Trinity's 2003; DePauw's 2007 Title Runs recognized as SCAC Women's Basketball Top Moments

SUWANEE, Ga. - It's like being asked, as a parent of multiple children, to choose your favorite. In the only team sport where the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference has more than one national champion, how could you possibly choose which women's basketball title is more important?

Sure, Trinity University was the first to wear the crown. The unranked Tigers made an improbable run to the 2003 national title, culminating with a 60-58 victory over Eastern Connecticut State University in the title game as a baseline jumper by Allison Wooley with 11 seconds remaining provided the final margin. But how can you not recognize DePauw University's 2007 championship run when the Tigers rallied from a 10-point deficit in the semifinals behind a 28-point effort from Liz Bondi and then held off Washington (Mo.) University, 55-52, in the championship game?

With that in mind, those two national title moments - Trinity's in 2003 and DePauw's in 2007 - are both being recognized as the top moment in the history of SCAC women's basketball. Top 20 Moments Home Page

One night after defeating the University of Rochester, 63-54, in the national semifinals, Trinity University jumped out to a 17-point second half lead and had to hold on for a 60-58 victory over Eastern Connecticut State University in the national championship game of the 2003 NCAA Division III Women’s Basketball Championships Saturday night at Hulbert Arena on the campus of Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology. Tournament MVP Allison Wooley's baseline jump shot with :11 remaining proves to be the game-winner for the Tigers.

Trinity, which had never won a NCAA women's basketball playoff game before its 2003 tournament appearance, finished the season with a 28-5 record and winners of 23 of its last 24 games. The national championship was just the third national title for a SCAC team in any sport - Trinity won both the men's and women's tennis championship in 2000. Tiger head coach Becky Geyer is named Molten/Women's DIII News Coach of the Year.

Four years later, the league's second women's basketball title moment would occur.

After the ninth-ranked DePauw University women rallied from a 10-point deficit and advanced with a 67-61 victory over 10th-ranked Mary Washington University in the 2007 national semifinals the previous evening, the Tigers earned the University’s first team national championship with a 55-52 victory over 11th-ranked Washington (Mo.) University at the Blake Arena on the Springfield College campus.

After scoring 28 points in the semifinal game, senior forward Liz Bondi, who was selected as the DIII Championships Most Outstanding Player, just missed a double-double with nine points and nine rebounds.

Over the next week, several postseason awards rolled in for DePauw. Head Coach Kris Huffman was named the Division III Coach of the Year by both D3hoops.com and D3News, and senior forward Liz Bondi was a second team all-America selection by both D3hoops.com and DIII News as well. The Tigers finished the season with a school-record 31 wins against just three losses.

Russell Kramer, the SCAC Director of Communications/New Media, had a chance to catch up with two key parties associated with each championship moment. For Trinity, former head coach Becky Geyer as well as former Tiger Allison Wooley, who hit the game-winning jumper in the title game, shared their memories from the 2003 title run. For DePauw, head coach Kris Huffman and former all-American Liz Bondi, the Most Outstanding Player from that title run, reflected on the 2007 championship.

To listen to the interview with Geyer, click here; to listen to the interview with Wooley, click here. To listen to the interview with Huffman, click here; to listen to the interview with Bondi, click here.

To view the complete list of SCAC Women's Basketball Top Moments, click here.

Throughout the 2010-2011 academic year, the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference will celebrate its 20th anniversary. A special logo commemorating the occasion will be used and the league office will also be releasing the Top 20 moments for each sport the conference sponsors (excluding men's and women's lacrosse).