On March 1, the Piedmont women’s basketball squad took home their first-ever CCS conference title with a 64-51 win over 3-seed Belhaven.

The Lions were regular season CCS champions before the tournament, with only two conference losses, none of which were at home. Winning the regular season guaranteed them home-court advantage and the title of tournament host. The advantage was shown throughout the championship game as Piedmont took over in the second half, outscoring Belhaven 18-11 in the third quarter. 

Andelin Hill, Nae-Nae Eades and Ashley Scott were awarded All-Tournament Team honors. One player stuck out during the championship game – Eades. 18 of her 20 points came from the free-throw line, shooting 18/22 from the stripe. Eades’s leadership and ball handling skills were exhibited in key moments during the championship, and she was named the CCS Tournament MVP.

CCS Player of the Year Andelin Hill had a tremendous championship game, pulling down a career-high 19 rebounds.

“It means the world to be a conference championship team. This is seriously the best day ever,” said Hill. “We have worked so hard and put so much time into the game. It’s amazing to see it all pay off on our home court with our fans behind us.” 

The championship is the first for the Lions since 2019 when they won the USA South title. Head coach Jamie Purdy continued her legacy in her 20th season at Piedmont, and crafted one of the best teams in Lions’ history.

The win punched the Lions’ ticket into the Division III National Tournament – and the squad has never been more ready.