COLUMBUS, OH - Smith College, ranked No. 14 in the D3hoops.com Top 25, plays No. 6 Wartburg College in the semifinals of the 2024 NCAA Division III Women's Basketball Championship on Thursday, March 14, at 5:00pm at the Capital Center Performance Arena in Columbus, Ohio. The Pioneers are 29-3 following a 52-47 win past No. 8 Bowdoin in the quarterfinals of the NCAA Tournament on March 9 in Brunswick, ME--making their second straight Final Four appearance. The seventh-ranked Knights are 29-2 after a 68-58 win past Washington & Lee in the quarterfinals on March 9 in Providence, RI. The contest will be broadcast on NCAA.com. 

D3hoops.com - Smith Leans on its Experience

Hampshire Gazette - Smith Turns its Attention to Wartburg in Second Consecutive DIII Final Four Appearance

New England Public Media - Smith Basketball Returns to Final Four



Head Coach Lynn Hersey
Hersey, the 2023 WBCA National Coach of the Year, is in her 17th season as head coach of the Smith College basketball team. The program's all-time leader in wins, Hersey has developed the Pioneers into one of the nation's elite program's during her tenure as Smith advanced to the NCAA Division III Final Four for the first time in program history in 2023 and finished with a school record 30 wins. Hersey's teams have qualified for the postseason 13 times with her at the helm. A four-time NEWMAC Champion, Hersey has been named a finalist for the prestigious WBCA National Coach of the Year in 2022 and 2024. 

Scouting No. 14 Smith

• The 2024 NEWMAC Tournament Champions have 15-straight win and 21 wins in their last 22 games overall.
• The Pioneers won their fourth-consecutive NEWMAC Championship and has attained its fourth straight 25-win campaign.
• Smith is extremely balanced offensively with three players averaging in double-figure scoring among its five starters that are each scoring at least 6.0 points per game. 
• Smith has been led by First Team All-American senior guard Jessie Ruffner (Rocklin, Calif./Rocklin) with her 14.4 points, 9.3 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game
• Smith has been impressive on the offensive end this year, averaging 77.2 points per game while leading the nation in three-point field goal percentage (40.1%) and second in field goal percentage (49.5%)
• The Pioneers are 17-0 this season when holding opponents under 60 points 
• Ally Yamada (Seal Beach, CA/Fairmont Prep Academy) continues to be a threat from long range, averaging 14.1 points per game while connecting on 41.6% of three-point shots taken this season. She is the program's all-time leader in career 3-pointers (235) and has made 94 this year. 
• In the frontcourt, Sofia Rosa (Sudbury, MA/Lincoln-Sudbury) is shooting 57.2% from the field and is averaging 13.5 points and 7.3 rebounds per game with nine double-doubles
• Head coach Lynn Hersey has led Smith to a 14-4 NCAA Tournament record

Scouting No. 6 Wartburg

• The Knights come into the Final Four after defeating Bates College 54-53 and No. 9/19 Washington & Lee University 68-58 in the Sweet 16 and Elite Eight
• Wartburg is ranked 45^th in the nation in scoring defense allowing 54.1 PPG to opponents
• The Knights average 15.2 assists per game and 8.5 steals per game
• Wartburg averages 38.5 rebounds per game while allowing 33.4 to opponents
• Jaedon Murphy leads the team in points (14.8) and rebounds (6.1) per game
• Lauren Woeste leads the Knights in FG percentage shooting at 65.4%
• Wartburg connects on 8.7 three pointers per game, good for 10^th in division three
• Wartburg shooting percentages: 42.1% FG, 32.2% 3P and 70.6% FT

Career Watch: Three 1,000 Point Scorers

• Ruffner ranks fifth in scoring at Smith with 1,371 career points in 121 career games and is the only player in program history with 1,300 points, 600 rebounds, and 400 assists
• Yamada is 10th all-time with 1,145 points in 107 games
• After spending her first three years at Tufts, Sofia Rosa (Sudbury, MA/Lincoln-Sudbury) became Smith's third 1,000 point scorer this season

Series History

• Smith and Wartburg will meet each other for the first time in tonight's National Semifinals

Up Next
A win in the National Semifinals would advance Smith to the National Championship on Saturday, March 16 at 7:00pm at the Capital Center Performance Arena in Columbus, Ohio against either No. 1 NYU or No. 2 Transylvania. 

About Smith Athletics: Smith College is a NCAA Division III member of the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference that sponsors 11 intercollegiate sports. For more information log on to smithpioneers.com and follow us on Facebook and Instagram.