January 21, 2024 – Millikin University will honor the historic accomplishments of the 2005 NCAA Division III National Championship and 1985 third-place Big Blue Women’s Basketball teams on Saturday, January 25, 2025, during Women’s Basketball Alumni Day.
The University will celebrate the contributions that former Big Blue Women’s Basketball players have made to the campus community and Millikin’s athletic legacy.
The Big Blue host North Park at 2 p.m. on Lori Kerans Court in the Griswold Center, and following the game at 4:30 p.m., a reception and social will celebrate the 20th anniversary of the 2005 National Championship team and the 40th anniversary of the 1985 third place team. The reception will take place in the Bob & Debi Johnston Banquet Rooms on the third floor of the University Commons.
Both the game and reception are free to Women’s Basketball alumni and their guests. Registration is required.
“I’m very excited to get the alumni on campus and celebrate all the people that came before the current team,” said first-year Millikin Head Women’s Basketball Coach Kirsten Hammer. “I also get to introduce myself and put faces to names. It’s always a great opportunity to get people on campus who haven’t been here in a while.”
When Hammer took over in July, she became just the fourth Big Blue Women’s Basketball head coach since the program’s start in the 1970-71 season. Harriet Crannell led the program until 1985-1986, and Kerans then led the program through the 2017-18 season. Olivia Lett led the program for six seasons and left following the 2023-24 season to lead NCAA DII University of Illinois Springfield. Entering the 2024-25 season, the program has an 841-427 (.663) all-time record, including 14 CCIW Titles, 17 NCAA Tournament appearances, and a national championship in 2004-05.
“This year is special with the 20th and 40th anniversary of two really high-profile special teams. It’s exciting that you have these moments that don’t happen often, so you’ve got to recognize them when they do,” Hammer said. “Division III basketball has 400 plus colleges, so to even be one of 64 to make the NCAA tournament is an honor. To be the last one standing is so hard and there is such a small margin of error. You must have talent, chemistry, culture, and also a little bit of luck.”
“It’s always a little bit of a roller coaster when you take over a team and put in a new system and new culture, but it’s been great,” Hammer said. “Our record doesn’t show that greatness, but we have definitely hit a stride here these last few weeks, and you can see a different play style. The buy-in has been great, and everybody on campus is awesome. Working with our support system has made the transition go smoothly.”
