PITTSBURGH, Pa. (March 24, 2025) – In a matchup that could double as a spelling contest and geography quiz, No.4 seed and No.6-ranked Pittsburg State (Kansas) finds itself in Pittsburgh for the NCAA Division II Elite Eight. Meanwhile, No. 5 seed and No.10-ranked Lubbock Christian will be searching for a "W" on Monday at 7:30 p.m. CT, as the Lady Chaparrals open their fifth Elite Eight campaign with a quarterfinal showdown against Pitt State at UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse.
 

NCAA DIVISION II WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
OPPONENT	LOCATION	DAY	TIME (CT)	WATCH	STATS
Pitt State	Pittsburgh, Pa.	Mon. Mar. 24	7:30 p.m.	Video	Stats

   
THE "IF's"
IF LCU WINS: If the Lady Chaps defeats PSU, they will improve to 33-4 on the season and will advance to the Elite Eight semifinals for the fourth time in program history and the first time since 2021 in Columbus, Ohio. Awaiting is either Grand Valley State or Gannon for a Wednesday night 7:30 p.m. CT Semifinal in Pittsburgh.
 
IF LCU LOSES: If the Lady Chaps fall to the Gorillas, their record will drop to 32-5, they will be eliminated from the tournament and they will suffer their fifth NCAA postseason loss in program history (second in Elite Eight) and will have their all-time NCAA postseason record move to 27-5 all-time.

BREAKING IT DOWN
The Lady Chaps are also making their second Elite Eight appearance as the No.5-seed, as they were seeded fifth in 2019. That season, LCU opened with a win over No.4-seed North Georgia, marking the lone time LCU has faced a No.4-seed in the event.
 
THIRD TIME'S A CHARM
LCU erased an 11-point second-half deficit with a 15-3 run fueled by five three-pointers to defeat No. 1 Texas Woman's 62-54 in the NCAA Division II South Central Regional championship Monday night at Kitty Magee Arena.
The No. 2-seeded Lady Chaps (32-4) secured their fifth regional title, outscoring Texas Woman's 26-16 in the fourth quarter. Kennedy Chappell and Grace Foster each scored 15 points, with Foster adding 10 rebounds. Maci Maddox was named Most Outstanding Player as LCU clinched its fifth Elite Eight berth.

RECOGNITION
Grace Foster headlined the Lone Star Conference awards, earning Player of the Year, Academic Player of the Year, First Team All-Conference, and All-Defensive Team honors. Lady Chaps coach Steve Gomez was named Noel Johnson Head Coach of the Year, while Maci Maddox (First Team) and Audrey Robertson (Second Team) also received recognition. Foster, LCU's all-time scoring leader, averaged 19.9 points per game in the regular season while maintaining a 4.00 GPA. Maddox leads the LSC in assist-to-turnover ratio, and Robertson, who was also named to the All-Academic Team, ranks among the league's top three-point shooters. Gomez, in his 22nd season, secured his seventh conference Coach of the Year award.
 
BUT WAIT THERE'S MORE
Grace Foster was named the South Central Region Most Outstanding Player for the second time, while teammate Maci Maddox earned Second Team honors on the 2024-25 Division II Conference Commissioners Association All-Region Team. LCU was the only program with multiple recipients this season.
 
Foster becomes LCU's first two-time Most Outstanding Player and the program's fifth recipient of the honor. Maddox claims her first All-Region selection.
 
AND EVEN MORE
This week, the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA)—one of two national organizations that issue annual All-America honors—named Grace Foster as Lubbock Christian's first three-time WBCA All-American. Maci Maddox earned Honorable Mention, making this the first season LCU has had multiple honorees. 

CHAP-TIVATING STATS: 5 LADY CHAP FACTS
1 > Grace's Greatness: Grace Foster continues to shine as one of the premier scorers in NCAA Division II. She ranks second nationally and leads the Lone Star Conference with 723 total points, averaging 20.1 PPG (11th nationally, 2nd in LSC). Foster is also the LSC's most efficient three-point shooter, ranking first in the conference and ninth nationally in three-point percentage (42.6%). She leads the LSC in total three-pointers made (80, 13th nationally) and remains dominant at the free-throw line, ranking first in the LSC in free throws made (177, 4th nationally) and first in free-throw percentage (89.4%, 7th nationally).

2 > Maddox Magic: Maci Maddox continues to be one of the nation's most efficient playmakers, ranking fifth nationally and leading the LSC in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.51). She also tops the conference in total assists (143, 27th nationally) and ranks first in assists per game (4.0, 61st nationally). Maddox was instrumental in LCU's NCAA tournament victory over Texas Woman's, recording 10 points and six assists. She remains one of the LSC's most utilized players, ranking second in the conference and 15th nationally in minutes per game (36.73), ensuring her impact on both ends of the floor.

3 > Defensive Lockdown: LCU's defense remains among the toughest in the nation, ranking third in the LSC and ninth nationally in scoring defense (53.6 PPG allowed). The Lady Chaps rank second in the conference in blocks per game (3.9, 42nd nationally) and third in field-goal percentage defense (35.9%, 30th nationally). In their NCAA tournament victory over Texas Woman's, LCU's defense was pivotal, forcing 10 turnovers and holding the Pioneers to just 8.3% from three-point range. Audrey Robertson had a strong defensive showing with two blocks and eight rebounds, while Grace Foster provided a dominant paint presence with 10 rebounds.

4 > Charity: LCU remains one of the top free-throw shooting teams in the nation, ranking first in the LSC and 11th nationally in free-throw percentage (78.7%). Foster continues to lead the team, ranking first in the LSC in free throws made (177, 4th nationally) and first in percentage (89.4%, 7th nationally). Historically, LCU shoots 79.6% from the line in NCAA tournament play, with Foster maintaining a career postseason free-throw percentage of 96.7% (59/61… she was 23/23 in the regional tournament).

5 > Deep Threat Duo: LCU remains one of the nation's most dangerous three-point shooting teams, leading the LSC and ranking third nationally in three-point percentage (37.4%). Foster continues to pace the conference at 42.6% (9th nationally), while Robertson ranks fourth in the LSC at 41.6%. The duo has combined for 145 made threes, with Foster leading the conference (80, 13th nationally) and Robertson ranking fourth (65, 61st nationally). Maci Maddox has jumped into the mix in the regional tournament, going 5-of-11 (45.5%) from downtown. Kennedy Chappell also made a significant impact in the South Central Regional championship, hitting three crucial three-pointers during LCU's decisive second-half run.
 
MILESTONING 
Grace Foster continues to cement her place in Lubbock Christian University history, surpassing 2,000 career points—a milestone only completed by Foster in LCU history. Foster's 2,033 career points ranks eighth among active NCAA Division II players, and Feb. 13, she passed Nicole Hampton's all-time scoring mark (1,796 points from 2011-16). In addition, Foster has 891 career rebounds, which has her ranking third in program history. She needs 21 rebounds to pass Mamy N'Kolomoni (911, 1998-02) to move into second in program history. Audrey Robertson (sitting with 1,396 career points) joined Foster in the 1,000-point club in career points on Nov. 3, and Maci Maddox reached the mark Jan. 9 becoming LCU's third active player with 1,000 career points (has 1,293). It marks the first time since the 2015-16 season that LCU has had a trio of 1,000-point scorers, following the legendary group of Haley Fowler, Nicole Hampton, and Kelsey Hoppel. Additionally for Maddox, she is third all-time in career assists (450, ranks 15^th actively in DII). As for Robertson, she actively leads all of Division II with 157 games played and recently passed Allie Schulte (Hicks) for the program's career record for games played (155).
 
SINGLE STONES 
Grace Foster's 723 points this season is a program single-season record… Foster's 476 field goal attempts are the third-most in a single season… Foster's 233 made field goals are third-most in a single season… Foster's 80 three-points this season are the third-most in a single season… Foster's 177 made free-throws are tied for the most in a single season (Carolyn Manning made 177 during the 2007-08 season)…

CONFERENCE CONVERSATION 
LCU finished 21-1 in Lone Star Conference play, tying with Texas Woman's for the best conference record, while going a perfect 14-0 in West Division games to secure their third regular-season LSC title. Grace Foster led LCU, averaging 19.1 points per game (second in the LSC) and 7.0 rebounds per game, while shooting 51.9% from the field, 49.0% from three-point range (first in the LSC), and 88.4% from the free-throw line (first in the LSC). Maci Maddox contributed 12.2 points per game and led the LSC in assist-to-turnover ratio (3.2) while ranking second in assists per game (4.1). Audrey Robertson added 11.5 points and 4.5 rebounds per game, shooting 41.8% from three-point range. LCU finished second in the LSC in scoring defense (52.9 PPG allowed) and led the conference in three-point percentage (37.7%), while ranking third in free-throw percentage (77.7%) and second in blocks per game (3.8). The Lady Chaps also posted a +16.3 scoring margin for the season.
 
TOURNEY TALK
Lubbock Christian is shooting 47.1% all-time in NCAA South Central Regional games, while holding opponents to a 38.4% shooting mark from the field and a 26.9% shooting woe from long range. Former Lady Chaps Nicole Hampton (Gerlich) is LCU's all-time leading scorer in NCAA postseason play (in average scoring), averaging 17.8 points per game (she played in six career NCAA postseason contests) and compiling 107 points. Allie Schulte is LCU's career leader in overall points scored in NCAA postseason play with 205 career points in 18 career games, which is the highest amount of postseason games played by a Lady Chap.
 
Grace Foster, a senior from Childress, Texas, is LCU's active leader in postseason scoring with 158 points and an average 15.8 points per game. A two-time (2023 and 2025) South Central Regional All-Tournament Team selection, Foster is 44-of-117 (.376) from the field and 59-of-61 (96.7%) from the free-throw line in 10 career NCAA postseason games. On March 14, Foster posted 32 points against Colo. Colorado Springs for the best single-game performance point total by a Lady Chap in NCAA postseason play. Audrey Robertson (7.2 pts p/g, 12 games), Maci Maddox (9.8 pts p/g, 11 games… 2025 South Central Region Most Outstanding Player), Reese Schumann (4.6 pts p/g, 7 games) are active members on the LCU roster (joining Foster) with at least seven games played of NCAA postseason.
 
PUT IT IN NEUTRAL
Lubbock Christian has posted a solid 8-3 record in neutral-site games this season, outscoring opponents by an average margin of 9.1 points per game (65.5 to 56.4). The Lady Chaps remain efficient on both ends, shooting 44.1% from the field and 36.0% from three while holding opponents to just 37.1% overall and 26.6% from deep. Grace Foster leads the team with 21.6 points and 8.3 rebounds per game, while Audrey Robertson contributes 12.3 points on 51.6% shooting, including a team-best 48.8% from beyond the arc. Maci Maddox has also been valuable in neutral site play with 13.8 points per game and 47.4% shooting mark (18/38) from outside. LCU also averages 11.9 assists, and records 3.8 blocks per game.

EYE-OPENING
The 2024-25 season marks LCU's 12th since leaving the NAIA and LCU is 319-61 record (83.9%) in that span. In NCAA postseason play, the Lady Chaps are 27-4 all-time (87.1%).
 
BACK IN THE RANKINGS
Lubbock Christian University's women's basketball team entered the 2024-25 season ranked No. 17 in the D2CSC Women's Basketball Division II Top-25 Preseason Poll, a notable return to national prominence after an unusual preseason absence last year. They were receiving votes in the WBCA Preseason Poll (Division II).
 
LCU is ranked No. 10 (D2CSC) and No.11 (WBCA) in the final regular season edition of the national poll. This season, LCU holds a 2-4 record against nationally ranked opponents, with all matchups coming against top-10 programs.
 
FIVE THINGS ABOUT PSU
1> Pittsburg State enters the Elite Eight with a 32-3 record, having secured the Central Regional championship with comeback victories over Harding, defending national champion Minnesota State, and Southwest Minnesota State. The Gorillas overcame 15-point second-quarter deficits in their last two games, showcasing resilience and composure under pressure.
2> The Gorillas are making their third Elite Eight appearance in program history, having previously reached this stage in 2012 and 2016.
3> Pittsburg State boasts the top field goal percentage in NCAA Division II at 48.5%, demonstrating offensive efficiency that has helped fuel its deep postseason run. The Gorillas also rank seventh nationally in scoring offense, averaging 80.8 points per game.
4> Karenna Gerber has been a dominant force for Pitt State, earning Most Outstanding Player honors in the Central Regional. She leads the team with 17.2 points and 8.3 rebounds per game while ranking among the nation's top 10 in field goals made.
5> The Gorillas have excelled on the boards, leading their conference and ranking third nationally in defensive rebounds per game (30.5). Their strong rebounding margin of +9.1 has been a key factor in their ability to control games, especially in their recent comeback wins.
 
THE SERIES AGAINST PSU
LCU and Pitt State have never faced. LCU is 1-1 all-time against MIAA programs in the NCAA postseason (both meetings were against Central Missouri).