By Monty Siekerman
They come from the Finger Lakes of New York, a shipbuilding center in Virginia, and a town in Michigan known for a tulip festival, all headed to Ada, a quaint village known for its university and home of Wilson-made NFL footballs.
So, who are the teams playing in women's basketball here this weekend?
ONU is the highest ranked and has the best season record (in fact, it couldn't be better).
Two of the four schools are public and have a considerably higher enrollment than does ONU.
Two are from the Midwest, and two from the East.
One school is older than ONU (but just by 5 years).
Here they are:
• State University of New York at Geneseo, ranked #20, 28-1 record, 5,700 students, founded 1871 (same year as ONU), public, Knights, 400 miles from Ada.
Vs.
• Ohio Northern University, Ada, Ohio, ranked #5, 29-0 record, 3,700 students, founded 1871, affiliated with the United Methodist Church, Polar Bears.
Game Two
• Christopher Newport University, Newport News, Va., ranked #10, 27-2 record, 5,300 students, founded 1960, public, Captains, 630 miles from Ada.
Vs.
• Hope College, Holland, Mich., ranked #18, 24-4, 3,200 students, founded 1866, affiliated Reformed Church of America, Flying Dutch, 250 miles from Ada.
There are 450 schools that play Division III women's basketball. ONU is now among only 16 schools still standing. Only 3 of the 16 remaining teams have perfect records.
ONU will meet Geneseo, then Hope and Christopher Newport vie on Friday. Winners play Saturday. Times to be announced.
After Northern wins twice this coming weekend, they head to Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Mich., (250 miles from Ada, three and a half hour drive) on March 17-18 for the Final Four and glory.
