Women's Basketball

Undefeated Bowdoin Secures the Top Seed in the 2025 NESCAC Women's Basketball Championship

HADLEY, Mass. – Bowdoin registered an undefeated mark in NESCAC play for the sixth time in program history to secure the No. 1 seed in the 2025 NESCAC Women’s Basketball Championship. Bowdoin’s 10-0 record is the first undefeated conference record since the 2019-20 season and the Polar Bears are one of three teams to post a perfect record in NESCAC play since the 2000-01 season.
 
The 2025 tournament begins with quarterfinal action on Saturday, February 22, at the higher seeds. The four quarterfinal winners advance to the semifinal round on Saturday, March 1, at the highest remaining seed. The championship game is set for Sunday, March 2, at the site of the semifinal games.
 
Tiebreakers
Trinity, Amherst, and Bates finished with identical conference records of 6-4 and went 1-1 in head-to-head competition. In comparing results against the top four teams (Bowdoin, Colby, Trinity, Amherst, and Bates), Trinity went 2-2, Amherst went 1-3, and Bates went 1-3, with Trinity earning the No. 3 seed. In head-to-head competition, Amherst defeated Bates to earn the No. 4 seed, and Bates finished as the No. 5 seed.
 
Tufts and Middlebury finished with identical conference records of 5-5. In head-to-head competition, Tufts defeated Middlebury to earn the No. 6 seed.
 
Williams and Hamilton finished with identical conference records of 4-6. In head-to-head competition, Williams defeated Hamilton to grab the No. 8 seed.
 
No. 1 Bowdoin Polar Bears (24-0, 10-0) vs. No. 8 Williams Ephs (14-10, 4-6)
  • Bowdoin is the No. 1 seed for the second consecutive season and ninth time in program history.
  • The Polar Bears are the defending NESCAC Champions and own 10 titles overall.
  • Bowdoin is making its 24th consecutive appearance in the NESCAC Tournament.
  • This season, the Polar Bears have won their games by an average of 19.2 points per game and limited opponents to a league-low 48.6 points per game.
  • Williams has qualified for the NESCAC Tournament 23 times and is the No. 8 seed for the first time since 2023.
  • The Ephs’ last semifinal appearance was in 2022.
  • Bowdoin defeated Williams, 80-56, on February 8 in Brunswick, Maine.
  • The Polar Bears are 8-0 against the Ephs in the NESCAC postseason series, including a 2018 quarterfinal victory.
No. 2 Colby Mules (13-10, 7-3 NESCAC) vs. No. 7 Middlebury Panthers (15-9, 5-5 NESCAC)
  • Colby is the No. 2 seed for the first time since 2011 and will host a quarterfinal game for the first time since 2012.
  • The Mules’ seven conference wins match the most in program history.
  • Colby has qualified for the tournament for the third time in four years and is looking to reach the semifinals for the first time since 2017.
  • Middlebury is the No. 7 seed for the first time since 2015 and is making its fourth consecutive appearance in the tournament.
  • The Panthers have reached the semifinals the past two seasons.
  • The matchup features the top two scorers in the NESCAC. Middlebury’s Alexa Mustafaj leads the league at 23.5 points per game, while Colby’s Kate Olenik ranks second, scoring 19.0 points per game.
  • Colby pulled out a 75-72 overtime win against Middlebury on February 8 in Waterville, Maine.
  • The Mules are 2-0 against Middlebury in the NESCAC Tournament series. The teams last met in the 2017 quarterfinals, where the Mules posted a 48-39 win.
No. 3 Trinity Bantams (17-7, 6-4) vs. No. 6 Tufts Jumbos (15-9, 5-5)
  • Trinity is the No. 3 seed for the second time in three seasons and earned a top-3 seed for the fourth year in a row.
  • The Bantams are making their seventh straight appearance in the NESCAC Tournament and have reached the semifinals each of the last three years.
  • Trinity is the top-scoring team in the conference, averaging 70.5 points per contest.
  • Tufts is the No. 6 seed for the first time since 2003.
  • The Jumbos are making their 21st straight appearance in the tournament and have played in 23 of the 24 NESCAC Championships.
  • Tufts has reached the semifinals in nine of the last 10 seasons.
  • The Jumbos registered a 68-59 win over Trinity on February 7 in Medford, Mass.
  • Tufts improved to 2-0 against Trinity in the NESCAC Tournament with a win in the 2023 championship game, which gave the Jumbos their fourth NESCAC crown.
No. 4 Amherst Mammoths (18-6, 6-4) vs. No. 5 Bates Bobcats (16-8, 6-4)
  • Amherst is the No. 4 seed for the first time in program history after closing the regular season with four straight wins.
  • The Mammoths extend their streak to 20 straight NESCAC Tournament appearances.
  • Amherst will host a quarterfinal game for the first time since 2022, the last time it advanced to the semifinals.
  • The Mammoths own the second-best defense in the league, limiting opponents to 51.1 points per game.
  • Bates, the 2024 NESCAC Runners-Up, has qualified for the tournament for the fifth year in a row and is the No. 5 seed for the first time since 2022.
  • The Bobcats have played in two of the last three championship games and won their lone NESCAC title in 2022.
  • Amherst earned a 71-60 victory over Bates on January 10 in the conference opener.
  • The Mammoths are 5-3 against the Bobcats in the NESCAC Tournament, but Bates won the last meeting, 51-42, in the 2022 championship game to give the Bobcats their first-ever NESCAC crown.