The Texas Christian University women’s basketball team has advanced into the March Madness Round of 16 for the first time in program history.
TCU took down Louisville in the second round to advance into the Sweet 16 and will now prepare for a matchup against Notre Dame on Saturday, March 29.
The Horned Frogs were led in this game by graduate student Hailey Van Lith, who contributed 16 points and 10 assists while playing all 40 minutes of game time.
Van Lith was emotional following the game and said she has “endured a lot” during her collegiate career, spending time at three different universities over the last five years.
“I keep a lot of it close to my chest, but I’ve been through a lot, and to see myself reap the harvest of the hard work I’ve always put in and to be in an environment where I feel joyous every day, it does make me emotional,” she added, according to ESPN.
TCU senior Agnes Emma-Nnopu, who led the Horned Frogs with 23 points in the second-round win, said this team has improved greatly over the season, and the program will only continue to grow in coming years.
“It’s really special for us to have a season that we’re having,” she said, per ESPN.
“This is just the beginning of TCU as a program, and I think it’s going to be one of those big names in women’s basketball.”
The Horned Frogs have put together an incredible season, which has also included winning the Big 12 regular-season championship and the Big 12 tournament, marking the first time in program history that a title has been secured.
TCU played Notre Dame earlier in the season during the Cayman Islands Classic and walked away with a 76-68 win, but the Horned Frogs will have a difficult task taking down the Fighting Irish a second time.
Notre Dame has lost just four games since losing to TCU and easily took down Stephen F. Austin and Michigan in the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament.
Although the date of this matchup has already been scheduled, the NCAA has not announced the current tipoff time.