PITTSBURGH, Pa. (March 24, 2026) – The Holy Family University women’s basketball team was defeated, 57-52, in overtime by Indiana University of Pennsylvania during the NCAA Division II Women’s Elite Eight on Tuesday afternoon at UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse. IUP was ranked No. 4 and Holy Family No. 21 in the most recent national Division II coaches poll.

Holy Family, the East Region champion, was an at-large selection from the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference. The Tigers were making their first appearance in the Elite Eight and were the first women’s team from the CACC to advance this far in the NCAA D-II Championship. IUP, the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference and Atlantic Region champion, is participating in its fourth Elite Eight and first since 2019.

Holy Family, the No. 7 seed in the Elite Eight, completed regulation time deadlocked at 48-48 with No. 2 seed Indiana. The Tigers’ Taylor Hinkle made a jump shot for the first points of the extra session, and HFU went back in front, 52-51, on a putback by Hinkle with 2:48 remaining. However, the Tigers never scored again. A transition layup and free throw put the Crimson Hawks ahead for good, 54-52, at the 2:04 mark, and IUP closed with three more defensive stops.

Holy Family trailed, 27-19, at halftime, but made up that deficit during the third period. The Tigers extended a one-point lead after three to 48-43 with 4:29 remaining in the fourth. Despite being kept off the scoreboard for the balance of regulation, HFU nearly held on. IUP forced overtime with a field goal with eight seconds left. Hinkle finished with 19 points and 15 rebounds.

The Crimson Hawks (30-3) advance to take on Colorado Mesa University in Thursday’s national semifinals. Holy Family finishes with a won-lost record of 30-5. The Tigers were 20-0 during the CACC regular season.

Holy Family joined the 2010-11 Bloomfield College men as the only CACC basketball teams to advance to an NCAA Division II Elite Eight. The last CACC team in any sport to reach the D-II national semifinals or top four was Concordia (N.Y.) College men’s tennis in 2013.

Founded in 1961, the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference has been affiliated with NCAA Division II for 20 years. Conference institutions compete for championships in 17 sports – seven for men, nine for women, and one co-ed. The CACC contains 11 full members in Connecticut, Delaware, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania. Membership includes the University of Bridgeport, Caldwell University, Chestnut Hill College, Dominican University New York, Felician University, Georgian Court University, Goldey-Beacom College, Holy Family University, Post University, Thomas Jefferson University, and Wilmington University.