By: COURTESY OF UMAINE-FARMINGTON SPORTS INFORMATION

CASTINE, Maine – The University of Maine at Farmington women's basketball team booked its trip to the 2026 NCAA Division III National Tournament after clinching a 70-58 win over Maine Maritime Academy in the North Atlantic Conference (NAC) Championship on Saturday afternoon.

The victory marks the Beavers' first trip to the NCAA Tournament since 2007.

How It Happened

The first quarter featured back-and-forth action as both teams settled in. Farmington struck first, as Jaydn Pingree (Jay, Maine) scored six of the team's first eight points to give the Beavers an 8-4 lead over the opening five minutes.

The Mariners, who turned the ball over six times in the first five minutes, regrouped and responded with a 10-2 run over a span of 1:41 to take a four-point lead. Hailey Blanchard and Savannah Fergusson each knocked down key threes during the surge.

A bucket from Lilly Gray (Benton, Maine) and a three-pointer from senior Ruby McMinis (Wells, Maine) made it 15-14, with the Beavers clinging to a narrow advantage heading into the second quarter.

The teams traded baskets over the first three and a half minutes of the second quarter before a pair of layups from Melissa Mayo (Bridgton, Maine) ignited a 13-0 run that put Farmington ahead 35-21 with three minutes remaining in the half. Pingree added a pair of layups during the stretch, and junior forward Jessica Dow (Saco, Maine) converted a three-point play and followed with two more layups to cap the run.

Evelyn Dagan hit a three-pointer and Addison Forry added a layup in the closing minute to trim the deficit to 35-26 heading into halftime.

The Mariners continued to chip away early in the third quarter, opening the half on a 7-2 run that included a mid-range jumper and a deep three from Dagan, capped by a Jacquelin Castro jumper in the lane to make it 37-33 just two minutes into the period. The run extended as Blanchard completed a three-point play and Forry added a transition layup to cut the deficit to one.

Farmington's dynamic duo of Pingree and Dow helped steady the Beavers and halt the Mariners' momentum. The pair scored nine of the team's next 11 points during an 11-4 run to close the quarter, giving Farmington a 50-42 lead entering the fourth.

A Pingree layup off a feed from Dow, followed by Dow splitting a pair at the free-throw line, pushed the Beavers' lead back to 11 with nine minutes remaining.

Maine Maritime refused to go quietly, thanks in part to the hot shooting of senior guard Grace Huntwork. Huntwork hit a mid-range jumper and later drilled a pair of threes, helping the Mariners cut the deficit to just four with under two minutes to play.

Farmington responded by locking in defensively and executing offensively, scoring six straight points to regain a double-digit lead with 35 seconds remaining. Pingree converted two layups, while Dow and junior guard Audrey Mackie (South Thomaston, Maine) each knocked down a pair of free throws down the stretch to seal the victory.

Stats of the Game

Farmington
Field Goal Percentage: 46.4% (26-for-56)
Three-Point Percentage: 21.4% (3-for-14)
Free Throw Percentage: 66.7% (15-for-22)
Rebounds (Total, Off-Def): 33 (6-27)
Turnovers: 13

Maine Maritime
Field Goal Percentage: 36.7% (22-for-60)
Three-Point Percentage: 30.4% (7-for-23)
Free Throw Percentage: 58.3% (7-for-12)
Rebounds (Total, Off-Def): 40 (12-28)
Turnovers: 20

Leaders – Farmington

• Pingree led the Beavers with 25 points on 11-of-18 shooting, adding nine rebounds, four assists, and three steals.
• Dow also had a strong performance, finishing with 19 points on 6-of-10 shooting from the floor and 7-of-9 from the free-throw line. She added seven rebounds, three steals, and two assists.
• Mackie provided a spark off the bench with eight points, knocking down a pair of threes in 19 minutes.

Leaders – Maine Maritime

• Huntwork led the Mariners with 10 points, hitting two three-pointers in 26 minutes.
• Castro recorded nine points and 10 rebounds in 23 minutes.
• Forry added nine points, three steals, and four rebounds.

Up Next

The Beavers will await their NCAA Tournament opponent, which will be announced at 1:00 PM on Monday.