CALDWELL, Idaho -The College of Idaho Yotes women's basketball are set to begin their postseason journey this week as they travel to Fort Wayne, Indiana for the First & Second Round of the NAIA Women's Basketball National Championship.
The seventh-seeded Yotes will face the 10th-seeded Briar Cliff Chargers women's basketball on Friday, March 13 at 5 p.m. MT at host site University of Saint Francis in Fort Wayne. The winner advances to Saturday's second-round matchup against either the second-seeded Saint Francis Cougars women's basketball or the 15th-seeded Brescia Bearcats women's basketball. A victory on Saturday would send the advancing team to the final site of the national championship in Sioux City on March 19th.
The appearance marks the 10th trip to the NAIA National Tournament for the Yotes, who enter the postseason with a 21-8 overall record and a 15-5 mark in Cascade Collegiate Conference play. Three players earned major recognition from the conference as Riley Beck was named Freshman of the Year, while Kylie Waltermeyer and Anna Mooney secured All-CCC honors.
College of Idaho returns to the national tournament after an impressive run a season ago. The Yotes traveled to Great Falls and upset host Providence Argonauts women's basketball 58-56 in overtime in the first round before falling to fourth-seeded Georgetown Tigers women's basketball in the second round.
Friday's matchup brings together two programs with national tournament experience. Briar Cliff is making its 18th appearance in the NAIA National Tournament and enters with a strong 36-17 all-time record in the event. The Chargers finished the regular season 19-10 overall and 13-9 in Great Plains Athletic Conference play to place fifth in the league standings. This will be the program's fifth consecutive trip to the national tournament and the first under head coach Connor Sonius.
Briar Cliff features a balanced roster that saw five players earn All-GPAC recognition. Freshman guard Abby Lee headlined the group after being named GPAC Freshman of the Year while also earning First Team All-GPAC honors alongside teammate Mallie McNair. Brooklyn Heineman, Kenna Mongan, and Taylor Sodeman were also recognized as All-GPAC Honorable Mention selections.
The meeting between the Yotes and Chargers will renew a postseason rivalry that has been dormant for more than two decades. The two teams last met in the 2000 NAIA National Tournament when the College of Idaho edged Briar Cliff 69-68.
The winner of Friday's game will advance to Saturday's second round against either tournament host Saint Francis or Brescia. Saint Francis enters the tournament with a 27-4 overall record and a No. 6 ranking in the final NAIA Coaches Top 25 Poll. The Cougars finished as the Crossroads League Tournament runner-up and feature standout guard Taylor Fordyce, who led the conference and ranked second nationally with a 47.8 percent mark from three-point range.
Brescia arrives in the national field with a 24-7 overall record after finishing as the River States Conference Tournament runner-up. The Bearcats placed four players on the All-River States Conference teams and are making their first national tournament appearance since 2008.
For the Yotes, the focus remains squarely on Friday's opener. With momentum from a strong conference season and experience from last year's postseason run, College of Idaho will look to take the next step and advance deeper into the national tournament field with a win over Briar Cliff.
