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Marian (Ind.) women win 1st NAIA title since 2017 by topping 2-time defending champion Dordt (Iowa)
Marian Knights overcame a cold third quarter from Dordt Defenders with a 20-8 run, securing their third NAIA title with a 73-61 victory, ending Dordt's bid for a three-peat.
- On Tuesday night, the Marian Knights defeated two-time defending champion Dordt 73-61 to win the 2026 NAIA women's basketball championship, claiming the program's third title and first since 2017.
- Dordt had eliminated Marian from last year's NAIA tournament and reached the championship game for the fourth time in five years, establishing the Defenders as a powerhouse seeking a three-peat.
- Madisyn Bailey from Bedford North Lawrence scored a career-high 23 points, while twin sisters Abbey and Kiley McNally combined for 25 points and 27 rebounds in their final game, less than three months after their mother Kathy died on New Year's Day.
- A dominant 20-6 third-quarter run proved decisive as Marian took the lead for good, holding Dordt to just five field goals in the frame while building a nine-point lead entering the fourth quarter.
- Abbey McNally earned tournament MVP honors as Marian finished 35-2, denying Dordt a three-peat, while Gracie Schoonhoven and Macy Sievers led the Defenders with 15 points each and the Defenders finished 6 of 15 from three-point range.
24 Articles
24 Articles
Celebrating Marian University's NAIA Championship Win
Source: (PHOTO: Marian University) Celebrating Marian University’s NAIA Championship Win In a heartwarming conversation on our latest episode, we shine a spotlight on the Marian University women’s basketball team, who recently won their first NAIA championship since 2017. Joining Tony Katz is Ken Britt, the chancellor of Marian University, who shares the team’s remarkable story and the university’s approach to athletics. We dive into the detail…
Dordt's quest for a three-peat comes up short in NAIA championship against the Marian Knights
Dordt (34-3) trailed for much of the first half but took the lead late on a jumper by junior Gracie Schoonhoven with 1 minute, 20 seconds left and then added to the slim advantage with a buzzer-beating 3-pointer by junior…
Marian denies Dordt's bid for third-straight title, claims NAIA championship
SIOUX CITY, Iowa — Marian University denied Dordt's bid for a third-consecutive NAIA women's basketball national championship on Tuesday night, with the Knights winning 73-61 at the Tyson Events Center. Marian (35-2) earned its first national championship since 2017 after defeating two Great Plains Athletic Conference teams, including Dakota Wesleyan 62-54 in Monday's semifinals. The Knights trailed 32-28 at halftime, thanks to a 20-9 Dordt marg…
Associated Press News
Marian (Ind.) women win 1st NAIA title since 2017 by topping 2-time defending champion Dordt (Iowa)
Madisyn Bailey scored a career-high 23 points, Abbey McNally had 17 points and 15 rebounds and Marian (Ind.) used a big run in the third quarter to help beat two-time defending champion Dordt (Iowa) 73-61 for its first NAIA championship since 2017.
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