There are more than 300 NCAA Division II women’s basketball programs. Only four of them have a chance to win the 2026 national championship, and IUP is one of them. Tonight, the second-seeded 30-3 Crimson Hawks do battle with the number three Colorado Mesa Mavericks, who are 37-1. It is the third time in IUP history that they’ve appeared in the Final Four and the first since back-to-back appearances in 2018 and 2019, under coach Tom McConnell.
Coach Craig Carey says Colorado Mesa is more like IUP than the Crimson Hawks’ opponent in the Elite Eight, Holy Family.
Carey expects a game that IUP is more accustomed to compared to their game on Tuesday.
One thing Carey knows for sure is that IUP can’t afford to struggle behind the arc as they did on Tuesday, when they were just 2-for-11. In fact, IUP shot only 33 percent for the entire game against Holy Family.
While IUP fought for an overtime win against Holy Family, Colorado Mesa cruised to an easy 81-59 defeat of Minnesota Duluth in the Elite Eight, led by Olivia Reed Thyne, who averages 22.1 points and 11.4 rebounds per game. She scored 35 points and had 15 rebounds on Tuesday and teammate Mason Rowland had 21 and 10.
Tonight’s game tips off at 6 o’clock at Duquesne University. We’re on the air at 5:15 on 92.5 FM U92.
IUP’s Shae Weaver has been named an honorable mention All-American by the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association. The 6-foot senior ranks third in Division II in field-goal percentage and leads IUP with 15.8 points and 9.2 rebounds per game.
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