Jacksonville Women's Basketball Wins First Title in 10 Years

The Jacksonville University women's basketball team just punched their ticket to the big dance, and the celebration at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena was electric.

The Dolphins defeated Austin Peay 66-63 in overtime Monday night to claim the Atlantic Sun Championship. It's their first conference title since 2016 and only the second in program history.

The win means everything for a team that's been climbing toward this moment. Jacksonville now stands at 24-9, tying the school record for most wins in a season. That's the kind of consistency that builds something special.

Head coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin led the Dolphins to their first championship nearly ten years ago. Now a new generation gets to experience that same March Madness magic.

This championship continues Jacksonville's recent athletic success across all sports. The university has captured six ASUN team championships since 2020, with women's lacrosse most recently winning in 2023.

The Ripple Effect

Jacksonville's tournament berth represents more than one team's success. It shines a spotlight on the growth of women's college basketball in the ASUN conference and gives young athletes in the Jacksonville community new role models to admire.

The Dolphins faced top-seeded South Carolina in their last tournament appearance in 2016. While that game was a tough loss, the experience helped build the foundation for this season's championship run.

Now the team gets another chance to compete on the national stage. Selection Sunday will reveal their opponent, but for now, Jacksonville is savoring a victory that's been ten years in the making.

The nets have been cut down, the trophy's coming home, and a new chapter in Dolphins basketball history is just beginning.