00 p.m. game) Saturday, March 5 (Championship @ Dominican College)Game 1 Winner vs. Game 2 Winner (4:00 p.m.)
