Saturday, March 14
Las Vegas, NV
12:30 PM
California Baptist University
23-10,15-3WAC
74
vs
58
Abilene Christian University
23-10,13-5WAC
1st quarter1
2nd quarter2
3rd quarter3
4th quarter4
FinalF
Abilene Christian
6
21
19
12
58
California Baptist
15
24
18
17
74
Photo by: Matt Horrocks
Time to Dance! Lancers Punch their Ticket to March Madness with WAC Tournament Win
3/14/2026 3:54:00 PM | Women's Basketball
LAS VEGAS, NV --- Grab your dancing shoes, CBU, California Baptist women's basketball is back in the big dance. In a dominating performance, the Lancers defeated Abilene Christian, 74-658, to win the WAC Tournament Championship and secure a spot in the NCAA Division I Women's Basketball Tournament.
It's the third WAC Tournament Championship for head coach Jarrod Olson, as he adds to the hardware won in both 2021 and 2024.
"These moments are very rewarding as a coach, just to see all of the hard work pay off," said Olson in his post game press conference. "There are many times when they are putting in the hard work, and it doesn't pay off. So, when you get that moment that it does (pay off), it's pretty rewarding."
Saturday's conference championship game was all CBU from the word go. The Lancers scored their first basket of the game 90 minutes into the action, a 3-pointer by Emma Johansson, giving CBU a lead they never relinquished over the next 38:30 of regulation.
CBU outpaced the Wildcats by nine points in the first quarter and followed it up with a 24-point second period to take a 12-point lead into the intermission. Johansson had the hot hand in the first quarter, putting up eight points on a perfect 3-of-3 from the field. Khloe Lemon then grabbed the limelight in the second, scoring eight points on 3-for-5 shooting.
The Lancers pushed their double-digit lead up to 22 points in the second half, as the realization that a trophy was returning to Riverside began to set in. As the final seconds ticked off the clock, CBU stormed the court, starting a celebration that resulted in confetti, a trophy presentation, and the cutting of nets in the Orleans Arena.
Guard Filipa Barros was named the Most Outstanding Player of the 2026 WAC Tournament. Barros finished the championship game with a double-double of 13 rebounds and 11 assists. She scored eight points, finishing two points shy of the first triple-double in WAC Tournament history.
"I'm really proud of Filipa and (Grace Schmidt), in particular, who didn't get a chance to play the last time we won a conference tournament," noted Olson. "They both had to overcome so much with injuries, and they've worked so hard to get here."
Joining Barros on the All-Tournament team were Johansson and Shawnee Nordstrom. Johansson finished with 15 points and three blocks. Nordstrom scored 12 points in Saturday's win.
Freshman Lauren Olsen led the Lancers with 17 points on 7-for-15 from the floor. Lemon ended the night with 13.
"It's been a tough year for her, but I'm just proud of the way she came out," said Olson on Lemon's performance. "She's been a great teammate all the way through. She has really good energy on the bench when she isn't in the game. Then today, it just goes to show that you don't always know when your moment is going to be. She came in and gave us a huge lift in the first half."
CBU is 23-10 with Saturday's championship win, matching the most wins in a single season in the Lancers' Division I history (2021-22).
The Lancers will learn their next destination on Sunday as part of the NCAA Selection Show on ESPN. The 2026 bracket will be released at 5 p.m. (PT).
It's the third WAC Tournament Championship for head coach Jarrod Olson, as he adds to the hardware won in both 2021 and 2024.
"These moments are very rewarding as a coach, just to see all of the hard work pay off," said Olson in his post game press conference. "There are many times when they are putting in the hard work, and it doesn't pay off. So, when you get that moment that it does (pay off), it's pretty rewarding."
Saturday's conference championship game was all CBU from the word go. The Lancers scored their first basket of the game 90 minutes into the action, a 3-pointer by Emma Johansson, giving CBU a lead they never relinquished over the next 38:30 of regulation.
CBU outpaced the Wildcats by nine points in the first quarter and followed it up with a 24-point second period to take a 12-point lead into the intermission. Johansson had the hot hand in the first quarter, putting up eight points on a perfect 3-of-3 from the field. Khloe Lemon then grabbed the limelight in the second, scoring eight points on 3-for-5 shooting.
The Lancers pushed their double-digit lead up to 22 points in the second half, as the realization that a trophy was returning to Riverside began to set in. As the final seconds ticked off the clock, CBU stormed the court, starting a celebration that resulted in confetti, a trophy presentation, and the cutting of nets in the Orleans Arena.
Guard Filipa Barros was named the Most Outstanding Player of the 2026 WAC Tournament. Barros finished the championship game with a double-double of 13 rebounds and 11 assists. She scored eight points, finishing two points shy of the first triple-double in WAC Tournament history.
"I'm really proud of Filipa and (Grace Schmidt), in particular, who didn't get a chance to play the last time we won a conference tournament," noted Olson. "They both had to overcome so much with injuries, and they've worked so hard to get here."
Joining Barros on the All-Tournament team were Johansson and Shawnee Nordstrom. Johansson finished with 15 points and three blocks. Nordstrom scored 12 points in Saturday's win.
Freshman Lauren Olsen led the Lancers with 17 points on 7-for-15 from the floor. Lemon ended the night with 13.
"It's been a tough year for her, but I'm just proud of the way she came out," said Olson on Lemon's performance. "She's been a great teammate all the way through. She has really good energy on the bench when she isn't in the game. Then today, it just goes to show that you don't always know when your moment is going to be. She came in and gave us a huge lift in the first half."
CBU is 23-10 with Saturday's championship win, matching the most wins in a single season in the Lancers' Division I history (2021-22).
The Lancers will learn their next destination on Sunday as part of the NCAA Selection Show on ESPN. The 2026 bracket will be released at 5 p.m. (PT).
Team Stats
ACU
CBU
FG%
.308
.441
3FG%
.313
.259
FT%
.889
.778
RB
36
37
TO
18
10
STL
5
13
Game Leaders
Pts
17
FGM
7
3FGM
1
FTM
2
Pts
15
FGM
6
3FGM
2
FTM
1
Pts
13
FGM
5
3FGM
2
FTM
1
Pts
12
FGM
5
3FGM
0
FTM
2
Players Mentioned
G
/ Women's Basketball
F
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's Basketball
F
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