NE10 40th Anniversary Home Page
The 2006-07 Southern Connecticut State University women’s basketball team completed the most-successful season in program history when it won the 2007 NCAA Division II National Championship – the first in program history.
“The 2006-07 team was not only talented, but they had the proper mindset to be a championship team,” former head coach Joe Frager said.
The Owls set a program record for the most wins in a season as they rattled off a 34-2 ledger that included the team’s third-straight Northeast 10 Conference Regular Season and second consecutive Tournament Championship before hosting the NCAA Regional at James Moore Field House.
“We felt the competition we faced in the NE10 prepared us well for what we would face at the Elite 8,” Frager said.
Playing on their home court, the Owls dispatched of New Haven, Holy Family and Bentley to advance to the Elite Eight in Kearney, Neb. SCSU defeated Drury by 20 points and followed with a 14-point win against UC-San Diego to earn a spot in the national title game against an undefeated Florida Gulf Coast squad.
“When we lost in the Sweet 16 the year before, we were determined to do more in the 2006-07 season,” current Owls head coach Kate Lynch said. “We challenged, motivated, and believed in each other and in our coaching staff. It was an incredibly proud moment to represent our University and our conference on a national stage.”
In that final game, four Owls – led by Lynch’s 14 points and 10 rebounds – scored in double figures and the SCSU defense held FGCU to just 31-percent shooting on its way to a 61-45 win and the national championship. Lynch posted three-straight double-doubles in the NCAA Tournament to garner Most Outstanding Performer honors.
“It was truly a special year and I am honored to have been a part of such a special group of women,” Lynch said.
Lynch and Shamika Jackson both earned Kodak/WCBA All-American recognition while Lynch was named the NE10 Player of the Year after averaging over 18 points and 6.4 rebounds per game while also accumulating 68 steals and shooting 49.1% from the floor. Frager, who was assisted by Laura Scinto and Maria Conlon, was named the Molton/Women’s D-II Bulleting National Coach of the Year.
“Our team was an amazing group,” current Owls assistant coach Stephanie Hiriak-Lund said. “We all worked really hard for that unspoken common goal of winning a national championship and we had a lot of fun doing it along the way. It was a really special team to be a part of.”
Lynch also broke the program record with 647 points for the year – a mark that still stands. Lynch (18.0), Jackson (14.) and Babette Noah (11.1) gave the Owls a trio of players averaging in double figures while Jackson led the team with 3.1 assists per game and Noah pulled down 9.1 rebounds per contest. Michelle Martinik averaged seven points per game while leading the team with 81 steals and also averaging 2.6 assists per contest and knocking-down a team-leading 62 three-pointers.
“They were just a great group of young women who were coachable and committed,” Frager said.
The team was also previously selected for induction into the Northeast-10 Conference Hall of Fame, Class of 2016. In addition to Lynch, Jackson, Noah, Martinik and Hiriak, the Owls’ roster also included LaShauna Jones, Heather Coombs, Rochelle Johnson, Kaylie Schiavetta, Allyson Smith, Jacqueline Johannes, Sarah Houseknecht and Melissa Harrigan.
SCSU Women's Basketball Links of Note:
ABOUT THE NE10
Beginning its 40th anniversary season, the NE10 is an association of 14 diverse institutions serving student-athletes across 24 NCAA Division II sports. Together we build brilliant futures by embracing the journey of every student-athlete.
Each year, 4,500 of those student-athletes compete in conference championships in 24 sports, making the NE10 the largest DII conference in the country in terms of sport sponsorship. Leading the way in the classroom, on the field and within the community, the NE10 is proud of its comprehensive program and the experience it provides student-athletes.
