Senior Jenny Champney (Bedford, MA/Bedford) turned in an all-around solid performance for the Lyons, registering a double-double of 16 points and 13 rebounds to go alongside four steals and three blocks. Freshman Jeana Trimboli (Norwalk, CT/Trinity Catholic) hit a trio of three-pointers to finish with 11 points and four assists, while senior Ida Kruse (Vershire, VT/Rivendell Academy) had 10 points. Classmate Andrea Bailey (Needham, MA/Needham) recorded a game-high five assists.

For Roger Williams, freshman Elizabeth Kilzi (Waverly, PA/Abington Heights) recorded nine points, sophomore Ryan Weekes (Worcester, MA/Holy Name Central Catholic) tallied seven points and eight rebounds, while sophomore Paige Congdon (Westwood, MA/Westwood) and freshman Rachel Chuckran (Bridgewater, MA/Bridgewater-Raynham Regional) each pulled down eight boards.

After shooting just 25.9 percent from the floor in the opening half with no three-pointers and shooting 33.3 percent from the foul line, Wheaton hit on 51.9 percent of its second-half shots, including going 3-of-4 beyond the three-point stripe. The Lyons held the Hawks to 21.4 percent shooting in the second stanza, as the visitors made just six field goals and were 0-of-10 on threes.

Kruse's lay-up nine seconds into the second half and six straight points by Champney propelled Wheaton to an 8-0 run and a 26-21 advantage with 16:28 remaining. A bucket by Roger Williams sophomore Danielle Perrault (Ridgefield, CT/Trinity Catholic) gave the visitors a 31-30 edge with 9:21 to go, but it was all Wheaton after that, as the Lyons closed the game on a 23-5 run. Trimboli scored all 11 of her points during the stretch, while Champney added six points, as the hosts made nine of their final 11 shots.

A slow start to the opening half saw a combined 12 points for the first seven-plus minutes, as Roger Williams held a slim 7-5 edge. Trailing 14-8 with 7:30 to play, Wheaton went on an 8-0 run over 2:58 to take a 16-14 edge, its first lead since 5-3, as four different Lyons scored during the stretch. Junior Kate Malenczak (Sayville, NY/Sayville) drained a three for the Hawks at 4:01 for a 17-16 edge, and Roger Williams carried a 21-18 lead into the locker room.

The Lyons head to Maryland this weekend for the Mike Durgala Memorial Tournament at Johns Hopkins University, as they face the hosts on Saturday at 1:00 p.m.

"I have approached this season like I'm waiting for a crock pot," said Hodgdon, who has 92 wins entering her seventh season. "We're going to let it sit there and be very patient and get great things out of it. Last year, we had more of a fast food approach, where we could just throw things out there and know great things would happen."

The Lyons posted a 17-11 record last winter, going 9-4 in the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) and coming within four minutes of earning their second straight league tournament crown and NCAA Tournament berth. Up by two points with a little more than 3:30 remaining in the title game against second-seeded Babson College, the number-four Lyons succumbed to the younger Beavers, 51-43. Gone from that Wheaton team is a senior class that included the program's all-time scoring leader and another 1,000-point scorer.

"The good news is the freshmen who have come in are phenomenal; I can't say enough about that," said Hodgdon. "They've come in respectful of our tradition, and they're excited about the opportunity to be a Wheaton student-athlete and part of a successful women's basketball program. They know they have to contribute to that success."

Among the new information the first-year players are absorbing is the philosophy preached not only by Hodgdon and second-year assistant coaches Erica Kovach and Kim McCormack '07 but also the veteran players. "We have a philosophy that you earn your place on the team each day, and it starts in October," said the head coach. "You earn it each day in practice, and those are the people that are going to get the minutes in games."

With the NEWMAC adopting a double-round-robin format for its schedule, breaking from the traditional 13-game ledger to ensure each team has 18 league contests, Hodgdon's charges will have to show their mettle by early December, a full month earlier than the previous start of the NEWMAC slate.

"I'm trying to make them realize they don't have until January to prove they belong in the rotation; they have until December," said the 2008 NEWMAC Coach of the Year, who used a seven-player rotation down the stretch each of the past two seasons but hopes to go 10 deep this winter. "Last year, we got to a point in the season where people hadn't proven their abilities to us, and by then it was too late for them to get mixed into the rotation. If you're not showing up in practice, you can't expect to be thrown on the floor in a game."

The only two players Hodgdon has penciled in as starters are the squad's captains, seniors Andrea Bailey (Needham, MA/Needham) and Jenny Champney (Bedford, MA/Bedford). "They know they have to lead by example in practice, and therefore I know they'll be the leaders on the court in games," said the coach. "We won't be successful if they don't do that, and they know that. Their ultimate goal is to get to another championship game."

Bailey enters her third season as Wheaton's starting point guard after averaging a well-rounded 7.5 points, 5.4 assists, 4.8 rebounds and 1.8 steals last winter. With 332 career helpers, she stands fifth in program history, fewer than 100 from the record. A starting post player the past two years, the versatile Champney will also slide out to small forward on occasion. At 6-1, Champney turned in 11.8 points, 6.1 boards and 1.6 rejections a year ago. The program's career blocks leader is also 111 points shy of becoming the 11th Lyon with 1,000 points.

With three six-footers in the program for the first time since 1999-00, Hodgdon has more size to turn to than in the past, which will allow for a different lineup based on their plan of attack each game. "I'm a big believer in having a consistent starting lineup, but it could change depending upon the opponent this year," said Hodgdon. "Whether we want to go small and fast, or bigger and slower is really going to depend on the opponent."

Senior Ida Kruse (Vershire, VT/Rivendell Academy), a 6-0 forward, is the most veteran returning reserve player and might see time in the starting five this winter. Kruse has had a knack for strong postseason play off the bench, averaging 9.5 points and 7.0 rebounds in the past two NEWMAC Tournament championship games. While playing in every game last winter, making 27 of 28 appearances as a reserve, Kruse contributed 5.0 points and 3.3 rebounds in 16.2 minutes while turning in at least one assist, block or steal in all but four games.

Senior guard Stephanie Walker (Somers, CT/Somers) saw time in 27 games as a reserve last season and might see time as a small forward, while 5-9 classmate Stephanie Michals (Fairfax, VA/Saint Stephen's & Saint Agnes School) will appear at both guard and forward after providing depth in 20 contests in 2008-09. Forward Callie Schneider (Nashua, NH/Bishop Guertin) rounds out the senior class. After an injury-plagued junior year, Schneider will serve as a practice player who might see action this winter.

"With our patient approach, progress will come day by day, and after we take one step up, we're going to take another step up, not a leap – it's going to be one baby step at a time," said the coach. "I want to make sure they're doing things right because that's important for the future, though I know the seniors want it right now."

A 5-11 forward, sophomore Gabbie DePalo (Rumson, NJ/Rumson-Fair Haven Regional) will be looked upon to provide a low-post presence while turning in a strong rebounding effort. As a freshman, DePalo averaged 3.9 points on 60.3 percent shooting with 3.4 rebounds in 12.9 minutes a game, turning in at least five boards 10 times. Sophomore guard Kristina Paolino (Stamford, CT/Trinity Catholic), who looked to emerge as a key player after serving as a reserve behind a veteran group of guards last year, will miss the season due to injury.

Three of the Lyons' five freshmen are guards, with Hodgdon hailing Gabby Barbera (Ridgewood, NJ/Ridgewood) and Hallie Vitagliano (Newton, MA/Newton North) as strong shooters. Barbera could start or come off the bench for the Lyons, while Vitagliano will serve in a back-up capacity.

Freshman Jeana Trimboli (Norwalk, CT/Trinity Catholic), a combo guard who will back Bailey at the point, comes from a long line of basketball players, as her three older brothers all scored 1,000 points in college, two at Division II Southern Connecticut State University and another at Division I University of Vermont. Hodgdon looks for Trimboli to not only provide an offensive spark but also make an immediate impact on the defensive end.

Freshman Natasha Colon Ortiz (Holyoke, MA/Holyoke) immediately becomes Wheaton's tallest player at 6-2 while coming off a preseason injury, as Hodgdon counts on her to provide a presence in the post. Classmate Amanda Fantini (Andover, MA/Suffield Academy) will also see time at forward.

Wheaton's early-season slate includes its opener against Roger Williams University on Tuesday in Emerson Gymnasium and a two-game trek during the first weekend of the season to Johns Hopkins University for the Mike Durgala Memorial Tournament. Its second-round opponent could end up being University of Mary Washington, which is receiving votes in the D3hoops.com preseason national poll.

In a rematch of last year's NEWMAC Tournament title game, the Blue and White visits Babson for its league opener on December 2 before hosting Tufts University five days later, as the Beavers and Jumbos are both receiving national votes in the D3hoops.com poll. The Lyons open the 2010 calendar year with five straight home games before facing Babson again on January 27. The NEWMAC Tournament begins on February 24.

"Our success is going to be based on how we come together as a team," said Hodgdon. "Are we outrebounding as a team, are we better passers as a team, are we getting the best shot as a team, are we a true team like we always talk about? If we can bring all the little good things within everybody together, which is something we didn't necessarily have to do the last two years, then we could be very good this season."

The Davis International Fellowship offers summer grants to students for international work, including internships, service experiences, or overseas structured independent research. Applicants must have at least a 3.0 GPA and a well-designed international program. This fellowship is open to sophomores and juniors only. This fellowship is worth $5,000.

Click here to follow Ida on her journey.

Adam Gingras, Krystin Hickey, Nick Pecora,Jennie Pleat, Brian Dundon, Mickey Jusme

NORTON, MA- The Wheaton College Department of Athletics held its annual awards ceremony at Emerson Dining Hall on Tuesday night. Highlighting the evening was the announcement of the winners of the department's five major awards, as five seniors and one freshman representing four different Lyon programs were recognized. All six earned end-of-the-year honors for the first time.

Seniors Krystin Hickey (Manchester, NH/New Hampton School) and Nick Pecora (Highland Park, NJ/Immaculata) were recipients of the Dean Sue Alexander Senior Athlete Awards, classmate Adam Gingras (Woonsocket, RI/Woonsocket) was named Outstanding Male Athlete of the Year, while freshman Mickey Jusme (Providence, RI/Classical) was voted the school's top female athlete in receiving the Debi Field Athlete Award.

Seniors Brian Dundon (Mansfield, MA/Mansfield) and Jennie Pleat (Nashua, NH/Nashua South) received the Claudia Friese Special Recognition Award, which is intended to recognize behind-the-scenes dedication to the athletic program.

The senior athlete awards, which last year were renamed to acknowledge former Dean of Students Sue Alexander and her 21 years of support to Wheaton athletics, is presented to a male and female member of the graduating class who has made a significant contribution to the success of the Wheaton athletic program, including participating in intercollegiate athletics or intramural programs, displaying leadership ability, and providing commitment and relevant committee work.

Hickey, who became the women's basketball program's all-time leading scorer with 1,540 points and first four-time all-league selection earlier this year, led Wheaton to a 17-11 record while serving in a captain's role for the second straight season. A two-time all-region player and 2006 New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) Rookie of the Year, Hickey helped lead the Lyons to consecutive trips to the league tournament championship game, including in 2007 when the program reached the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 13 seasons.

Among the conference's top 10 in five statistical categories her senior year, Hickey paced the team in scoring, field goal percentage, three-point shooting and free throw percentage. In addition to finishing her career first in program annals in points, field goals and three-point shooting, Hickey will graduate among the top 10 in eight other categories.

A three-year starter for the nationally-ranked baseball team, Pecora is in the midst of his best season to date, having already helped the Lyons claim their third regular season league title in his career. Looking to push Wheaton to a fifth consecutive trip to the NCAA Tournament, Pecora is among the conference's elite in several categories, including leading the pack in hits, runs and doubles. He also stands second in total bases, fourth in slugging percentage, fifth in batting average, sixth in on-base percentage and tied for sixth in home runs.

Off the diamond, Pecora is a resident adviser in Metcalf Hall, where he spearheaded his team's participation in the White Ribbon Campaign (WRC), which is the largest effort in the world of men working to end violence against women. A member of the school's Sexual Assault Response Team (SART), Pecora was also the recent recipient of the Eliza Baylies Chapin Wheaton Leadership Award, which recognizes students who find or revitalize a program or office at Wheaton.

Gingras, who earlier today helped pitch the Lyons to victory, became the second baseball player in as many years to garner the Outstanding Male Athlete of the Year Award. An All-America and all-region selection as a junior, Gingras has been victorious in 13 of his last 15 decisions. The 2008 NEWMAC Pitcher of the Year is currently 5-2. Entering the week, the righthander ranked third in the conference in ERA, tied for third in wins, tied for sixth in starts, seventh in strikeouts and ninth in innings pitched. For his career, he is seventh in program history in wins, eighth in innings pitched and tied for 10th in complete games.

Jusme earned the distinction of becoming the first freshman to be honored with the Debi Field Athlete Award, which has been given annually since 1984. An All-America triple jumper during the NCAA indoor championship, Jusme finished third in the country at 39′ 3 3/4″ while also qualifying for the national meet in the long jump at 18′ 5″. Named Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Field Athlete of the Week four times thus far, she has provisionally qualified for the outdoor national championship in both the triple and long jumps. Jusme, who won the triple jump at Saturday's conference meet with a league-record leap of 39′ 3 3/4″, was named NEWMAC Field Athlete of the Year.

Dundon and Pleat served as the Wheaton Athletic Mentors (WAMs) Co-Presidents in their third year as members, with Dundon finishing up his second as co-president. Pleat handled secretary duties as a junior for the WAMs, which is the school's student-athlete advisory committee (SAAC). As an officer, Dundon had heavy involvement in the acquisition of funds for the Big Event, which is the WAMs' signature event, while Pleat organized many of the logistics for the event in addition to playing a large role in introducing superfan T-shirts. Additionally, Pleat was the recent recipient of the Caroline Cutler Metcalf Leadership Award The pair has also provided pivotal leadership roles in the current reorganization of the group's operating structure and constitution.

Krystin Hickey

NORTON, MA- Wheaton College's Krystin Hickey (Manchester, NH/New Hampton School) was one of 22 women's basketball seniors selected to play in the New England Women's Basketball Association (NEWBA) Senior All-Star Classic on Saturday, March 28.

The contest, which will feature six of Hickey's New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) counterparts, is slated to begin at 1:30 p.m. at Western New England College in Springfield.

A second-year captain for the 17-11 Blue and White, Hickey helped lead the team to its second straight NEWMAC Tournament final. She paced Wheaton in scoring (13.3) and field goal (.487), three-point (.387) and free throw (.830) percentages this winter while placing second in rebounding (5.3), steals (44) and threes (29), and tying for second in assists (65).

The first four-time all-league selection in program history, Hickey recorded double-digit scoring 22 times in 28 games this season while at least tying for the team lead in points 13 times and in rebounding on 10 occasions. The 5-9 forward finished her career first in program history in points (1,540), field goals (587) and three-point shooting (.401) and among the top 10 in each games played (112), free throw percentage (.803), field goal shooting (.484), free throws (269), three-pointers (97), assists (238), rebounds (600) and steals (188).

Student-athletes receiving the award must maintain a minimum cumulative grade-point average of 3.5 or better upon completion of the 2008 spring semester, attain at least a sophomore year standing and be a competing member of a varsity team for the entire season. Five members of the women's swimming & diving team claimed honors to lead Wheaton's programs.

Sara Hollar

Kathleen Dwyer

Caitlin Glover

Stephany Perkins

Iris Meehan

Senior co-captain Caitlin Glover (Durham, NH/Berwick Academy) earned her third honor, while junior Iris Meehan (Bar Harbor, ME/Mount Desert Island) drew her second. Sophomores Kathleen Dwyer (Barrington, RI/Barrington), Sara Hollar (La Crescenta, CA/Flintridge Prep) and Stephany Perkins (Monmouth, ME/Monmouth Academy) all qualified in their first year of eligibility for the accolade. The quintet helped the Lyons take third at the NEWMAC Championship, matching the highest finish in program history. Glover played a hand in four school records at the meet, while Perkins had a role in three.

Stephanie Michals

Jennie Pleat

Senior tri-captain Jennie Pleat (Nashua, NH/Nashua South) and junior Stephanie Michals (Fairfax, VA/Saint Stephen's & Saint Agnes School) represented the women's basketball team for the second straight year, as the duo also helped the Lyons go 17-11 overall and 9-4 in NEWMAC play, advancing all the way to the league tournament title game as the fourth seed. Pleat, who appeared in a school-record 113 straight games, averaged 6.7 points on 44.7 percent shooting this year while tying for second on the team in assists (65) and placing fourth in steals (27). Michals appeared in 20 games off the bench, turning in four points, four rebounds and a pair of assists in 12 minutes during a contest with Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) on February 19.

Jon Lecznar

Junior Jon Lecznar (Poland, ME/Poland Regional) of the men's basketball team earned his first career honor. A 6-6 reserve center, Lecznar came off the bench in 21 contests this winter for the Lyons, who went 14-12 overall and 6-6 in the NEWMAC before falling in the opening round of the league tournament. Lecznar provided one December stretch where he snagged at least four rebounds in four consecutive contests.

Winter sports sponsored by the NEWMAC include men's and women's basketball, and men's and women's swimming & diving.

Krystin Hickey

WORCESTER, MA- Wheaton College women's basketball senior Krystin Hickey (Manchester, NH/New Hampton School) became the program's first four-time all-league player during Tuesday's New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) postseason meeting at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI).

Hickey, who earned first-team accolades for the third consecutive year, is one of the top players to have come through the program. Surpassing Allyson Aube '95 as Wheaton's all-time leading scorer, Hickey finished her decorated career with 1,540 points. Aube and Hickey are the program's lone players to have garnered all-conference honors at least three times.

A two-time all-region player and 2006 NEWMAC Rookie of the Year, Hickey helped lead the Lyons to their second consecutive trip to the conference tournament championship game. Pacing Wheaton in scoring with 13.3 points per game, Hickey also led the squad in all three shooting categories, going 48.7 percent from the floor, 38.7 percent beyond the three-point arc and 83 percent at the charity stripe. She was also second in rebounding average (5.3) and steals (44), tied for second in assists (65) and third in blocks (9).

In the conference, Hickey is second in three-point shooting, third in free throw percentage, eighth in scoring and field goal percentage, and tied for 10th in assists. In 28 starts, she recorded double-figure scoring 22 times while grabbing six or more rebounds in 14 games. Hickey at least tied for the team lead in scoring on 13 occasions and in rebounding 10 times.

On February 4 against visiting Babson College, Hickey moved into the top spot on the all-time scoring list. In addition to scoring, she sits first in career three-point shooting (.401) and field goals (587), third in free throw percentage (.803), fourth in field goal shooting (.484), fifth in free throws (269), seventh in three-pointers (97), ninth in assists (238) and rebounds (600), and 10th in steals (188). Hickey is also tied for second in games played (112). During the 2007-08 season, she became the first junior in program history to reach the 1,000-point plateau.

During her career, Hickey played an integral role in helping the Lyons to one of the top four-year stretches in program annals. Wheaton posted four winning seasons with an average of 18 victories, going 72-41 with an NCAA Tournament appearance and an Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Tournament showing. The Blue and White also captured NEWMAC regular season and tournament titles Hickey's junior year while reaching the ECAC Tournament final the year prior.

Wheaton went 17-11 this winter, winning four of its last five games while finishing as the runner up in the league tournament. The Lyons tied for fourth in the conference standings at 9-4. Of the 10 NEWMAC teams, Wheaton had the second-highest league win total in the last three seasons combined.

Bri Smith

NORTON, MA- Wheaton College women's basketball senior Bri Smith (Westford, MA/Westford Academy) became the 10th player in program history to reach the 1,000-point milestone, hitting the plateau in her final career game while recording 20 points on Sunday against Babson College during the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) Tournament title contest at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI).

At 8:15 of the opening half against the Beavers, Smith capped a personal 7-2 run with her 1,000th point, converting a backdoor pass for an open lay-up that put the Lyons on top 14-12 during an eventual 51-43 loss. The 5-8 guard shot 4-of-9 from three-point range while posting her third career 20-point game, tallying her highest total since February 18, 2006, when she dropped 25 as a freshman against Springfield College.

Standing 10th in program history with 1,013 points, Smith finished second with 164 three-pointers as a 33.7 percent career shooter from long range. The tri-captain also knocked down 79.9 percent of her free-throw tries, going 171-of-214 during her 112-game career. Smith is tied for second in program history in contests played.

Smith is the second Lyon in a matter of 13 months to reach the plateau, as senior Krystin Hickey (Manchester, NH/New Hampton School) hurtled the barrier on January 30, 2008, after no Wheaton player had hit quadruple digits since Christine Whelan '95 in December 1994.

While averaging 9.9 points this winter, Smith shot 36.8 percent from three-point range and canned a career-high 46 treys, the seventh-highest total in program history. With 64 assists, she finished one helper shy of tying for second on the team and was third with 28 steals. Over her last 12 games, Smith turned in a team-high 12.6 points per game on 42 percent shooting, including a 42.6 percent showing from beyond the arc.

As a freshman, Smith averaged a career-best 11.5 points behind 45 three-pointers, going off for a program-freshman-record 34 points on December 7, 2005, against perennial NCAA Tournament contender Salem State College. Smith shot 41.7 percent from three-point range as a sophomore before scoring 9.1 points per game as an 85.5 percent free-throw shooter her junior season.

During her four years, Smith helped the Lyons go 72-41 while corralling the 2008 NEWMAC regular season and tournament titles. Wheaton, which was 17-11 overall and went 9-4 during its league slate to tie for fourth in the regular season, qualified for the 2008 NCAA Tournament after finishing as the 2007 Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Tournament runner up.

Wheaton All-Time Scoring List

The Wheaton College women's basketball team saw its run at a second straight New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) Tournament title fall short Sunday, as the fourth-seeded Lyons dropped a 51-43 decision in the championship against number-two Babson College at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI). The Blue and White's postseason began with a 73-61 first-round win against visiting fifth seed Clark University on Wednesday before the Lyons upset the top-seeded Engineers, 62-58 on Saturday in the semifinals. Wheaton awaits a possible berth into the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Tournament, as the Blue and White was the runner up in 2007. In Sunday's championship game against Babson, senior Bri Smith (Westford, MA/Westford Academy) became the 10th player in program history to reach the 1,000-point plateau.

Against Clark, the Lyons overcame a nine-point second-half deficit before a late 10-2 run blew open a three-point game. Senior Krystin Hickey (Manchester, NH/New Hampton School) tallied 18 points on 8-of-13 shooting to go along with seven rebounds, five assists and two blocks, while classmate Jennie Pleat (Nashua, NH/Nashua South) shot 6-of-9 en route to 13 points. Smith posted 12 points, and junior Ida Kruse (Vershire, VT/Rivendell Academy) totaled 11 points and five rebounds in 18 minutes off the bench. Classmate Jenny Champney (Bedford, MA/Bedford) had eight points, 10 boards and two blocks, while junior point guard Andrea Bailey (Needham, MA/Needham) notched eight assists.

Hickey's hoop with 1:11 remaining put the Lyons on top for good at WPI in a game that featured 14 lead changes, including 10 in the second half. Bailey took over in the final stanza, notching 13 points and six assists without a turnover, playing a role in 26 of the team's 35 points. She ended up with a near-triple-double of 18 points, eight assists and seven boards for the game, going 3-of-3 from three-point range and 7-of-7 at the charity stripe. Champney had 13 points and 10 rebounds, including eight points and nine boards in the opening half alone, to go along with two rejections. Smith added 12 points, while Hickey was 5-of-8 for 11 points with two blocks. The Lyons recorded eight swats, including seven in the first half, and held WPI to 28.8 percent shooting.

During the Lyons' loss to Babson, Wheaton led 43-41 after a Kruse freebie with 6:28 to go and was tied with less than four minutes left, but a 10-0 Beaver run to end the game denied the Blue and White its second straight league crown. Smith was the lone Lyon in double figures, going 4-of-9 from beyond the arc while tallying 20 points, her highest total since notching 25 as a freshman on February 18, 2006, against Springfield College. Kruse turned in seven points and eight rebounds off the bench, Champney had six points and boards apiece, and Bailey totaled eight assists for the fourth straight game.

Hickey extended her school record to 1,540 career points and sits first in career field goals (587), fifth in free throws (269), seventh in three-pointers (97), ninth in assists (238) and rebounds (600), and 10th in steals (188). She and Smith are tied for second in games played (112), while Pleat holds the school mark (113), having set a Wheaton record by appearing in 113 straight games. Champney is first in career blocks (115) and fourth in a season (46), and Smith is second in career threes (164) and seventh in a season (46), as well as 10th in career points (1,013). Bailey is fifth in career assists (332) and has the second-highest single-season total (151) in program history, sitting five shy of a 19-year-old record.

Wheaton, which will await word for a possible Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Tournament bid, was seeking its sixth league tournament title since 1987. Having their four-game winning streak halted, the Lyons fell to 17-11. Winning its third conference tourney championship and first since 1999, Babson automatically gains entry into the NCAA Tournament at 20-8.

Senior Bri Smith (Westford, MA/Westford Academy), who became the 10th player in program history to reach the 1,000-point milestone, paced Wheaton with a game-high 20 points, including four three-pointers. Junior Ida Kruse (Vershire, VT/Rivendell Academy) finished with seven points and eight rebounds, while classmate Jenny Champney (Bedford, MA/Bedford) had six points and six rebounds. Junior Andrea Bailey (Needham, MA/Needham) dished out a game-best eight assists.

Freshman Nicole Wurdeman (Rowley, MA/Triton Regional) turned in 12 points and eight boards for the Beavers, while classmate Michelle Kenel (Rockaway Beach, NY/Bishop Kearney) added 11 points and eight rebounds. Sophomore Renay Hamilton (Lynn, MA/Lynn English) and first-year Kathleen King (Framingham, MA/Framingham) chipped in with eight points each, with King pulling down nine rebounds.

Trailing by seven points at the half, Wheaton knotted the contest just 3:57 into the second stanza at 34-all, which was capped by back-to-back Smith threes just 49 seconds apart. Smith later scored four straight points to give the Lyons their first lead of the second half, a 38-36 edge at 11:35.

A Kruse lay-in with 7:57 to play gave the Blue and White a 42-39 lead, but that basket proved to be Wheaton's last, as a Kruse free throw at 6:28 provided the team its final point, as the Lyons led 43-41. King's jumper at 3:36 provided the game's eighth tie, while Hamilton's basket with just over two minutes on the clock gave the Beavers the lead for good, as the Lyons missed their final 13 shots.

Turnovers plagued the Lyons in the opening half, as 14 Wheaton giveaways led to 17 of Babson's 30 points. Smith scored seven of her team's initial 14 points, and her 1,000th point came on a lay-up from Champney with 8:15 to play before the break. Smith's three at 5:48 made the 19-16 in favor of the Lyons, who opened the game shooting 8-of-15. With Wheaton clinging to a 23-22 edge with 1:25 to go before the break, Babson closed the stanza on an 8-0 run in just 57 seconds, including a pair of treys from Kenel, for a 30-23 halftime lead.