Cedarville University Women's Basketball

17-14 (.548) Overall
7-7 (.500) American Mideast Conference South Division

2008 NCCAA DIVISION I CHAMPIONS

NCCAA National Tournament Info

Martin completes 2008-09 recruiting class

CEDARVILLE, Ohio (4-10-2008) - Lady Jacket basketball coach Kirk Martin has finalized his recruiting class for the 2008-09 campaign with the signing of Kara Cayton and Laaci Farris. They join Jenna Smith, a 6-foot-2 redshirt freshman post player from Cedarville High School, who signed last year.

Cayton, a 5-5 guard, was prepped at South Webster (Ohio) High School. She was named to the All-Ohio Division IV Second Team after averaging 17.2 points, 4.5 assists, and 4.0 steals per game as a senior for the Jeeps, who finished 23-1. Cayton was also selected to the All-District 14 First Team and the All-Southern Ohio Conference First Team. Kara is the daughter of Steve and Lisa Cayton.

Farris, a 5-7 guard, played at Springfield (Ohio) Shawnee High School. She averaged 19 points per game as a senior and scored over 1,000 points in her career. Farris was voted a District 9 All-Star and to the All-Central Buckeye Conference First Team. She also earned a spot on the All-Clark County Team and All-Area Team as selected by the Springfield News-Sun. Laaci is the daughter of Jeff Farris and Beth Patterson.

South Webster (Ohio) High School product Kara Cayton (second from right) is seated between her parents, Steve and Lisa Cayton, and is joined by Lady Jacket head basketball coach Kirk Martin after signing a letter of intent to attend Cedarville University.

Springfield (Ohio) Shawnee High School product Laaci Farris (center) has signed a letter of intent to attend Cedarville University and play basketball for the Lady Jackets. She is welcomed by CU head coach Kirk Martin (right) and assistant coach Lori Huckaby.

NCCAA CHAMPIONS; Lady Jackets win first banner

2008 NCCAA Champions
CEDARVILLE UNIVERSITY - 2008 NCCAA DIVISION I CHAMPIONS
(Click here for larger photo)

Alison Lemon was named MVP of the NCCAA National Tournament.

OAKLAND CITY, Ind. (3-15-2008) - Tournament MVP Alison Lemon totaled 16 points and nine assists to rally the Lady Jackets to an 80-77 overtime victory against Hope International to win the National Christian College Athletic Association Championship. It's the first NCCAA banner in three title game appearances for the CU women's basketball program.

The Lady Jackets held a 34-32 halftime lead, but the NAIA Division I Royals took immediate control early in the second period. They quickly built a double-digit lead and still enjoyed a 62-48 spread with 6:35 left. Cedarville answered with three consecutive three-pointers to finish off a run of ten straight points to get back in it.

It was still a 69-62 deficit with less than two minutes remaining when the Jackets made one final push. Trailing 72-70, Lemon was fouled with 2.3 seconds left and calmly made both free throws to force overtime.

Cedarville, 17-14 overall, never trailed in the extra session. Lemon set up junior center Emily Noble for a layup at the 2:55 mark to break a 74-all tie that gave the Jackets the lead for good. The sophomore guard then hit two more charity tosses with 8.3 seconds to go to account for the final and Hope, 19-17, could not get off a shot before the buzzer.

Lemon, who reinjured her left ankle early in the contest, gutted out her Tournament MVP performance. She was joined on the all-tournament team by junior guard Bayley Nosal, who came off the bench with four three-pointers for 14 points, and freshman forward Aubrey Siemon, who racked up 14 points and a career-high 17 rebounds. Rachel Hurley hit four treys for 12 points while Lydia Miller added 11 points.

Cedarville made a season-high 13 three-pointers including a 9-for-14 showing in the second half. The Jackets also controlled the boards, 50-44, with Noble joining Siemon in double figures with 10 rebounds. [STATS]

NCCAA CHAMPIONSHIP POST-GAME INTERVIEWS
Tournament MVP Alison Lemon (1:40)
Head Coach Kirk Martin (2:15)

Bayley Nosal

Cedarville to play for NCCAA banner

OAKLAND CITY, Ind. (3-14-2008) - Bayley Nosal scored a career-high 18 points as the #5 seed Lady Jackets rallied to defeat #8 and host Oakland City, 83-70, in the semifinals of the NCCAA National Tournament. Cedarville faces #3 Hope International in the championship game.

The Jackets faced a 37-30 deficit at the intermission which expanded to as much as ten points early in the second period. Cedarville responded by shooting 58 percent from the field the rest of the way, including a 7-for-12 effort outside the three-point line, and outscored Oakland City 53-33 in the half.

Nosal buried 5-of-6 three-pointers to lead a CU long-range attack that totaled 11 treys. Freshmen Lydia Miller and Aubrey Siemon scored 14 points each and Alison Lemon totaled 12 points, nine rebounds, and five assists. The Lady Jackets, 16-14 overall, assured themselves of their seventh straight winning season. [STATS]

Alison Lemon

Lemon sparks Lady Jackets in NCCAA opener

OAKLAND CITY, Ind. (3-13-2008) - Alison Lemon scored 28 points and grabbed 11 rebounds to lead #5 seed Cedarville to a 69-61 victory over #4 Colorado Christian in the first round of the NCCAA National Tournament. The Lady Jackets advance to meet another upset winner - host and #8 Oakland City in the semifinals.

CU, playing for the first time in 15 days, broke out to a 36-29 halftime lead over the Cougars. The Jackets shot 50 percent from the field in the second half and made 10-of-13 free throws to stay in command.

Lemon nailed three three-pointers, made 9-of-11 charity tosses, and came up with five steals to lead Cedarville. Lydia Miller scored 11 points while Rachel Hurley and Kristine Rucker chipped in eight points each. Colorado Christian dropped to 14-19. [STATS]

Lady Jacket seniors honored

Three Lady Jacket seniors were honored after the Li'l Sibs Weekend game vs. Wilberforce on Feb. 16. Standing (from left-to-right) are assistant coach Lori Huckaby, Heather Grooms, assistant coach Dan Schetter, Mary Stockdale, Kristine Rucker, and head coach Kirk Martin. (Scott Huck photo)

Lady Jackets focus on cancer awareness

CU Lady Jackets
Jennifer McDonald, Assistant Director of Special Events at The Ohio State University Medical Center, accepts a check from the Lady Jacket basketball team.

CEDARVILLE, Ohio (1-24-2008) - The 2007-08 Cedarville University women's basketball team has been affected in several different ways with the disease of breast cancer. As a result, the team is striving to make a difference in this world and chose to raise funds to fight this terrible disease.

During the home-opening weekend of action in November, the Lady Jackets sold pink "Cedarville Basketball" t-shirts for $5 each. Thanks to a generous donation, the entire $5 of each shirt sold went directly to the special fund.

The team has also decided to wear pink arm bands this season and have small pink ribbons embroidered on the back of their jerseys. They frequently wear pink t-shirts and use pink basketballs during pre-game warm-ups.

Proceeds of the Lady Jacket fund raiser were designated to the Stefanie Spielman Fund for Breast Cancer Research at the James Cancer Hospital at The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio.

In early 1998, Stefanie Spielman was told - at the age of 30 - that she had breast cancer. She has now survived three bouts with this cancer and believes that education is the best weapon against this disease, and also that research is the key to eliminating it. That is why she and her husband, former OSU football star and All-Pro NFL linebacker, Chris Spielman, established the Stefanie Spielman Fund for Breast Cancer Research at the James. They pledged to raise $1 million to be dedicated to breast cancer research at the Comprehensive Center - Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute at The Ohio State University. The fund has raised approximately $3 million since 1999.

On Thursday, January 3, 2008 the entire Cedarville University women's basketball team and coaching staff made a special trip to Columbus in order to personally present the proceeds from the fund raising effort. A check for $2,505 was given to Jennifer McDonald, Assistant Director of Special Events at The Ohio State University Medical Center.

The donation from the Lady Jackets was given in love and in honor of those affected by the disease within the circle of CU women's basketball. It was a tangible way to demonstrate God's love and concern for others while teaching the team a valuable lesson in helping those in need.

Smart's faith guides her in European league

by Kermit Rowe, Springfield News-Sun
CEDARVILLE, Ohio (1-20-2008) - Cedarville University and Shawnee High School graduate Brittany Smart is busy making a name for herself in Belgium playing professional women's basketball. We recently caught up with her by e-mail and asked her a few questions. [FULL STORY]

Click HERE for Brittany Smart's Diary

Brittany Smart

Brittany Smart signs pro contract to play in Belgium

CEDARVILLE, Ohio (7-26-2007) - Cedarville University graduate Brittany Smart signed a one-year contract to play women's professional basketball in Belgium.

Smart, a 5-foot-9 guard from Springfield, Ohio, who was the NAIA Division II National Player of the Year in 2006-07 and a three-time All-American, joined Point Chaud Sprimont Basketball Club which competes in the highest division of women's basketball in the country. [POINT CHAUD SPRIMONT WEBSITE]