Bearcats are Selected for NCAA Tournament and will take on Millikin (Illinois)

The Willamette University women's basketball team in a group photo at Cone Field House after winning the 2023-24 NWC Regular Season Championship (Photo by Quinn Carbery) — The Willamette University women's basketball team, winners of the 2023-24 NWC Regular Season Championship (Photo by Quinn Carbery)

February 26, 2024

By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

SALEM, Ore. -- The Willamette University Bearcats have been selected for the 2024 NCAA Division III Women's Basketball Tournament and will open the 64-team bracket by playing Millikin University (Illinois) in the first round on Friday, March 1 at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. Willamette, the Northwest Conference regular season champion, is 17-9 on the season and is 12-3 in the last 15 games. The Bearcats won the NWC title with a 14-2 record.

It is Willamette's first NCAA Tournament berth in women's basketball. Millikin enters the tournament with a 22-5 record.

Wisconsin-Whitewater is hosting the four-team regional. The Willamette versus Millikin game will be played at 5:15 p.m. CST / 3:15 p.m. PST. In the second game, UW-Whitewater (22-4) will take on the University of Minnesota-Morris (17-10) at 7:45 p.m. CST / 5:45 p.m. PST. The championship game at the Whitewater Regional is set for 7:30 p.m. CST / 5:30 p.m. PST on Saturday, March 2.

"I am so excited for this team," Head Women's Basketball Coach Peg Swadener said. "We've had such a great season, and I'm so proud that the National Committee recognized us for the success we showed through the entire season."

The Bearcats have held opponents to just 61.9 points per game, 37.6% shooting, and just 26.3% success on 3-pointers this season. Willamette has limited 11 opponents to fewer than 60 points.

Elyse Waldal (Jr., F, Snohomish, WA/Glacier Peak HS/Linfield University) leads the Bearcats with 12.0 points per game and Ava Kitchin (Sr., P, Redmond, OR/Redmond HS) ranks first on the team with 6.0 rebounds per contest. Joining Waldal in double figures are Carolyn Ho (Sr., G, Parker, CO/Ponderosa HS) with 10.7 points per game and Kaitlin Imai (So., G, Santa Cruz, CA/Scotts Valley HS) with 10.3 points per night.

Ashley Collins (Sr., P, Chino Hills, CA/Chino Hills HS) tops the roster with 57.1% field goals shooting, followed by Ho at 51.5%. Waldal leads WU with 40.8% shooting on 3-pointers and also ranks first with 51 successful 3-point shots. Ho paces the Bearcats with 89.3% shooting at the free throw line.

Ho and Waldal were chosen First Team All-NWC and Ho was named NWC Defensive Player of the Year. Kitchin, Imai, and Megan River were named Honorable Mention All-NWC. Swadener was selected NWC Coach of the Year for the second time.