HCAC CHAMPIONSHIP PAGE

LEXINGTON, Ky. – The Transylvania University women's basketball team pulled out an exciting 63-61 win over No. 2 seed Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology on Saturday evening at the Beck Center to win the 2019 Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference Women's Basketball Tournament Championship. With the victory, Transylvania earned the conference's automatic berth into the NCAA Division III Tournament set to begin next week.

The Pioneers held a 28-25 lead at the half and forced 13 turnovers from the Fightin' Engineers in the contest. Transylvania scored 19 points off of Rose-Hulman's turnovers while also shooting 41.3 percent from the field, securing the school's third women's basketball HCAC tournament title. 

Leading the way for Transylvania was senior guard Celia Kline. The senior averaged 21.5 points and added five total rebounds in two tournament games, earning the tournament's Most Valuable Player award. The Pioneers junior guard Shelby Boyle added 24 points while averaging 7.5 rebounds and 6.0 assists in the two wins and was named to the all-tournament squad.

Rose-Hulman's senior guard Abby Bromenschenkel averaged 22.5 points and 4.0 steals and assists for the Fightin' Engineers throughout the tournament, claiming a spot on the all-tournament team. Senior forward Ally Bromenschenkel joined her twin sister on the all-tournament squad, averaging 17.5 points per game and 15.0 rebounds per game in Rose-Hulman's two tournament games.

Hanover College's Alexis Nall averaged 18.0 points and 13.0 rebounds during an opening round and semifinal game, capturing a place on the all-tournament team.

Defiance's Sam Ervin added a 24.0 points per game average and five total blocks in the two tournament games, earning the final spot on the all-tournament team for her efforts this week.

Rose-Hulman, under head coach Juli Fulks, improved to 25-2 and will make the trip to the NCAA Division III Tournament.

The announcement of the Division III women's basketball field will be presented via webcast on www.ncaa.com beginning at 2:30 p.m. Monday.