Two Wildcat Teams are NCAA Tournament Bound

JWU men's and women's basketball celebrating continuing on to NCAA DIII tournament

Both JWU Providence men’s and women's basketball teams have officially advanced to the NCAA tournament.The men’s team defeated Albertus Magnus on February 27 to win the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) and the women’s team earned an at-large bid, or an invitation, to the tournament. Both teams will travel to upstate New York on Friday with the men taking on Trinity College at neutral site SUNY Plattsburgh and the women facing off against the University of Rochester in Rochester.

This season has been a record breaking one for both teams. On the men’s side, the team set a school record with 26 wins and earned its first national ranking, climbing as high as 14th. They also produced a school-record 21-game winning streak and had 4 players receive GNAC honors (more below). Head coach Jamie Benton was named GNAC Coach of the Year.

Basketball player Anthony Jernigan.

Head coach Corey Boilard was also named GNAC Coach of the Year, guiding his Wildcat women to a school record breaking 24 win season and a shared claim of their first GNAC regular season title. Despite a loss to Emmanuel College in the GNAC semi-finals, the team has maintained a fifth place ranking in the NCAA Northeast Regional rankings. Three players received GNAC honors (more below).

Basketball player Ashley Thompson.

The winner of the women’s match up will take on the winner of the Clarkson vs. Stockton contest, while the winner on the men’s side will face the winner of the Plattsburgh State vs. Fitchburg State contest.

GNAC Honors
Men’s Basketball
Quarry Greenaway, 2016 Player of the Year, First-Team All-GNAC
Tom Garrick, First-Team All-GNAC
Anthony Jernigan, Second-Team All-GNAC
Robert Lewis, GNAC Defensive Player of the Year
Head Coach Jamie Benton, GNAC Coach of the Year

Women's Basketball
Ashley Thompson, First-Team All-GNAC
Raquel Pederzani, First-Team All-GNAC
Bobbie Whitehead, Second-Team All-GNAC
Head Coach Corey Boilard, GNAC Coach of the Year

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Check out more images of both teams below.

Women basketball composite.

Men basketball Greenaway.

Women basketball Sduryea.

Men basketball net cutting.