NKU Women's Basketball team wins the NCAA Divsion 2 National Championship with a 63-58 final over South Dakota. Congrats.

Great job! Love the local flavor on the team making big time contributions(Healy - Highlands, Chiodi - NCC, Lantry - Holy Cross).

 

Serious props to Nancy Winstel, 3rd national championship, and 2nd win, in 8 years. HUGE!!!

 

Couple this with Thomas More's 28-0 start - coached by Winstel protege Brian Neal - easily the stongest year ever in the history of women's basketball in NKY!

Congrats to NKU and Coach Winstel. Definately a class act and well deserved.

 

:dancingpa

Congrats to the Norse!!!

Congrats to NKU and Coach Winstel. Definitely a class act and well deserved.

 

:dancingpa

 

This statement is so true.

 

Over and over again, I've heard people say that the team felt like one big family and that is oh so true. I could even feel like I was part of the basketball family because everytime I would see any of the girls or the coaches, they always ask me how I'm doing and a truely good people.

 

This couldn't have happened to a better group of girls!!!!

Such a huge accomplishment for the program!

 

Way to Go:dancingpa

:dancingpa:dancingpa

Congrats to the NKU ladies! Job well done!!!:dancingpa

Way to go ladies congrats.

Way to go, hard game to watch but you ladies pulled it out! Congrats Lady Norse!! Agreed nice to have local talent bringing home the championship!:banana:

Postgame video from the Kearney (NE) Hub:

 

03-29-08 Elite Eight Championship Game Postgame

Story from the Kearney Hub:

 

Northern Kentucky wins DII Crown

 

KEARNEY - Trailing by three at the half, and a dozen later on, Northern Kentucky coach Nancy Winstel told her players to keep at it.

 

 

"Do what we do," she told her team.

 

Sparked by the inside play of junior Cassie Brannen, who scored 15 of her 18 points in the second half, the Norse rallied to beat the University of South Dakota, 63-58, Saturday evening for the NCAA Division II women's basketball championship at Kearney.

 

South Dakota led 26-23 at halftime, but Winstel saw reason to be optimistic. Her team was 4 of 10 from the free-throw line, but they were getting there.

 

"Keep playing hard ... keep believing," was what she told her team at halftime.

From the Yankton SD Daily:

 

 

Northern Kentucky Derails Coyotes' Title Hopes

 

KEARNEY, Neb. -- The stunned silence of the red-clad fans told the story.

 

So did the look of shock upon the faces of the University of South Dakota players, who had just watched their fairy-tale season come to a roaring halt.

 

As a last-second desperation heave at the buzzer went wide-left, the Coyote women watched as Northern Kentucky celebrated its 63-58 victory in Saturday's Division II women's national championship game in Kearney.

 

The dazed Coyote sideline shared a surreal look -- as did the throng of USD fans in attendance, who than applauded their team for the best season in not only program history, but school history.

Congrats ladies! :dancingpa

Great job Lady Norse.....Congrats to Angela Healy!!!!!:dancingpa:dancingpa