By: Ryan Gasser, sports information director
To help take our minds off of the world's problems, we'll be unleashing a series of content that brings out the best in Capital Athletics, past and present. Take a break and enjoy!
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Box score | Photo gallery | The Bracket | Team Roster | Team Standings/Schedule
NCAA Tournament History | NCAA Championship Games
ON THIS DAY IN CAP ATHLETICS – MARCH 18, 1995
(with contributions from:
Marla Ridenour, Columbus Dispatch article from 1995
Brian Adler, The Chimes, March 23, 1995)
Coming off of years in which the Capital University women's basketball team placed third overall in 1993 and won the school's first national championship in 1994, it was hard to believe that times could be better for the Crusaders.
Then the 1994-95 campaign began.
The season started with a 28-point win over Waynesburg University inside Alumni Gymnasium. On March 18, 1995, the perfect bookend to the year yielded the Crusaders their second consecutive national title right back where it all began.
To set the table, Capital entered its second straight national championship game with a 32-0 overall record, was on a 52-game winning streak, the longest ongoing streak in Division III at the time, and was putting a 67-game home winning streak on the line. To get to that point, Capital had to rally from an 11-point deficit to get past the University of St. Thomas (Minn.) the previous night. As often as we celebrate the national championship victory, we often forget that the Crusaders needed to come back from double digits a second time in two days to have the opportunity to hoist the heralded hardware.
Capital opened the doors to Alumni Gymnasium to yet another sold-out crowd which overflowed beyond 2,000 family, friends and fans. Also walking through the door was a hard-nosed opponent, the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, which was playing in its first Final Four behind a 29-2 record.
At 7 p.m. that mid-March evening, Oshkosh won the opening tip and both teams began the battle for the 1995 Division III National Championship. Tied 23-23, Titans forward Natalie DeMichei broke the tie and scored all of her team's points in the final two minutes behind an and-one conversion plus another bucket to help Oshkosh take a five-point lead into the half, 30-25. The trio of Crusader stars Katie Mang, Jill Walker and Kelly Kerscher was held to a total of four points.
The Crusaders' fortune did not immediately turn in their favor after the Titans broke out on a 15-3 run to start the second half, resulting in the deficit growing to 12 points.
Then, Katie Mang happened.
A new isolation play inserted into the playbook at a recent practice was put into action, which freed Mang for an open three-pointer at the midway point of the half. That is when the Crusaders ramped it up and rolled through the Titans to take the lead. Carmen Ellis broke out for four points to fuel the Capital run, which was capped off by Carrie Ferguson's triple to give the Crusaders a 50-48 lead with 3:54 remaining. Kami Roeder played a key role with four of her six rebounds during the 17-2 Crusader rally.
Oshkosh tied the game at 52 all with 1:33 to go, at which point free-throw shooting was critical. Ferguson hit two from the line to retake the lead and Carmen Ellis delivered the dagger 35 seconds later with a made bucket to put Capital up 56-52. Oshkosh was able to hit one triple to make for a one-possession game, but the Crusaders held off the Titans to secure its second national title and send the home crowd into a frenzy.
"Our motto this year was 'Thrive Under Pressure'. It's been a long haul. A lot of people outside were talking about our record, the winning streak. It's a great feeling to know we did it again."
– Katie Mang
"I thought we were in trouble, but we battled back. It seemed like it was our destiny to win."
– Head Coach Dixie Jeffers
TOP PERFORMERS
Carmen Ellis (CAP) - 13 points, 3 rebounds, 3 steals, 2 assists, 6-9 FG
Kristen Long (CAP) - 12 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists
Katie Mang (CAP) - 12 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist
Natalie DeMichei (UWO) – 17 points, 12 rebounds, 2 steals
Box score
Photo gallery
After the nets were cut down and pandemonium slowed to organized chaos, Katie Mang and Jill Walker were named to the NCAA All-Tournament Team, which kicked off a slew of postseason accolades hauled in by this highly successful group.
THE FALLOUT
So much more than a national title was won that evening 25 years ago. Here is a breakdown of just a portion of the highest achievements earned by that group.
- Second consecutive national championship
- 53 straight win in a row (an ongoing NCAA Division III record) and 68th straight home win
- Carrie Ferguson and Jill Walker named to the NCAA All-Sectional Team
- All-OAC Selections: Carmen Ellis (1st), Kristen Long (1st), Carrie Ferguson (2nd), Jill Walker (2nd)
- Head Coach Dixie Jeffers named 1995 Converse National Coach of the Year (second straight year), OAC Coach of the Year, and College Sports Magazine Coach of the Year
- Became the first team in OAC history to finish the season with perfect 27-0 overall and 18-0 conference records.
The trophy that was hoisted into the air 25 years ago now resides in The Capital Center lobby with the net that came down with it and rests alongside its counterpart from the previous year. The memories from that run and that night, however, live with and travel with those players, coaches and fans, forever.
#BringBackTheTrackSuit
25-year reunion
Feb. 1, 2020 (credit: Joe Maiorana)
