The Whitman women’s basketball team’s path wasn’t always clear this season. Even with the graduation of its seniors and a fresh set of starters for the team, however, the Blues demonstrated resilience and a whole lot more in 2025-26. After earning its fourth Northwest Conference title in the last five years, Whitman secured a flight to Abilene, Texas, for the NCAA DIII women’s basketball tournament. On Friday, March 6, the Blues beat the Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Athenas. They were eliminated the next day against Hardin-Simmons University (HSU) to bring an end to an unexpectedly successful season, the results of which are all the more encouraging for the team’s 2026-27 outlook.
The Blues’ integration of fresh players off the bench set low expectations for the season. Despite the challenge of a young roster, the team’s commitment to the game drove its success.
Head Coach Michelle Ferenz shared an important aspect of the team’s culture this season.
“We stayed very focused on ourselves and our own growth and improvement and things we could control,” Ferenz said in an email to The Wire. “This has been a very good practice team … They work hard every time they step on the court and it has led us to playing well late in the season.”
Once the team solidified its roots, the Blues were bound to surpass their own expectations. After a comfortable 67-51 victory over George Fox on Feb. 28, the women’s basketball team returned home with its fourth NWC title.
“It doesn’t feel real,” junior guard Holly Morgan said in an interview after the game. “It wasn’t necessarily expected, I don’t think, since we graduated five seniors and they all started [in the lineup]. It feels different, and last year it was more of an expectation to go as far as we could; this year it was to take one game at a time, the furthest we can go.”
With a ticket secured to compete in the NCAA Division III Tournament, the Blues were in familiar territory, but this time with new and bigger roles. Although they had previously competed in the tournament a year prior, returning players’ roles were significantly smaller then, with most benched or playing limited minutes. Heading into this year’s tournament, those players were now the leaders of the team, and first-years were expected to contribute as well. Despite the heightened responsibility, the Blues were prepared.
“We’re going to take it one step at a time,” sophomore forward Emma Lena Baker said before round one of the tournament. “If we keep on toning our defense, knowing our scouts and being efficient, then I expect us to play a good game.”
Given the high stakes of the NCAA tournament, Morgan also noted the importance of staying grounded and blocking out the surrounding pressure.
“A big thing is staying calm in the moment and not letting it get to us, which is hard, and we’ve all probably felt the nerves just at the Conference tournament,” Morgan said. “Just having fun with it and seeing where we can go.”
Upon their arrival in Abilene, the Blues’ play in round one made clear their plan to stay another day. Opening the game fast and strong with a 10-0 run, the Blues rode a blistering shooting performance to the finish line against the Athenas. Whitman, led by Morgan, Baker and first-year Morgan Montgomery, shot 50% from the field and a red-hot 47% from deep. Morgan led all scorers with 19 points, setting the tone for the Blues, while Baker and Montgomery chipped in 12 and 17, respectively. Montgomery’s tournament debut was a revelation in particular; she found success attacking the rim consistently and showed poise navigating the Athenas’ full-court press. It all added up to a statement performance from the young team.
In a postgame press conference, Morgan reflected on her performance and leadership of the team.
“It’s been a big season for me in learning how to lead,” Morgan said. “I wanted to get touches today. I just wanted to make sure everyone kept their heads up. I think, in turn, that helped me play the game that I could play today, and my style.”
Unfortunately for Morgan and the Blues, the magic ran out against HSU the following day. The Cowgirls’ stifling defense held the Blues to just 35 points — their lowest scoring output of the season — on 26% field goal shooting and 1 for 21 three-point shooting. Even so, the Blues demonstrated in the third quarter the very resilience that had earned them the NWC title. Whitman outscored its first-half point total with 14 points in the third frame, playing even with the Cowgirls. And thanks to the Blues’ defensive effort, including a game-high 36 rebounds and 13 steals, the Cowgirls were limited to 56 points.
Though their season is over, the Blues have much to be proud of and even more to be excited about. Winning an NWC title and reaching the second round of the NCAA tournament are feats in and of themselves, let alone with a roster devoid of seniors.
“We will return all 11 players next season, so this experience is going to shape us moving forward,” Ferenz said in an email to The Wire. “Next year’s team will be different, as we will add another recruiting class, but the lessons of this season and the confidence we have developed will carry forward.”
Ferenz’s young but quickly developing team departs from the national stage with valuable tournament experience under its belt and a determination to return again.
