Holy Cross women secure spot in NCAA Tournament for second straight season
WORCESTER -- The Holy Cross women's basketball team is going dancing for the second straight March. The lady Crusaders are back in the madness after beating Boston University in the Patriot League Championship game on Sunday
Holy Cross punched its ticket with a 61-55 win in a rematch of last year's title game, this time on their home floor at the Hart Center. Bronagh Power-Cassidy led the charge for the Crusaders, scoring 21 points. The senior guard from Dublin, Ireland scored 17 of those points in the first half.
She could barely contain her excitement after the victory.
"It means everything and that's why we worked so hard all year. Ups and downs, it wasn't easy. But that's what makes it so much better," she said. "That's what makes this feeling so incredible."
"I'm still trying to process everything," added senior Cara McCormick, who scored 15 points on Sunday. "Super excited. I had my family here today so I'm really grateful that this is my final game at the Hart Center."
For Holy Cross head coach Maureen Magarity, this is the second straight year that her and her team got to cut down the nets after claiming the Patriot League Tournament title. She comes from a family of coaching, with her father, Dave Magrity, spending 18 seasons as head coach of the men's team at Marist before a 15-year run as the head coach of the women's team at Army.
The elder Magarity -- who was in attendance and cheering on his daughter on Sunday -- made just one NCAA appearance in his first season at Marist in 1986. The joy and elation that comes with breaking out those scissors and landing a ticket to the NCAA Tournament is not lost on his daughter, who was fighting back tears while chatting with WBZ-TV's Dan Roche.
"This is only the second time I've done this as a coach and it's obviously super emotional," said Magarity. "The senior class has meant so much to this program and this college. To be able to find a way to win and host a championship game here in their last game here on Hart, it's awesome. What an environment and atmosphere."
Magarity said it was a "dream come true" to go to the tournament in back-to-back years.
Sunday was the 13th time in school history that Holy Cross claimed a Patriot League championship, and the Crusaders head into the tournament at 20-12 on the season. Holy Cross earned a 16-seed in the Iowa Regional of the 2024 NCAA Women's bracket and will square off with fellow 16-seed UT Martin in the First Four on Thursday.
If they advance, Holy Cross would then take on Caitlin Clark and the 1-seeded Iowa Hawkeyes.