Christendom Women’s Basketball Headed to National Title Game Again

The Christendom College women’s basketball team is on its way back to the USCAA National Championship game — and this time, they’re hoping to make history.

Photo courtesy of Christendom College.

After a dominant week of play in Buffalo, the Crusaders earned their second straight trip to the national title game. On Wednesday, Christendom cruised past #8 Penn State Shenango. Then on Friday, they topped #4 Johnson & Wales Charlotte in a semifinal rematch of last year’s championship. Now, they’ll face #3 Miami-Hamilton on Saturday night at 5 p.m., with a chance to become the first Christendom team to win back-to-back national championships.

The team entered this year’s tournament as the top seed after finishing the regular season 23-2 and winning their conference title.

In Wednesday’s quarterfinal, Christendom jumped out to a fast start and never looked back, defeating Shenango 86-56. Regina Bonvissuto helped set the tone early with two three-pointers in the opening minutes. She finished with six threes and 20 points. Mary Pennefather led all scorers with 29 points, adding 10 rebounds and six assists in a standout performance.

At halftime, the Crusaders led 41-31. But it was the third quarter where they truly pulled away, outscoring Shenango 29-9. Miranda Keller controlled the paint throughout, finishing with 14 points and 15 rebounds. Christendom’s depth took over in the fourth quarter, sealing a strong win and a spot in the semifinals.

Friday’s semifinal matchup against Johnson & Wales was another high-stakes contest. The two teams had met in last year’s title game, where Christendom pulled off an underdog victory. This year, the Crusaders came in as the favorite—and they played like it from the start.

Christendom scored 28 points in the first quarter and took a 44-26 lead into halftime. Pennefather again led the charge, finishing with 31 points. On defense, the Crusaders were sharp, with Keller and Teresa Thomas dominating the boards. Thomas grabbed 18 rebounds, six of them in the first quarter alone.

Johnson & Wales battled back in the third quarter, cutting Christendom’s lead to 11. Turnovers became a problem, with Christendom giving the ball away 19 times in the game. But key steals from Keller and Pennefather helped hold off the Wildcats’ rally.

In the final quarter, Christendom’s defense locked in again. They held Johnson & Wales to just 10 points over the last 10 minutes, holding on for a 71-55 win.

Now, Christendom is one win away from a second straight national championship — and a chance to leave their mark in the history books.

To support the team’s tournament run or learn more about Christendom athletics, visit christendomathletics.com.

(From Christendom Athletics Press Release.)