Christendom College’s women’s basketball team defeated Johnson and Wales Charlotte 76-65 in the March 13 USCAA DII National Championship in Petersburg, bringing home the first women’s basketball national title in school history.
The electrifying win was the capstone to an incredible National Championship Tournament run by Christendom, who was ranked No. 7 going into the tournament. They upset the No. 1, 2 and 3 seeds, stunning their competition and wowing their devoted fanbase — an enormous accomplishment and a testament to the determination, resilience and talent of the college’s student-athletes and coaching staff.
After earning their first USCAA National Championship Tournament berth last season, Christendom’s women’s basketball team entered the 2023-24 season with even higher expectations for themselves. They lived up to those expectations and more, going 23-5 in the regular season — a school record — and winning their conference championship to close the season.
Basketball phenoms Catherine Thomas and Mary Pennefather helped power the team to this moment, leading the USCAA in points per game, with 27.3 and 24.6 ppg respectively, and total points scored, with 601 and 566. Thomas was also third in the USCAA in rebounds per game, while Pennefather was third in three-point percentage and first in assists.
All the hours of practice and preparation paid off when it mattered most, with the team upsetting No. 2 Penn State Beaver and No. 3 Central Maine in the National Championship quarterfinals and semifinals to advance to the national championship game March 13 against No. 1 Johnson and Wales Charlotte. Some 100 Christendom students made the trip to cheer on the Crusaders.
While the Wildcats fought their way to an early 9-6 lead in the first quarter, Christendom refused to stay down for long, with Thomas and Pennefather giving the team a 10-9 lead seconds later. The team got themselves to a 17-13 lead by the end of the first quarter, with Pennefather leading the team with 8 points.
The Wildcats, however, refused to yield, taking an 18-17 lead a few minutes into the second quarter. Once again, Christendom took the lead right back, however, with a key 3-pointer from Pennefather. The team held the lead for the rest of the quarter, finishing the first half with a 36-28 lead. Regina Bonvissuto and Miranda Keller both had incredible second quarters, dropping 8 points each.
Christendom roared out of the gate in the second half of the game, pushing the lead to 56-40 to close the third quarter. Thomas, the leader of the team all season, scored 11 points in the third quarter, helping give the team some breathing room as they moved into the most important ten minutes in Christendom women’s basketball team history.
As fans screamed from the stands, Christendom kept its foot on the gas, growing the lead to 72-49 with less than three minutes left in the game. Johnson and Wales gave its last bit of effort in these final minutes, managing to cut that lead from 23 points to only 9. The Wildcats fouled Pennefather with only seconds left on the clock, and she proceeded to sink two free throws for the Crusaders. Those final two points sealed the game: 76-65, Christendom.
National champions Keller and Thomas both recorded double-doubles for the team, with Keller leading the team with 22 points scored and Thomas right behind her with 19. Pennefather scored 19 points as well, while Bonvissuto scored 16 — a true team effort in the most important game of their college careers.
Thomas was named Tournament MVP for her outstanding play over the course of four games, including setting tournament records in single-game points scored and 3-pointers made in the quarterfinal matchup against Penn State Beaver. Bonvissuto, Kellerand Pennefather were all named to the All-Tournament team as well, thanks to their incredible performances.
Christendom has emerged, especially over the past two seasons, as one of the top women’s basketball schools in the USCAA, overcoming the odds to upset team after team on their way to a national title. They stunned the competition two years in a row. For this young team, it truly feels like the best is yet to come.
To Learn More
Go to christendomathletics.com.
