McMurry University Athletics

The 1999-2000 Indians' women's basketball team will forever have the distinction of being the first-ever McMurry women's hoops team to reach the NCAA post-season.

The Indians had a record of 24-5 and what was, at that time, the school record for victories in a season.  They won the ASC West Division and received an at-large bid to the NCAA Division III playoffs - advancing all the way to the Sweet Sixteen before being eliminated - even hosting a pair of NCAA games, and winning both!

In all, the Indians set or broke a total of 32 team and individual records – for either game, season or career – during the course of the season. In addition to victories in a year, the team season records for points scored, field goals attempted, free throws attempted, free throws made, most rebounds, three-point attempts, three-pointers made and steals, just to name a few, all went by the wayside in 1999-2001.  The squad had the best start in school history, going 9-1 out of the blocks, and also twice had the program's longest win streak (twice going unbeaten for seven games).

Several of those season records by that team still stand today, as a matter-of-fact, including: 2,115 field goal attempts; 440 free throws made and 504 steals.  The team mark of 32 steals in a game still is on the books, as well.

The Indians were also ranked No. 11 in the nation in the final WBCA/USA Today national coaches' poll!

Ogonna Merritt was the “Player of the Year” and first team All-West Division, as well as first team All-Conference. She was also the West Division's “Defensive Player of the Year”.

Lilly Ogunbanjo was second team All-ASC West, while Talitha Belcher and Dedra Brittain were honorable mention picks.

The team's successes are a direct result of the leadership and commitment of the man who guided the program that season- Sam Nichols!  To this day, Nichols is both the longest tenured McMurry women's basketball coach with 12 seasons under his belt, as well as the school's all-time winningest coach with a career mark of 119-114.

The 1999-2000 team was the culmination of a resurgence four years in the making from when Nichols took over the team in 1995-96.