ROCKFORD, ILL. - A decade-long championship drought ended Saturday as #2-seeded Madison College defeated #3-seeded Rock Valley College 64-59 to win the 2026 NJCAA Region 4 Division II Midwest District B Tournament. Freshman Serinity Metcalfe led the way with 25 points as the WolfPack secured their eight region title overall and their third Region 4 crown after last doing so as a Division III program in 2016. The victory also snapped a 16-game losing streak against the host Golden Eagles, who still lead the all-time series by a 32-19 count. It was the fifth time the two programs have met in the postseason, and the fourth such game with the region title at stake. Head coach Angel Whetstone was awarded the Region 4 Coach of the Year.

The game featured seven ties and ten lead changes, with Madison College holding the largest lead of the night at nine points early in the fourth quarter. Both teams struggled on offense early as it was even at 5-5 after seven-plus minutes. Over the final 70 seconds of the first quarter, Ava Landrum banked in a top of the key three to break an 8-8 tie, Metcalfe hit a contested runner for a 13-11 edge, and Maddi DeSmet dropped a lefthanded baby hook off the window to beat the buzzer for a 15-13 differential. DeSmet and Maia Ellis scored early in the second quarter to push the advantage to 19-13; however, Rock Valley College (23-10) eventually drained a three-pointer as the clock approached two minutes remaining to go up 28-27. Metcalfe responded with back-to-back jumpers in the paint to regain a three-point lead, which dropped to 31-20 after a pair of late RVC free throws.

In the second half, Ellis rained in a three-pointer with 5:17 to go in the third to give the Pack a 40-37 lead. The Golden Eagles answered and held a 46-45 edge after a layup with 3:15 to play. Madison ended the third quarter with an 8-0 run that began with a Metcalfe triple followed by a 5 for 6 effort at the free throw line by Metcalfe, Ava Landrum, and Zwirschitz.

DeSmet pushed the differential to a game-high 55-46 with a basket in the opening minute of the fourth quarter. Rock Valley scored the next seven points before the WolfPack posted five in a row with a DeSmet layup bringing the score to 60-53 with 3:37 remaining in the game. The Golden Eagles then hit a three-pointer and three free throws over the next two minutes to close the gap to 60-59 with 38 seconds on the clock. With the clock ticking down, Landrum missed a three-pointer from the wing and DeSmet soared in to secure the offensive rebound and got fouled. It led to an inbounds pass; however, before the ball was thrown in play, Rock Valley was called for a Flagrant foul as they tried to foul before the clock started running. Metcalfe proceeded to sink two free throws for a three-point lead with 5.0 seconds left. On the next inbounds attempt, Chloey Bynum caught a pass in the backcourt and was shoved to the ground, resulted in a second Flagrant foul and two more free throws for Metcalfe. Up by five with 3.8 seconds, the Pack merely inbounded the ball again to run out the clock.



Metcalfe, a native of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, finished with a game-high 25 points for her 15th game with 20 or more points this season. The 5'7" freshman guard was 6 for 15 from the field with one 3-pointer, while also finishing a career-best 12 of 16 at the free throw line to become the fifth player in program history to make that many free throws in a single game. Metcalfe also added six rebounds, five steals, and three assists.

DeSmet went for 14 points and six boards as the first year forward from Belleville, Wisconsin, was 7 for 14 overall. Ellis, a sophomore from Verona, Wisconsin, made 4 of 6 shots with a three-pointer and a free throw en route to ten points. She added eight rebounds to tie fellow second year Keelyn Zwirschitz for top honors on the glass. Zwirschitz and Landrum each had seven points.

Madison College, which won Region 4 titles in 2010 and 2016, shot 34% (20-58) on the night, 26% (5-19) from beyond the arc, and 76% (19-25) at the stripe. They held a narrow 26-22 edge in points in the paint and a 15-13 lead in points off turnovers as they forced 21 RVC miscues.



Up Next:

Madison College (24-4) will make its eight all-time appearance at a national tournament, including the program's first at the NJCAA Division II Women's Basketball Championships. The WolfPack won their only women's basketball national title in 2010, capping a run of six appearances in eighth years between 2003-2010. Tournament seeds, matchup, and game times will be announced at 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday, March 10. 

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