University of Cincinnati Clermont won the USCAA Small College Women’s Division II National Championship on March 16 at Virginia State University in Ettrick, Va. Posing with the national championship banner: Front row (left to right) – head coach Ken Lowe, Kiana Dauwe, Ella Newkirk, Abby Strunk, Leah Dorhout, and Courtney Stewart. Back row (left to right): assistant coach Tim Swart, Ashley Moore, Tyra Murphy, Kristi Duncan, Sydney Chenault, Olivia Crawford, Mackenzie Gloff, assistant coach Teresa Davis, and trainer Conner Coyne. Photo courtesy of University of Cincinnati-Clermont
Crawford, Gloff pitch in as UCC wins women’s basketball title
Former Fayetteville-Perry standout Olivia Crawford was called on for her shooting prowess during her freshman season at UCC.
Former Eastern Brown star Mackenzie Gloff made a name for herself on the rebounding end in her first season at UCC.
Both were freshmen and mostly reserves. But when it came to feeling the pressure that goes with a national championship run, and the unbridled joy of winning that championship, a player’s year in school and role on the team mostly just faded into the background of a victory celebration.
The University of Cincinnati Clermont women’s basketball team came together when it mattered most to win the U.S. Collegiate Athletic Association Women’s Division II National Basketball Tournament on Thursday, March 16 at Virginia State University in Ettrick, Va. The Cougars defeated Johnson & Wales of Charlotte, N.C., 60-46 in the championship game to bring the title back home. UCC also won the championship in 2014.
Former Brown County girls basketball stars Olivia Crawford (Fayetteville-Perry) and Mackenzie Gloff (Eastern Brown) combined to score just two points in the championship game. But they totaled 26 minutes of play, with the aggressive Gloff tallying 19 minutes, five defensive rebounds and four fouls. Yes, she made the most of her minutes and was a visible and viable player when she was in the game.
That was a theme for the team this year, and it – contributions by everyone, regardless of year and playing status – likely played a key role in the team’s success in 2022-23. Each player had stock in this product, and that was evident all along the roster.
“Coming in as a freshman, I feel like my role consisted of working hard to better myself and help hold my teammates accountable, constantly trying to have energy and support my teammates to grow and improve as a team,” said Crawford, who was a 1,000-point career scorer at Fayetteville-Perry. “We really wanted to win the national championship for our seniors who had one last shot at it and I’m really excited to have been a part of it.
“I was given the opportunity to start in a few games this season and gain experience playing college basketball,” she added. “I feel like my shooting and my overall game has improved greatly. I’ve made a lot of great friends and come to see my teammates as family.”
Crawford started six games during the season and played in 27 of the team’s 28 games. She averaged 18 minutes, with a scoring average of 4.9 points.
“She is a bench player, kind of like the sixth or seventh player, but mostly the No. 6 player, coming off the bench,” UCC head coach Ken Lowe said of Crawford. “If she’s on shooting-wise, I don’t take her out.”
During the championship game, Crawford played seven minutes, scored two points – on 2-for-2 free-throw shooting – and also had a steal.
“The vibe of the tournament was intense,” Crawford said. “Making it all the way to nationals leaves you feeling like there’s a lot on the line. Everyone is giving it their all because they don’t want to get knocked out and fall short after all the work they put in.
“We worked all season and pushed ourselves constantly in order to make it to nationals, so to get there and win it all felt extremely rewarding. Achieving that goal as a team really brought us all together and was a memorable experience.”
Gloff started three games during the season and averaged 23.4 minutes of playing time while also getting in 27 of the team’s 28 games. She also averaged 5.3 points and 5.7 rebounds a game.
“She’s a rebounding machine,” Lowe said. “She’s not a starter but gives us quality minutes when she’s on the court. She’s physical, absolutely physical. She’s not afraid to take on anyone.”
Gloff said her growth in the last year, since high school, has had a lot to do with any success she may have had her freshman season at UCC.
“In high school I was very hot-headed. Now I understand much better. Now I feel more confident in my growth as a player,” Gloff said. “I’m still evolving. I feel my attitude is so much better as a basketball player.
“I felt we grew so much more when it came to that championship game,” she added of the title game vibe. “I had never played on that big of a court before. But it was our atmosphere. It felt good.”