PITTSBURGH, Pa. - After winning the program's first PAC title, Chatham Women's Basketball (24-3, 18-2) will make its first appearance in the NCAA Tournament. The Cougars have been matched up with #2 Transylvania University (27-0, 18-0), who will host the first round game on Friday at 8 p.m. at the Cilve M. Beck Center.

The Cougars earned the PAC's automatic qualifier to the NCAA Tournament with their 77-50 win in the PAC Final on Saturday over Geneva. Chatham has won nine straight games and finished the season a perfect 13-0 at the Athletic and Fitness Center. The Cougars have won 16 straight at home dating back to last season.

On the other hand, the Pioneers are the reigning champions of the NCAA Tournament and are currently riding a 60-game win streak, which is tied for the fifth longest in Division III women's basketball history and tied for ninth-longest in all divisions of women's basketball.

The Chatham offense, which finished at the top of the PAC at 77 points per game, will have to battle the number one defense in the country of Transy, which only allows 42.1 points per contest. 

However, the Cougars are no strangers to stout defense either, ranking fourth in the nation at 17.0 steals per game. That charge is led by junior Aurielle Brunner, who individually ranks fourth in the nation with 4.4 steals per game. In Saturday's championship game, she became the Cougars' all-time leader in steals with 270 in just her 78th career game.

Brunner was named PAC Defensive Player of the year and collected an All-PAC honorable mention, while junior Ashlie Louden was selected to the All-PAC First Team and sophomore Alyssa Laukus was an honorable mention as well. All three were named to the PAC All-Tournament team, with Laukus winning Most Outstanding Player.

In the HCAC, the Pioneers had the Player of the Year in fifth-year Dasia Thornton, Defensive Player of the Year in fifth-year Kennedi Stacy and Coach of the Year in Juli Fulks. Transy defeated Mount St. Joseph 74-46 to capture the HCAC crown.

The Cougars and Pioneers will square off in the late game Friday night, whereas the 5:30 p.m. tip-off will feature Emory and Ohio Wesleyan. The two winners will meet in the second round for a 7:30 p.m. tip-off on Saturday. A link to the bracket can be found here.

General admission tickets to Friday's game will be $15 for adults and $10 for students/children. Children two and under will have free entry with a ticketed adult. More information can be found at the tournament page on the Transy website.