Thomas More University will celebrate the highly successful seasons of its men’s and women’s basketball teams during a ceremony at 7 p.m. Wednesday at Connor Convocation Center that’s open to the public.
The TMU women’s team won the NAIA national championship and the men’s team made it to the semifinals of the NAIA playoff bracket that began with 64 teams from all across the country.
Jeff Hans was named NAIA Coach of the Year in women’s basketball for guiding the Saints to six playoff victories, including a 77-65 win over Dordt University of Iowa in the title game on Tuesday.
This is the third national championship the TMU women have won under Hans, who has a 293-27 record in 11 seasons. His teams won NCAA Division III championships in 2016 and 2019. Last year, the Saints lost in the NAIA championship final.
Ryan Batte, a junior guard on the TMU men’s team, was a first-team NAIA All-America selection. He averaged 21.5 points and 7.4 rebounds this season and was named to the NAIA all-tournament team after averaging 22.8 points, 8.8 rebounds and 3.2 assists in five playoff games.
In the semifinals of the NAIA men’s tournament, Batte scored 33 points in a 78-77 overtime loss to Talladega University of Alabama. The Saints ended the season with a 31-5 record.
Taylor Clos, a senior guard on the TMU women’s team, received honorable mention in the NAIA All-America women’s balloting for averaging 10.5 points, 2.2 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game this season. She also shot 88.2 percent from the free throw line.
After the national championship game, Clos was named to the NAIA all-tournament team and TMU forward Alexah Chrisman received the most valuable player award. Chrisman averaged 10 points and 5.7 rebounds in six playoff games. In the title game, she had 16 points, seven rebounds and two blocks for the Saints, who finished the season with a 32-4 record.