Champions! Tartans Win ECAC Championship

(PITTSBURGH, Pa.) - The Carnegie Mellon University women's basketball team topped Penn State Behrend for the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Championship on Saturday, March 5. The Tartans dominated the game from start to finish in the 80-60 victory at home in Wiegand Gymnasium to close the year with a 14-11 record after not competing at all a year ago. Seniors Leah Weslock (Howell, Mich. / Howell) and Caitlyn Clendenin (Bethesda, Md. / Bethesda Chevy Chase) were named to the ECAC All-Tournament Team with Clendenin earning Most Valuable Player honors.

The Tartans shot 55.6% from the floor in the first quarter to build a 26-15 advantage. Penn State Behrend held a 6-4 lead after the first two minutes of action before the Tartans went on an 11-0 run, led by six staight by Clendenin.

Carnegie Mellon slowed down from the field in the second period but made 7-of-7 from the free throw line to extend its lead by five points to 16 by the halftime horn.

Another hot-shooting quarter by the home team in the third period put the game out of reach for the Lions, as the Cardinal and Gray knocked down 10-of-15 attempts to just 6-of-16 for Penn State Behrend. Clendenin was 3-for-3 with a free throw for seven points in the frame.

Clendenin finished with 19 points and two rebounds shy of a double-double with five assists and three steals. Weslock also nearly recorded a double-double in her final collegiate game with 10 points and nine rebounds while also dishing out five assists and picking up three steals.

Freshman Catherine Or (Los Angeles, Calif. / Marlborough School) closed her first year with 17 points, eight rebounds and three steals. Sophomore Megan Matsko (Baltimore, Md. / Mount de Sales Academy) and freshman Isha Nambisan (Fremont, Calif. / Mission San Jose) hit two three-pointers apiece with Matsko scoring 14 points and Nambisan 10 points.

The ECAC Championship for the Tartans is the third in program history in four years participating in the tournament. The previous two wins came in 2000 and 2017.

Full ECAC All-Tournament Team
Camden Hergenrother - Westminster
Shannon McCoy - Kean
Kara Haslet - Behrend
Alanna Dibble - Behrend
Leah Weslock - CMU
Caitlyn Clendenin (MVP) - CMU