GAME 28 PSAC CHAMPIONSHIP

IUP (25-3 | 16-3 PSAC) vs Gannon  (28-3 | 18-2 PSAC)
Sunday, March 8, 2026 | 12:30 p.m
Erie, Pa | Highmark Events Center

Stream: PSAC Digital Network 
Radio: U92 FM with Jack Benedict and Tony Coccagna

THE GAME AT A GLANCE
The IUP Crimson Hawks women's basketball will make their first appearance in the PSAC Women's Basketball Championship game since 2020, facing the same opponent as in that title matchup as IUP looks to avenge its championship loss to Gannon Golden Knights women's basketball.

The teams will meet for the third time this season in a rubber match after splitting the first two contests. Gannon Golden Knights women's basketball and IUP Crimson Hawks women's basketball finished the regular season as the top two teams in both the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference and the NCAA Division II Atlantic Region.
TIPOFF NOTES
>> At this point in his tenure, head coach Craig Carey records the fourth appearance of making the PSAC Tournament since being elevated to head coach in the 2022-23 season.
>> IUP held the second-most accurate offense in the entirety of Division II in the regular season. The Crimson Hawks wielded an uber-efficient .501 field goal percentage.
>> IUP also finished the regular season with a top-ten scoring offense. The Crimson Hawks 79.0 points-per-game scored was ninth best in Division II.
>> IUP has three All-PSAC selections: Athlete of the Year Shae Weaver, first-team All-PSAC guard Teresa Maggio and second-team forward Ellie Wilkerson.
>> Head coach Craig Carey was named PSAC West Coach of the Year after leading the Crimson Hawks to a regional ranking for all but one week of the season. IUP spent much of the second half of the season ranked in the top five and top 10 as well.
>> The Crimson Hawk's scoring margin of +21.3 in the regular season led the PSAC and ranked fourth in Division II.
>> Junior Teresa Maggio enters the championship game after one of her best shooting performances of the season in the semifinals. Maggio tied her season high with five 3-pointers, hitting 5 of 8 from beyond the arc.

GANNON AT A GLANCE
Gannon enters Championship Sunday seeking the program's fifth PSAC title and third since 2020. The Golden Knights held off Seton Hill's fourth-quarter rally in the semifinals, as a 20-point lead was trimmed to three late before Gannon secured a 79-73 victory for its 28th win of the season.

The Golden Knights are ranked No. 5 in the country and moved ahead of IUP for the No. 1 spot in the Atlantic Region after defeating the Crimson Hawks on the final day of the regular season. Head coach Craig Carey is in his fourth season leading the program, while Gannon coach Cleve Wright is in his 22nd season as a head coach and 18th with the Golden Knights.

SERIES HISTORY
IUP and Gannon have split their two matchups this season, with the visiting team winning each game on the opponent's home floor. The two teams last met in the PSAC Championship in 2020, when Gannon defeated IUP. The Crimson Hawks and Golden Knights have combined for 10 PSAC championships, with IUP leading the series with six titles.

The two programs sit atop the Atlantic Region rankings, with the championship game likely determining which school will host an Atlantic Regional next weekend. Gannon moved ahead of IUP in both the regional and national rankings following its victory over the Crimson Hawks on Feb. 28. The average margin between the teams this season is seven points, with Gannon winning by nine and IUP claiming a five-point victory at the Highmark Events Center on Jan. 17.

PSAC WEST ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
Shae Weaver was named PSAC Athlete of the Year on Thursday. She ranks third in the nation in field goal percentage and leads the team in scoring, rebounds and assists. Weaver became a member of IUP's 1,000-rebound club on Feb. 21 against Clarion. She is just the third player in program history to reach the milestone.

PSAC WEST COACH OF THE YEAR
Head coach Craig Carey was named PSAC West Coach of the Year in his fourth season leading the Crimson Hawks. Carey has won 86 games in his first four seasons, including a season-high 24 this year. He guided IUP to a 3-1 record against ranked teams this season and a 14-1 mark at the Kovalchick Convention and Athletic Complex.

ALL PSAC PERFORMERS
IUP had two more representatives on the All-PSAC teams, as Teresa Maggio was named to the first team in her first season with the Crimson Hawks. The junior transfer established herself as one of the top shooters in the conference, shooting nearly 40% from 3-point range. She recorded 15 games with multiple 3-pointers.

Ellie Wilkerson was named second-team All-PSAC, earning all-conference honors for the first time. She averaged 10.4 points per game this season while shooting 36% from 3-point range.