The nationally ranked Cardinal women’s basketball team is rewriting the record books

Achieving new milestones this season in both the national and program record books, the North Central College women’s basketball team is off to its best start in more than 30 years and garnered its first appearance in the D3hoops.com Top 25 Poll, moving up to No. 21 this week.

The Cardinals host No. 16 Wheaton College on Saturday, Jan. 31, in a battle of top 25 programs.

Under the guidance of head coach Michelle Roof, North Central has posted a 17-1 record—losing only to nationally ranked Wheaton College (16-2) in College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) play. The team has achieved the program’s most wins since 1983-1984, when North Central College made the NCAA Division III final four tournament, after winning the national title at the conclusion of the 1982-1983 season.

The Cardinals currently lead all NCAA Division III programs in scoring margin (96.9 ppg), three-point field goals per game (16.1) and offensive rebounds per game (24.0), while ranking third in assists per game (19.1) and steals per game (15.7). North Central also ranks eighth nationally in blocked shots per game (6.2), while Jamie Cuny ’17 ranks seventh on the individual blocked shots list (3.83 bpg).

North Central has set the NCAA Division III record for three-point field goal attempts (80), tied the record for three-point field goals made (26), consecutive 100-point games (5) and 100-point games in a season (10), in addition to single-game school records for total field goal attempts (114), free throws made (38), free throws attempted (54), rebounds (76), assists (27), blocked shots (10) and winning margin (66 points). The Cardinals have seen three individual school records fall, as Cuny set the single game blocked shots record (10) as well as the single season blocks record (69).

In individual results, Tess Godhardt ’15 scored 40 points in North Central’s double-overtime win over Millsaps College (Mississippi) on Nov. 22.

North Central is beginning the second half of the CCIW schedule this week, traveling to Millikin University on Jan. 28 before hosting the Wheaton College Thunder at 5 p.m. Saturday.

For more information, visit northcentralcardinals.com.