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Capital University

Capital Athletics

Women's Basketball NCAA Tournament History

QUICK HISTORY

  • National Championships: 2 (1994, 1995)
  • Tournament Appearances: 15
  • First Appearance: 1985
  • Most Recent Appearance: 2014
  • Most Consecutive Appearances: 7 (1991-1997)
  • NCAA Tournament Record: 31-14 (.689)
    • Record at Alumni Gym: 13-5 (.722)
    • Record at The Capital Center: 1-1 (.500)
       

CHAMPIONSHIP MOMENTS

Capital University won their first National Championship in any sport as the women's basketball program emerged with an 82-63 win over Washington University (Mo.) on March 19, 1994 at Zorn Arena in Eau Clair, Wisconsin. Led by National Player of the Year, Laura Schmelzer, and National Coach of the Year, Dixie Jeffers, Capital finished the season with an overall record of 30-1 and won the championship in dominating fashion as no team came closer than 18 points in the NCAA Tournament. The team followed up the 1994 Championship with their second consecutive title in 1995 as the team defeated Wisconsin-Oshkosh by a final score of 59-55 at home in Alumni Gymnasium on Capital's campus. The 1995 team was once again spearheaded by Jeffers, who again claimed the National Coach of the Year award at season's end. The team pulled off a record of 33-0, becoming the first NCAA Division III women's basketball team to go undefeated. Additionally, Capital became the first team in NCAA Division III Women's Basketball to win back-to-back National Championships. To this day, the 1994 and 1995 women's basketball championships remain the only official NCAA Championships in school history in any sport. Both of these teams were later enshrined to the Ohio Basketball Hall of Fame's inaugural class in 2006. These two championships highlight a dominant half of a decade for the Capital women's basketball program that featured four trips to the National Semifinals and Finals. Capital finished as runner-ups in 1993 and as the third place team in 1997 as well. 

1994 NCAA Division III National Championship Game

Capital University vs. Washington (Mo.)
W, 82-63
March 19, 1994 at 7 p.m. 
Zorn Arena - Eau Claire, Wisconsin
Attendance - 2,000
Capital's Key Performers
  • Laura Schmelzer - 21 points, 8 rebounds, 1 assist
  • Lora Vandenbark - 12 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists
  • Kristen Long - 14 points, 9 rebounds, 1 assist
 94nationalchampions

1995 NCAA Division III National Championship Game

Capital University vs. Wisconsin-Oshkosh
W, 59-55
March 18, 1995 at 7 p.m. 
Alumni Gymnasium - Columbus, Ohio
Attendance - 2,000
Capital Key Performers
  • Carmen Ellis - 13 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists
  • Kristen Long - 12 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists
  • Katie Mang - 12 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist
95nationalchamps
 

Capital Women's Basketball Tournament History (Year-by-Year)

  • 1985
    • Kean (N.J.) - W, 85-64
    • Muskingum - L, 78-56
       
  • 1986 - Third Place in the Nation
    • Allegheny (Pa.) - W, 84-66
    • Kean (N.J.) - W, 72-71
    • Elizabethtown (Pa.) - W, 61-55
    • Bishop (Texas) - L, 73-68 *National Semifinal*
    • Rust (Miss.) - W, 77-61 *Third Place Game*
       
  • 1987
    • Ohio Northern - at Alumni Gymnasium - L, 68-64
    • Allegeny (Pa.) - at Alumni Gymnasium - L, 79-63
       
  • 1991
    • Muskingum - at Alumni Gymnasium - L, 76-64
       
  • 1992
    • Rowan (N.J.) - at Alumni Gymnasium - W, 106-51
    • Scranton (Pa.) - at Bethlehem, Pa. - W, 80-56
    • Moravian (Pa.) - at Bethlehem, Pa. - L, 85-76
       
  • 1993 - National Runner-Ups
    • Wittenberg - at Alumni Gymnasium - W, 93-50
    • Babson (Mass.) - at Babson, Mass. - W, 68-56
    • Southern Maine - at Babson, Mass. - W, 66-56
    • Scranton (Pa.) - at Pella, Iowa - W, 65-61 *National Semifinal*
    • Central (Iowa) - at Pella, Iowa - L, 71-63 *National Championship*
       
  • 1994 - National Champions
    • Penn State-Behrend - at Alumni Gymnasium - W, 96-75
    • New York University - at Alumni Gymnasium - W, 74-51
    • Defiance - at Alumni Gymnasium - W, 89-64
    • Wheaton (Ill.) - at Eau Claire, Wisconsin - W, 72-54 *National Semifinal*
    • Washington (Mo.) - at Eau Claire, Wisconsin - W, 82-63 *National Championship*
       
  • 1995 - National Champions
    • Washington & Jefferson (Pa.) - at Alumni Gymnasium - W, 74-50
    • Waynesburg (Pa.) - at Alumni Gymnasium - W, 74-40
    • Johns Hopkins (Md.) - at Alliance, Ohio - W, 94-79
    • William Patterson (N.J.) - at Alliance, Ohio - W, 75-60
    • St. Thomas (Minn.) - at Alumni Gymnasium - W, 68-59 *National Semifinal*
    • Wisconsin-Oshkosh - at Alumni Gymnasium - W, 59-55 *National Championship*
       
  • 1996
    • Muskingum - at Alumni Gymnasium - W, 71-65
    • Mount Union - at Alumni Gymnasium - L, 65-62
       
  • 1997 - Third Place in the Nation 
    • Bethany (W.Va.) - at Alumni Gymnasium - W, 80-46
    • Calvin (Mich.) - at Alumni Gymnasium - W, 66-43
    • St. Thomas (Minn.) - at Defiance, Ohio - W, 70-64
    • Defiance - at Defiance, Ohio - W, 79-62
    • Wisconsin-Eau Claire - at New York, N.Y. - L, 77-63 *National Semifinal*
    • Scranton (Pa.) - at New York, N.Y. - W, 70-48 *Third Place Game*
       
  • 1999
    • Hope (Mich.) - at Alumni Gymnasium - W, 86-75
    • Defiance - at Defiance, Ohio - W, 82-72
    • Washington (Mo.) - at Grand Rapids, Mich. - L, 77-70 (OT)
       
  • 2000
    • Calvin - at Alumni Gymnasium - L, 64-63
       
  • 2006
    • Franklin (Ind.) - at The Capital Center - W, 61-54
    • Hope (Mich.) - at The Capital Center - L, 75-56
       
  • 2009
    • Washington (Mo.) - at St. Louis, Mo. - L, 77-72
       
  • 2014
    • Ferrum (Va.) - at Ferrum, Va. - L, 73-70