At a stoppage of play with lower than three minutes remaining Saturday, seniors Kitty Henderson and Cecelia Collins turned to the Levien Gymnasium crowd and waved.
This was it.
Their closing bow in entrance of their residence crowd.
Their final time enjoying at Columbia was practically within the books.
One other program first was within the queue.
The seniors hugged each other and some teammates as they made their strategy to the bench, testing of the sport for the ultimate time.
Columbia had spent the previous two hours bullying Cornell, making the Huge Purple look small.
Collins had 21 factors and 10 rebounds, and Henderson added 14 factors and 9 assists to guide the Lions to a straightforward 91-58 win that clinched Columbia its first outright Ivy League common season title.
The sport’s closing horn was met with the sound of confetti cannons, which sprayed blue-and-white paper onto the courtroom.
Pals, members of the family and college students stormed the courtroom to hitch the workforce’s celebration as “All I Do Is Win” blasted from the gymnasium’s audio system.
Moments like this have been what coach Megan Griffith had hoped to convey to her alma mater when she took over this system again in 2016.
“I don’t know if it all hit me yet,” Griffith mentioned, “but I have gratitude.”
For the primary practically 30 years of its existence, the Columbia girls’s basketball program took up residency as a bottom-tier workforce.
The Lions had extra single-digit win seasons than 10-plus victory campaigns.
The early days of Griffith’s tenure have been robust.
However the latest successes have made all of it price it.
Columbia is within the midst of its greatest four-year stretch in program historical past.
The Lions have received no less than 22 video games every season throughout this span.
“Sometimes, you just gotta look up and be like, ‘Wow. These people, they really believe in what we’re doing,’” Griffith mentioned, “and to me, that’s what’s so special. We’re not just winning basketball games, we’re creating community here.”
The Lions closed out their season with a 14-1 run and appear destined once more for the Huge Dance.
“There’s nothing like it,” Collins mentioned as she took within the happiness that swarmed her like a heat hug. “I’m definitely feeling like a mix of emotions right now… But it’s not over yet. I’m trying to hold my tears but we have so much more to accomplish.”
Throughout the senior day ceremony earlier than the sport, Henderson pulled Griffith in for a protracted hug at middle courtroom.
For the previous 4 years, Henderson helped elevate Columbia to heights this system by no means reached.
The Lions made their first NCAA Match look in 2024.
They’ve clinched no less than a share of three straight Ivy League regular-season titles.
Henderson was part of all of that, partly, due to the coach who had satisfied her to maneuver throughout an ocean — greater than 9,900 miles — away from residence.
“I just always believed in coach G’s vision,” Henderson mentioned. “I just think I’m so grateful to see it coming to life.”
It’s gamers like Henderson and Collins, although, who’ve helped Griffith make Columbia a budding Ivy powerhouse.
Turning into outright common season champions — and incomes the Lions’ third consecutive share of the Ivy title — checked the primary field on Columbia’s checklist of targets for this month.
“We have unfinished business,” Henderson mentioned. “This is not the end, and we have to keep going. So celebrate today, and then tomorrow, we’re onto the next one.”
Columbia would be the No. 1 seed within the Ivy League event, which opens Friday.
The Lions will play both Brown or Penn, who’re tied for fourth within the league standings. (A tiebreaker might be decided Sunday by the NET rankings.)
The Lions have the prospect to proceed capturing program firsts, together with on the Ivy League Match, which Columbia has by no means received.
In addition they wish to make noise within the NCAA Match.
“This isn’t the end goal,” Griffith mentioned as she gestured to the celebration occurring round her. “This is just part of the journey. And so as long as we can stay focused on each part of the journey, I think we’re gonna keep climbing. We’re gonna keep doing things. We have not maxed out our potential. I know that.”
