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In championship competition, sometimes one player dominates and casts such a shadow, little else about the game stands out. Like Bill Walton for UCLA, or Magic Johnson for Michigan State, Janet McLachlan for the University of Alabama stamped her name on this game in permanent ink in leading the Crimson Tide to an easy 66-36 win over the University Illinois in the NWBA Women’s Division.

Denver – The University of Alabama women’s wheelchair basketball team defended their National Championship today in Denver Colorado by defeating the University of Illinois 66-36. 

The Crimson Tide started the National Tournament with an opening win over the Steel City Starz from Pittsburgh PA.  Alabama went to the half with a 47-18 lead and played everyone on the team in the second half in cruising to victory over Steel City by a score of 81-37.  The Tide held the Starz team that features U.S. National Team players Carlee Hoffman and Mary Allison Milford to 25% shooting for the game.  Alabama shot 54% for the game and was paced in scoring by the trio of Janet McLachlan, Karolina Lingyte and Kimmie Champion who scored 24, 18, and 10 points each in the victory.  

The win against Steel City set up a rematch of last the 2008 and 2009 National Championship game against the 4^th ranked University of Illinois.  Alabama played a steady game against the Illinois full court pressure and only turned over the ball three times in the game while steadily building a 15 point lead at the half.   In the second half the Tide continued to handle the Illini full court press and back picking offense to lead by as much as 28 points before closing out Illinois for a 68-44 win.  Alabama held Illinois to only 34% shooting for the game while shooting 56% themselves.  Alabama placed four players in double figures scoring for the game. Janet McLachlan again led the Crimson Tide with 20 points and 8 rebounds.  Karolina Lingyte had 16 points and 7 assists while Cindy Oulette and Annika Zeyen both scored 12 points each to complement their strong defense.  .  The win sent the Illini to the consolation bracket of the double elimination tournament and Alabama advanced square off against the 2^nd ranked Lady Dallas Mavericks.

Alabama jumped on the 2^nd ranked Lady Mavs early and led by 56-14 at the half.  The Lady Mavs had trouble with Alabama’s full court press and turned the ball over 23 times in the game and only got off 38 shots compared to the Crimson’s Tides 76 for the game.  The lead ballooned to as much as 46 points in the second half as Alabama cruised into their third straight National Championship appearance with a 79-39 win.  Everyone played for the Crimson Tide and six players scored double figures for the defending champs.  Karolina Lingyte led Alabama with 19 points on 9 of 11 shooting.  Janet McLachlan chipped in 12 points and Cindy Ouelette, Annika Zeyen, and Emily Seelenfreund all scored 10 points for the Crimson Tide.

The University of Illinois won the final of the consolation bracket to set up a re-match of the tournament’s previous game as well as a re-match of the 2008 and 2009 National Championship games.   The game was over quickly for the Illini however as Alabama came out blistering hot on offense and defense and led early by as much as 15 points within the first eight minutes.  The Crimson Tide held the Illini to 23% shooting in the first half and extended their lead while shooting a red hot 71% to take a commanding 40-12 lead to the locker room at the half.   Alabama coasted home playing their entire 12 person roster in the second half while leading by as much as 41 points.  The Crimson Tide won their second straight National Championship by a final score was 66-36.   Janet McLachlan was dominating in the game with 26 points by half-time and finished with 30 points and 12 rebounds for the Championship Game.  Karolina Lingyte was strong again with 20 points on 10 of 11 shooting to go with 7 assists.  Tara Feser also scored 10 points in the win.   Mclachan was the all around leading scorer for the tournament and was selected to the All-Tournament Team and named Tournament MVP after a dominating performance.  Annika Zeyen was also named to the All-Tournament Team for Alabama. After the championship game the team cut down the nets for the second year in a row.  

The Crimson Tide finished their second National Championship Season with a final record of 37-3.  The team was undefeated against women’s teams during the year for the second season in a row with their only five losses in the last two years coming to men’s teams. Alabama has reeled off a dominating 57 wins in a row over women’s teams the last two seasons.  Their last loss to a women’s team was in the 2008 National Championship final against the University of Illinois by one point.  

This is only the seventh season for the University of Alabama Wheelchair Athletics program.    Alabama is one of 12 Universities in the country that sponsors wheelchair athletics and the only university program in the Southeast United States.  For more information about Alabama Wheelchair Athletics, please visit the UAWA website at www.uads.ua.edu or contact UAWA Director, Brent Hardin at 205-348-5109.