Warriors Win 4th NWAC Women's Basketball Title with 65-58 Victory over Lane
PASCO, Wash. - The Walla Walla Warriors won their fourth NWAC Championship title, defeating Lane 65-58 in the final of the 2025 NWAC Women's Basketball Championship presented by Golf Universe, on Sunday at Columbia Basin College.
The championship is the fourth all-time for the Warriors who finish their season with a 27-5 overall record after winning the East Region. It is the first title for WWCC since 2018, previously winning in 2010 and 2001, all under head coach Bobbi Hazeltine.
The win stopped Lane's impressive attempt at its third-straight title and from a rare undefeated season. The Titans finish the year with a 32-1 overall record.
The first quarter started with the Warriors taking an early lead, highlighted by a three-pointer from Sintia Varela at 8:21 to make it 5-0. After the Warriors led by as much as 9-2, the Titans responded with a series of successful plays, including a three-pointer by Emma McDonald at 4:21, which closed the gap to 9-8. Lane went on a scoring run led by Brittea Byrge and Micah Wicks, building a 16-9 lead at 1:43. The Warriors closed the quarter with a layup by Hadley Fraas at the buzzer to cut the deficit to 16-14.
In the second quarter the Warriors showcased strong offensive play with Hadley Fraas scoring multiple baskets, including a layup at 9:32 and a jumper at 7:46, contributing to a 27-11 advantage in the second quarter for WWCC. The Titans initially took a brief lead with a three-pointer by Maitlin Young at 9:06, but the Warriors responded with consecutive scoring plays, ultimately leading by 14 points at halftime at 41-27. The deficit was the first time the Titans trailed at halftime all season.
Showcasing their resiliency, Lane opened the third quarter with a scoring surge, led by Maitlin Young's three-pointer at 9:02, narrowing the gap to 41-30. Wicks continued the momentum for Lane, hitting a layup, a jumper, and a free throw at 5:21, bringing the score to 45-40. The Warriors' Brielle Magnuson responded with a layup at 6:19 and a jumper at 5:36, maintaining their lead at 45-37. Despite multiple scoring attempts from both teams, Lane's late push with Emma McDonald's fast-break layup at 2:12 and Wicks' jumper at 0:39 brought them within two points, ending the quarter at 50-48 in favor of Walla Walla.
In the fourth quarter, the Warriors took control early with Hadley Fraas scoring a jumper at 9:33, bringing the score to 52-48. The Titans responded with a jumper from Wicks at 8:04, narrowing the gap to 54-50. The quarter saw a back-and-forth battle, with Wicks putting Lane ahead 58-55 at 3:41 after sinking consecutive free throws. However, it was the final points the Titans would score as Walla Walla finished the game on a 10-0 run to secure the 65-58 victory.
Hadley Fraas led the team with 22 points, making 9 of 17 field goal attempts, and contributed eight rebounds and three assists. Sintia Varela was effective from beyond the arc, scoring 9 points with all of her field goals coming from three-point range. Tournament MVP Brielle Magnuson was a key player with 14 points and 11 rebounds. She averaged 22.5 points per game and 10.0 rebounds in the tournament. Hallie Arnold also made significant contributions with nine points on 4-of-6 shooting, along with five total rebounds and three assists. The Warriors as a team were dominant on the boards overall with a 44-34 advantage including 14-08 on the offensive glass.
Wicks, the 2024 tournament MVP, did everything she could to lift the Titans with 25 points while making 9 of 18 field goals, including two three-pointers, to go with four rebounds and assists. Lillee Duffin was secured a game-high 16 rebounds while adding nine points and. Kya Kanoho added 7 points and Emma McDonald contributed across the board with five points, four rebounds, three assists.
The Warriors finish their incredible year with a 27-5 record and on an 11-game winning streak.
Women's Basketball All-Tournament Team
Most Valuable Player – Brielle Magnuson, Walla Walla
Most Inspirational Player – Sintia Varela, Walla Walla
First Team
Micah Wicks, Lane
Lillee Duffin, Lane
Ciera Tugade Agasiva, Peninsula
Brooklyn Fely, Umpqua
Hadley Fraas, Walla Walla
Second Team
Emma McDonald, Lane
Alexa Mackey, Peninsula
Rebekah Beltran, Umpqua
Sintia Varela, Walla Walla
Jaisha Gibb, Walla Walla