Defending champions, the Whitman Blues, captured the 2026 Northwest Conference Women’s Basketball Tournament title on Saturday, February 28, defeating fourth-seeded George Fox 67-51 in the championship game at Ted Wilson Gymnasium in McMinnville, Oregon.
The victory improves the Blues to 20-7 overall and secures the conference’s automatic berth into the 2026 NCAA Division III Women’s Basketball Tournament.
Whitman set the tone early and never trailed, taking a 19-13 lead into halftime before steadily extending the advantage over the final two quarters. A balanced offensive effort powered the Blues, as Emma Lena Baker led the way with 19 points and eight rebounds. Morgan Montgomery added 10 points, while Kaella Peters and Jordan Leith each contributed nine. Briana Andrade chipped in eight points and grabbed nine rebounds in the win.
For George Fox, Hanne Hopkins paced the Bruins with 16 points, while Sophia Hardy added 10. Tara Ushiro provided eight points off the bench.
Whitman’s defensive pressure proved decisive, holding George Fox to just nine first-quarter points and limiting second-half opportunities to secure the conference crown.
As 2026 Northwest Conference champions, the Blues now await the NCAA Division III Tournament bracket reveal, scheduled for Monday, March 2 at 2:30pm ET, on NCAA.com.