:Niagara Purple Eagles women's basketball
{{Short description|Niagara University women's basketball team}}
{{Primary sources|date=March 2017}}
{{Infobox CBB Team | women=yes
|current = 2024–25 Niagara Purple Eagles women's basketball team
|name = Niagara Purple Eagles
|logo = Initials niagara univ.svg
|logo_size = 250
|university = Niagara University
|conference = MAAC
|location = Lewiston, New York
|coach = Jada Pierce
|tenure = 10th
|arena = Gallagher Center
|capacity = 2,400
|nickname = Purple Eagles
|NCAAchampion =
|NCAAfinalfour =
|NCAAsweetsixteen =
|NCAAtourneys =
|conference_tournament =
|conference_season =
|h_body= 582C83
|h_pattern_b=_thinsidesonwhite
|h_shorts= 582C83
|h_pattern_s=_blanksides2
|a_body= 582C83
|a_pattern_b=_thinwhitesides
|a_shorts= 582C83
|a_pattern_s=_whitesides
|free_tournament_label3= WNIT appearances
| AIAWfinalfour = Division II: 1979
| AIAWeliteeight = Division II: 1979
| AIAWtourneys = Division II: 1979, 1980
|AIAWchampion=|free_tournament_data3=2023, 2024}}
The Niagara Purple Eagles women's basketball team is the college basketball team that represent Niagara University in Lewiston, New York, United States. The school's team currently competes in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC). They are one of over fifty teams to have never reached the NCAA Division I tournament.
History
Niagara began play in 1974. They joined the MAAC in 1989. They have never made the NCAA tournament. Their brief achievements came in regional AIAWs, such as winning the New York AIAW championship in 1978 and 1980 and the Eastern AIAW in 1979, with a third-place finish in the AIAW Small College tournament. They made it to the ECAC North title game in 1986, losing to St. Anselm's 77–65 and losing to Saint Peter's 66–38 in the 1997 MAAC title game. They have reached the second round of the MAAC tournament numerous times but have never won it. As of the end of the 2015–16 season, the Purple Eagles have an all-time record of 456–575. In 2023 Niagara made history by reaching the WNIT tournament for the first time in program history.{{Cite web |date=2023-03-16 |title=Purple Eagles End Historic Season In Opening Round Of WNIT |url=https://purpleeagles.com/news/2023/3/16/womens-basketball-purple-eagles-end-historic-season-opening-round-of-wnit.aspx |access-date=2024-10-16 |website=Niagara University Athletics |language=en}} The Purple Eagles ultimately fell to Green Bay in their first appearance in the tournament, ending one of the best seasons in the history of Niagara women's basketball.{{cite web |title=Niagara University Purple Eagle Athletics - 1617WBBRecordBook.pdf |url=https://purpleeagles.com/documents/2016/11/7/1617WBBRecordBook.pdf |access-date=October 16, 2024 |website=Purpleeagles.com}}
Postseason
=AIAW College Division/Division II=
The Purple Eagles made two appearances in the AIAW national Division II basketball tournament, with a combined record of 3–2.
| class="wikitable"
{{CollegePrimaryHeader|team=Niagara Purple Eagles|Year|Round|Opponent|Result}} |
| style="text-align:center"
| 1979 | First round | San Francisco | W, 56–52 |
| style="text-align:center"
| 1980 | First round | L, 55–75 |
= WNIT results =
The Purple Eagles have appeared in one Women's National Invitation Tournament.
| class="wikitable"
{{CollegePrimaryHeader|team=Niagara Purple Eagles|Year|Round|Opponent|Result}} |
| 2023
|First round |L, 52–84 |
Roster
{{CBB roster/Header|sex=w|year=2023|team=Niagara Purple Eagles|teamcolors=y|high_school=y}}
{{CBB roster/Player|sex=w|first=Chardonnay|last=Hartley|num=0|pos=G|ft=5|in=3|class=so|rs=|home=Harlem, New York|high_school=Longwood}}
{{CBB roster/Player|sex=w|first=Shelby|last=Fiddler|num=1|pos=G|ft=5|in=9|class=so|rs=|home=Roanoke, Virginia|high_school=Patrick Henry High School}}
{{CBB roster/Player|sex=w|first=Lexie|last=Roe|num=3|pos=G|ft=5|in=7|class=jr|rs=|home=Manlius, New York|high_school=Fayetteville–Manlius High School}}
{{CBB roster/Player|sex=w|first=Ary|last=Hicks|num=4|pos=G|ft=5|in=5|class=so|rs=|home=Punta Gorda, Florida|high_school=Charlotte High School}}
{{CBB roster/Player|sex=w|first=Aaliyah|last=Parker|num=5|pos=G|ft=5|in=9|class=jr|rs=|home=Cheektowaga, New York|high_school=Cardinal O'Hara High School}}
{{CBB roster/Player|sex=w|first=Amelia|last=Strong|num=10|pos=F|ft=6|in=2|class=so|rs=|home=Niagara Falls, New York|high_school=Cardinal O'Hara High School}}
{{CBB roster/Player|sex=w|first=Angel|last=Parker|num=11|pos=G|ft=5|in=5|class=gs|rs=|home=Cheektowaga, New York|high_school=Cardinal O'Hara High School}}
{{CBB roster/Player|sex=w|first=Destiny|last=Strother|num=13|pos=G|ft=5|in=9|class=gs|rs=|home=Flint, Michigan|high_school=Pittsburgh}}
{{CBB roster/Player|sex=w|first=Alyssa|last=Rossignol|num=14|pos=F/G|ft=5|in=11|class=fr|rs=|home=Enfield, Connecticut|high_school=Enfield High School}}
{{CBB roster/Player|sex=w|first=Kylie|last=Buckley|num=15|pos=F|ft=6|in=1|class=fr|rs=|home=Livonia, New York|high_school=Livonia High School}}
{{CBB roster/Player|sex=w|first=Marlie|last=Dickerson|num=20|pos=G|ft=5|in=10|class=so|rs=|home=Harrisburg, Pennsylvania|high_school=Central Dauphin High School}}
{{CBB roster/Player|sex=w|first=Lore|last=Porter|num=21|pos=G|ft=5|in=9|class=sr|rs=|home=Woodbridge, Virginia|high_school=New Hope Academy}}
{{CBB roster/Player|sex=w|first=Jade|last=Rutledge|num=23|pos=F|ft=5|in=10|class=so|rs=|home=Buffalo, New York|high_school=Cardinal O'Hara High School}}
{{CBB roster/Player|sex=w|first=Saige|last=Glover|num=25|pos=F|ft=6|in=0|class=sr|rs=|home=Columbus, Ohio|high_school=Northland High School}}
{{CBB roster/Footer
|head_coach=
- Jada Pierce ({{college|West Chester}})
|asst_coach=
- Brianna Chambers ({{college|Cal State Bakersfield}})
- Lester Harbin (Lees–McRae)
- Kayla DeCriscio ({{college|Pitt-Johnstown}})
|roster_url=https://purpleeagles.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/2023-24
|accessdate=February 19, 2024
}}
References
{{Reflist}}