SW Indiana News

Mighty Oaks Advance To 2023 NAIA Women's Basketball Championship First Round

After a record breaking season in which the Oakland City University women's basketball team reached 20 wins for the first time since 1998-99, and only the fifth time ever, the Mighty Oaks received an at-large selection to compete in the 2023 NAIA Women's Basketball Championship First Round. Under the direction of third-year head coach FahKara Hawkins, it is the first time in team history that the women's basketball team has been part of the championship field.

OCU's record of 20-8, with a 14-4 mark in River States Conference play, propelled by a semifinal appearance in the RSC tournament, where they fell to eventual champion Rio Grande, was enough to garner a place in the field of 64 teams. The Oaks earned a sixteen seed in the tournament and will travel to Campbellsville, Kentucky, where the first and second rounds will be held in the Donna Wise Court in Powell Athletic Center, on Tuesday, March 7, and Wednesday, March 8. 

"I am so thankful our family gets to continue competing together and on the biggest stage," said Coach Hawkins. "Our kids have committed themselves to our vision and the work it takes to accomplish big goals. We are excited to represent Jesus, our league, and our university as we compete for a national championship."

Hawkins has improved the team's record each of her three years on the sidelines for the Oaks, battling to an 8-15 mark in her first season at the helm of the Oakland City team. However, in her second season, OCU finished with a 19-13 record, advancing to the River States Conference tournament for the first time since Oakland City University returned to the NAIA.

Following a tough loss against WVU Tech in the River States Conference tournament, the Oaks played in the NCCAA Mid-East Regional Title as the three-seed, where they defeated second-seeded Alice Lloyd College, 66-65, then top-ranked Asbury University, 93-92, earning a berth in the NCCAA National Championship field.

In the National Championship, held in Winona Lake, Indiana, hosted by Grace College, the Oaks earned the fifth-seed, knocking off number four University of Northwestern 79-67, then outlasting Roberts Wesleyan College, 78-62, to advance to the title game. Their magical run came to an end as they lost 68-55 against Southwestern Christian University, finishing as the national runners-up for just the second time in school history.

The team will look to begin another magical run this season as their first round game will be against the top-seeded Tigers of Campbellsville University, owners of a 28-2 season record, including a 21-1 conference mark in the Mid-South Conference. The Tigers were defeated by then number-one ranked Thomas More College on January 5, 78-66, with their second loss coming in the MSC tournament, where they fell 47-41 to Freed-Hardeman University on February 26.

Original source can be found here.