Cobleskill, NY: The SUNY Cobleskill women's basketball team is set to make program history on Saturday, March 1, as it hosts the North Atlantic Conference (NAC) Championship Game against Maine Maritime Academy. This highly anticipated matchup is a rematch of last year's title game.

For the first time, the Fighting Tigers will play for a conference championship on their home court, a milestone Head Coach Megan Bowman sees as a testament to her team's dedication and resilience.

"Hosting a championship is the culmination of two years of hard work coming to fruition," Bowman said. "Our team has focused all season on defending our home court, knowing that doing so would give us the best chance to host throughout the playoffs. Our motto has remained the same: win at home."

Cobleskill enters the championship as the NAC West Division's top seed, finishing the regular season with a 21-4 overall record, an 11-2 conference mark, and a perfect 13-0 record at home. The Fighting Tigers boast one of the longest active home winning streaks in the country, remaining unbeaten at home since December 13, 2023.

Last weekend, Cobleskill showcased its dominance in the NAC West Divisional Tournament, rolling past VTSU-Johnson, 92-30, and Lesley University, 104-41, to secure a spot in the title game. Bowman was particularly pleased with her team's approach in the postseason.

"Winning the division was a goal we didn't want to overlook, but our coaching staff was thrilled with the way we played," Bowman said. "We felt we made a statement about how hard we can compete at home."

Maine Maritime, the top seed from the NAC East, punched its ticket to the championship by defeating Thomas College and Husson University. The Mariners claimed last year's title with a 78-62 victory over Cobleskill and edged the Fighting Tigers again earlier this season in a tightly contested 61-57 battle in Maine.

Coach Bowman believes her team is well-prepared for the challenge ahead.

"We built a tough non-conference schedule to prepare for moments like this," she said. "Our mindset remains the same: win the quarter. When you look at our losses, most have come from one bad quarter. The key for us is to stay locked in and play Cobleskill basketball every second of every quarter."

With the championship on the line and a packed home crowd expected, Cobleskill will look to capitalize on its home-court advantage and bring home its first NAC title on Saturday, March 1, at 1:00 p.m. in the Iorio Gymnasium.