2008 WNIT Bracket
New Rochelle, NY - The Iona College women's basketball team drew Quinnipiac as their first round opponent in the 2008 Women's National Invitation Tournament. The Gaels and Bobcats will square off on Wednesday (Mar. 19) at a to be determined time.
By virtue of its second place finish during the regular season and a runner up performance at the 2008 MAAC Championship, Iona earned its second straight automatic bid into the WNIT. In 2007, the Maroon & Gold appeared in the post season for the first time in its history knocking off Long Island in the WNIT First Round before falling to Indiana in the second round.
Iona finished the regular season with a 19-13 overall record and was second in the MAAC with an 11-7 record in conference play. Seniors Lauren DeFalco and Tiara Headen enter the contest sharing a team best 11.7 points per game average. DeFalco drained a team best 52 three pointers while Headen was third on the team with a 4.7 rebounds per game average and led the squad with an 81.1% free throw percentage. Both seniors are 1,000 point scorers for the Gaels. Sophomore Thazina Cook also averaged double digits with 10.4 ppg and had a team best 56 steals. Junior Anna McLean served as one of the top post performers in the MAAC, averaging 10.3 ppg and a league best 9.8 rebounds per game. Her 79 blocks was also a MAAC best total.
Quinnipiac was 25-5 overall and won 16 of 18 games in the Northeast Conference in 2007-08. The Bobcats fell to LIU in the semifinal round of the NEC Championship after earning a share of the regular season title with Robert Morris. Juniors Erin Kerner and Mandy Pennewell are the team's leading scorers, averaging 17.1 and 13.6 ppg respectively. Both guards are 5-8 sharpshooters, having combined for more that 110 three pointers between the two of them. Senior Monique Lee leads the team in rebounding (7.7 rpg) while averaging 9.7 points per game.
The two schools - separated by less than 70 miles - will square off for the first time in history. The winner of the contest will take on St. John's at Carnessecca Arena in Jamaica, NY on Monday, Mar. 24.