Gannon Wins First NCAA Championship After 3-Win Season

Three years ago, Gannon University's basketball team hit rock bottom with only three wins all season. On Sunday in Indianapolis, those same Golden Knights celebrated their first NCAA Division II national championship with an 84-61 victory over Lander.

The turnaround feels almost impossible. In 2022-23, Gannon posted its worst record since the late 1940s and hadn't won a conference tournament game in five years. Fast forward to today: 92 wins over three seasons, multiple conference titles, and a national championship trophy.

"Going up in the stands after the game, I was shaking hands and hugging people who were tearing up," said coach Easton Bazzoli, who helped architect the program's transformation. "The best thing about it is these guys did it the right way with tons of character."

Sophomore Pace Prosser, named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player, led the charge with 28 points, 11 rebounds, five assists and five steals. His performance embodied the high-energy, freeform offense that transformed Gannon into a scoring machine averaging 95 points per game this season.

The Golden Knights finished 34-3, a school record for wins in a single season. They shot 45.5% from the field and forced 16 turnovers against a Lander team known for suffocating defense.

Why This Inspires

Gannon's journey proves that rock bottom can become the foundation for something extraordinary. The same players and community who endured one of the program's darkest seasons got to experience its brightest moment just three years later.

Coach Bazzoli pointed to what made the difference: "The number of people who have stopped me to tell me they can see how much these guys love and care for each other—that's as big as any championship." The team didn't just rebuild their record. They rebuilt their culture.

Even Lander's coach Omar Wattad tipped his cap to the Golden Knights' complete performance: "They beat us proper. There's no question about it. They 100% deserve the national championship."

For Gannon's fans who stuck with the program through the wilderness years, Sunday's championship validated every moment of faith.