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GULF COAST ATHLETIC CONFERENCE
Rust, Fisk to Take on a Pair of Wesleyan Teams in NAIA Opening Round

Rust, Fisk to Take on a Pair of Wesleyan Teams in NAIA Opening Round

by: Scott Wallace, Fisk University

 

Thursday night, the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) announced its tournament seedings. Gulf Coast Athletic Conference's (GCAC) two automatic women's team qualifiers Rust (MS.) College and Fisk (TN) University found out their destinations and first-round opponents.

The Rust Lady Bearcats (28-3) received an impressive tenth seed. This is their fourth time in five years making it to the national tournament. The Lady Bearcats, the winners of the GCAC regular season and conference tournament are 2-0 the past two years in the first round.

Head Coach Eric Jackson Jr. will look for more from his veteran team, which includes six players (Zoe Alexander, Karyn Ford, Amelya Hatch, Niya McGuire, Dekeriya Patterson, and Diamond Sweats) with tournament experience and balanced attack to make some hay this postseason. But it won't be easy as they will travel to Dubuque, Iowa to take on Dakota Wesleyan from South Dakota. They will take on #7 Dakota Wesleyan out of the Great Plains Athletic Conference in the Opening Round on Friday, March 15 at 7:30 p.m. CT inside the Robert & Ruth Kehl Center on the campus of Clarke University. 

"I'm excited for another opportunity to show what we can do on the national stage," said Jackson Jr during his team's watch party. "With a big group of our core coming back, we already know what to expect and how we need to play. As you can see, they are excited about being in the tournament again."

For the Fisk Lady Bulldogs (20-9), this will be the first time in the program's history that the team will advance to the NAIA postseason. Racking in 20 wins this season, makes it the first time the team has hit that threshold since 1986. Head Coach Victoria Crawford has leaned on two-time GCAC Player of the Year Maya Buckhanon to carry the boat load of the scoring for the Lady Bulldogs.

Buckhanon has been named the NAIA National Player of the Week twice this season (12/12/2023 and 2/20/2024). She finished the season second in the country in rebounds per game (13.9) and came into the season as an NAIA All-American. Sharpshooting senior Zipporah Davis took the pressure off Buckhanon with her perimeter shooting.

Crawford also depended on transfers Jayla Bibbs and Liz Gibbs during the season. The team finished the season winning 13 of the final 16 games. They will now head to uncharted waters and a meeting fierce competitor, Indiana Wesleyan, the top seed in the Cramer Quadrant. The two teams will play on Friday, March 15, at 11:30 (CT). The winner will take on the winner of the Rio Grande (Ohio) (8-seed), and Northwestern (Iowa) (9-seed) on Saturday, March 16.

"We see who we are playing now, and it is time to get to work," said Crawford. "Having our fans come out to the watch party speaks to the camaraderie, spirit, and support we have at Fisk University. Their hope in us will carry us through the NAIA competition and give us the power we'll need."

NAIA Women's Basketball Qualifiers Announcement

Women's First- and Second-Round Schedule

2024 Women's Championship Tournament Bracket