Category: News

Ray Records Triple-Double in Apprentice Win

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – For the first time in program history, a triple-double was recorded for the Apprentice School women’s basketball team as Amaya Ray tallied 12 points, 12 rebounds and 11 steals in a 70-60 win over Regent Tuesday night.

The Builders jumped out to an early 8-0 lead, holding the Royals without a point for the first four minutes of the game. Regent fought back to trim the lead to as few as two early in the second quarter, but Apprentice responded with a quick 6-0 spurt to push the lead back out.

In the second half, the Builders got out to a 23-point lead, but the Royals never quit, constantly putting pressure on the Builder defense. Regent got the lead all the way down to the final 10-point deficit by scoring the final eight points of the game.

Jada Bryant led the Builders in scoring with 18 points, while Ray finished with the triple-double, adding six assists to her stat line as well. Nyla Jackson had 10 points, and Ashawnti Williams added a double-double of 10 points and 11 boards.

Apprentice pulled down 49 rebounds and turned the Royals over 31 times.

Story and image courtesy gobuilders.com

Tickets for NSAC Tournament On Sale Now

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – The Apprentice School is hosting the New South Athletic Conference basketball tournament this upcoming weekend, and tickets are now on sale for the event.

Tickets for each day will be $7 each and can be purchased at GoBuilders.com/ticketing. As this is the conference tournament, all spectators will be required to pay as no pass lists are being allowed for the event.

The Apprentice women’s basketball team will open the tournament Saturday at 2 p.m. against Christendom. Prior to the contest, the program will have its Senior Day festivities. The Builders men’s team will play host to Blue Lights in the 4 p.m. semifinal Saturday afternoon. At 6 p.m., the Mid-Atlantic Christian University men will face the Virginia Peninsula/Christendom winner.

The semifinal round of action will be carried live on the BuilderStream YouTube page, while the championship games on Sunday will be carried by BigSportsTV

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

Thomas Named MVP, Heads All-NSAC Squad

Christendom College sophomore forward Catherine Thomas has been named the consensus Most Valuable Player for the inaugural New South All-Conference Women’s Basketball Team.

Thomas has averaged 27.7 points and 14.8 rebounds in all games this season, ranking 2nd in both categories in USCAA Division 2. She has recorded a double-double in every game this season including 2 triple-doubles.

Congratulations to Catherine and all the student-athletes on the 2023 All-Conference Team!

All-NSAC First Team:

  • Catherine Thomas, sophomore, Christendom College (MVP)
  • Imari Hightower, junior, Carolina Christian College
  • Jada Bryant, freshman, The Apprentice School
  • Miranda Keller, sophomore, Christendom College
  • Chantura Kirkland, junior, Carolina Christian College

All-NSAC Second Team:

  • Amaya Ray, freshman, The Apprentice School
  • Kate Walz, senior, Christendom College
  • Kayla Kent, senior, Mid-Atlantic Christian University
  • Moninque Houzer, junior, Carolina Christian College
  • Judea Edmonds, Senior, Mid-Atlantic Christian University

Honorable Mention:

  • Nyla Jackson, sophomore, The Apprentice School
  • Ashawnti Williams, sophomore, The Apprentice School
  • Shykeira Brown, junior, Carolina Christian College
  • Regina Bonvissuto, sophomore, Christendom College
  • Carrington Townes, junior, Mid-Atlantic Christian University

Image courtesy Christendom College Athletics

2023 All-Academic Team

The New South Athletic Conference is proud to honor the following student-athletes for their outstanding efforts on the court and in the classroom:

2023 NSAC Women’s Basketball All-Academic Team (minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA)

Kayla Mosquera                Carolina Christian College

Colleen Kosten                  Christendom College

Kate Walz                           Christendom College

Bridget McCaughey          Christendom College

Liliana Speier                     Christendom College

Regina Cousino                     Christendom College

Catherine Thomas              Christendom College

Regina Bonvissuto              Christendom College

Miranda Keller                    Christendom College

Amelia Howell                   Christendom College

Jamica Jones                         The Apprentice School

NeOndra Kelly                        The Apprentice School    

Ashawnti Williams                 The Apprentice School

Nyla Jackson                         The Apprentice School

Emily Hill                                       Mid-Atlantic Christian University

Carly James                                   Mid-Atlantic Christian University

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.

Conference Opener Pits Centurions, Builders on Sunday

The first season of New South Athletic Conference women’s basketball officially tips off Sunday when Carolina Christian hosts Apprentice in Winston-Salem, NC.

The Centurions (2-1) are looking to bounce back from a tough road loss to Clinton while the Builders (1-1) are completing a back-to-back trek through North Carolina fresh off Saturday’s 83-37 win at Central Carolina.

Game time is set for 12:00 noon.

MACU Rolls, CCC Suffers First Loss

Mid-Atlantic Christian opened its season in impressive style by dominating Patrick Henry College 91-26 Tuesday night in the women’s basketball season opener for both teams.

But the outcome was not as satisfactory for Carolina Christian (2-1), which recorded its first loss at powerful Clinton College 88-53.

Apprentice will launch its campaign this Saturday on the road at Trinity Washington.