Category: Christendom

Crusaders Heading to USCAA DII Dance

Christendom Women’s Basketball: National Championship Tournament-bound. The team, coming off one of the best seasons in program history, earned their first trip to the USCAA DII National Championship Tournament, as announced by the organization on Sunday, March 5. They will travel to Virginia State University for the tournament on March 12, aiming for a shot at the National Championship game on March 16.

The women’s basketball team went an incredible 19-5 during their regular season, which included an 8-game winning streak stretching from December to early February. Sophomore phenom Catherine Thomas gave a stunning sequel to her impressive inaugural season last year, leading the USCAA in points scored and coming in second in points per game and rebounds per game. Her performance earned her conference MVP honors along with numerous Player of the Week honors, with Miranda Keller also earning Player of the Week honors as well with her similarly impressive run this season. Head Coach Mary Minick also earned Coach of the Year honors for her leadership of the team over the course of the 2022-23 season.

The team will arrive in Petersburg, Virginia, following Mass on Sunday, March 12, to begin preparing for their first National Championship run. Games will begin on the morning of Monday, March 13, with games played each day leading up to the National Championship game on Thursday, March 16. Christendom will face Penn State Beaver in the first round on Monday, March 13 at 10:00 am.

The team is currently looking to raise $4,000 for the tournament. To support the team’s National Championship run, visit here.

For more information, visit christendomathletics.com.

Story and image courtesy Christendom College Athletics

Centurions Hold Off Crusader Rally for NSAC Title

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – Carolina Christian build an 12-point advantage over Christendom midway through the 4th quarter, then battled to hold off the Crusaders’ rally to claim the inaugural NSAC women’s basketball championship 70-67 on Sunday afternoon.

The Centurions frustrated Christendom’s offensive flow throughout the game with full-court pressure defense, scoring 24 points off 27 Crusader turnovers. Christendom clawed back to within 1, 68-67, on a Catherine Thomas jumper and subsequent free throw, with 46.8 seconds to play, but could get no closer. CCC’s Imari Hightower sank two free throws with 40.1 seconds left in regulation to stretch the lead back to 3. Two three-point attempts by the Crusaders in the final minute fell short to preserve the victory for the Centurions.

Hightower led all scorers with 33 points. Thomas led CC with 29 points and 23 boards, while Miranda Keller chalked 19 and 12, respectively.

Image courtesy Ike Washington/Apprentice Athletics

Crusaders Pull Away from Builders, 67-44

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – Third seed Christendom knocked off 2nd seed Apprentice 67-44 in the New South Athletic Conference semifinals Saturday afternoon to advance into Sunday’s league title game.

The Builders (14-7) never got going offensively, shooting less than 22 percent from the floor on the game and hitting on just one of 17 tries from distance. Christendom (18-4) used a 7-0 push early in the second quarter to seize control of the game.

The Crusaders hit basket after basket and, despite a push in the third period, pulled away from Apprentice to hand the Builders their only loss on their home floor this season.

Catherine Thomas, the league MVP, had a game-high 21 points, while Kate Walz put up 19, making five threes along the way. Ashawnti Williams and Kerrigan Small each had 11 to lead the Builders in the scoring column.

Christendom now faces off with Carolina Christian (7-4) at 2:00 pm Sunday for the inaugural New South women’s basketball championship.

Story courtesy Walker McCrary/gobuilders.com

Crusaders’ Minick Named Coach of the Year

Christendom College head coach Mary Minick has been named the inaugural New South Conference Women’s Basketball Coach of the Year.

Now in her fifth season in Front Royal, Minick has guided the Crusaders to a 16-4 overall record and a top-ten ranking in USCAA Division 2. As a team, Christendom is 2nd in the nation in rebounding, 2nd in field goal defense, 3rd in blocks, 4th in offensive efficiency, and 4th in free throw percentage.

She is also the coach of the 2023 NSAC MVP Catherine Thomas, who is second in the nation in both scoring and rebounding, and Miranda Keller, voted 2nd Team All-Conference.

Congratulations to Mary Minick, the 2023 NSAC Women’s Basketball Coach of the Year!

Image courtesy Christendom College Athletics

CCC Gets Top Seed for Inaugural NSAC Tournament

Carolina Christian College won the coin toss to break the tie for top seed in the upcoming New South Athletic Conference Women’s Basketball Tournament and gain the bye into the championship game.

CCC and Apprentice finished tied at .500 for the top spot and split their games during regular season, thus forcing the tiebreaker.

Apprentice will face Christendom on Saturday, February 25 in Newport News, Virginia in the semifinal matchup. The winner goes on to face the Centurions in Sunday’s final.

Builders Dominate Crusaders, 88-53

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – The Apprentice School women’s basketball team avenged an earlier loss Tuesday, dominating Christendom, 88-53, to clinch a share of the New South Athletic Conference regular season crown.

The Builders jumped out to a 22-7 lead after one quarter and never looked back on the way to the win. Apprentice led by as many as 37 in the contest.

Jada Bryant led all scorers with 24 points to go with 11 rebounds. Nyla Jackson added 16, making four threes in the game. Catherine Thomas led the Crusaders with a double-double of 22 points and 12 boards.

With the win, the Builders tie Carolina Christian atop the league standings. A coin flip Wednesday morning will decide the No. 1 seed in the upcoming NSAC Tournament.

Story and image courtesy gobuilders.com

Christendom Joins NSAC for Women’s Basketball

In an agreement finalized on Christmas Eve, Christendom College has accepted an invitation to join the New South Athletic Conference for women’s basketball effective immediately. The Crusaders are eligible to compete for the inaugural NSAC women’s basketball championship culminating with the season-ending tournament February 25 and 26 in Newport News, Virginia.

“The Christendom women’s basketball team is excited to join the New South Conference for the remainder of the 2022-23 season,” said Crusaders athletic director Patrick Quest. “We look forward to the challenge of competing with the very talented women’s basketball teams in the New South Conference.”

Christendom’s game at Mid-Atlantic Christian on December 3, a thrilling 65-62 overtime win for the Mustangs, will count toward the standings.

“Christendom joining the New South was a great Christmas present,” said league commissioner Mike Davis. “The Crusaders are one of the top teams in the USCAA and will really push our other teams. We are thrilled to have them.”

Christendom is ranked 11th in USCAA division 2 and is led by sophomore Catherine Thomas, who is currently second in the nation in points per game (28.4) and rebounds (14.8).

Christendom joined the NSAC for volleyball earlier this year and swept through the conference season undefeated and won the tournament hosted at Crusader Gym.