The St. Mary’s College of Maryland women’s basketball team captured the first United East Conference championship in program history with a commanding 73-47 victory over Penn State Abington Saturday afternoon in St. Mary’s City at the Michael P. O’Brien Athletics & Recreation Center Arena. The win secured an automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Tournament, marking the Seahawks’ third appearance overall and first since 1999.
St. Mary’s finished the season 23-5 overall and a perfect 13-0 in United East Conference play. Trailing 28-27 at halftime, the Seahawks erupted in the third quarter, outscoring the Nittany Lions 24-5 to build a 51-33 lead entering the fourth. They held Abington to 2-of-15 shooting (13.3 percent) in the period while forcing five turnovers, extending the margin to as many as 26 points late in the game.
Samantha Blaylock led all scorers with a career-high 32 points off the bench, shooting 10-of-13 from the field, 6-of-9 from three-point range, and 6-of-6 at the free-throw line. Keira Mason contributed a double-double with 20 points and a game-high 12 rebounds, adding seven assists and two blocks. Tramarie Mobray grabbed nine rebounds and three steals as the Seahawks dominated the boards 39-28.
St. Mary’s shot 44.4 percent from the field and 42.9 percent from three, while converting 19-of-22 free throws (86.4 percent). The bench outscored Abington’s 58-5, and the defense limited the visitors to 17.6 percent from beyond the arc (3-of-17).
Penn State Abington (19-7, 11-2 United East) received 15 points from Amirah Hackney and 10 from Amina Reid.
The Seahawks’ dominant second-half surge turned a close game into a decisive title-clinching performance, showcasing defensive intensity and bench depth that proved decisive in the championship contest.
With the conference crown, St. Mary’s earned the United East automatic qualifier for the NCAA Division III Women’s Basketball Championship. The 64-team field was announced March 2, 2026, during the selection show on NCAA.com. The Seahawks will play in the first round Friday, March 6, with bracket details placing them in matchups at various first- and second-round sites.
This achievement caps a historic season for the program, building on an undefeated conference slate and highlighting the contributions of key performers like Blaylock’s explosive scoring and Mason’s versatile all-around play. The victory also reflects the team’s resilience, overcoming a halftime deficit and absences noted in prior games to claim the hardware at home.
