Women’s Basketball Sixth Seed in ECAC Tournament

Framingham, Mass. – After capturing a share of the 2014 Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) regular season title and advancing to the MASCAC Tournament finals, the Framingham State University women's basketball team has been selected the sixth seed in this week's Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Division III New England Women's Basketball Championship Tournament.

The Rams are making their first ECAC Tournament appearance since 2001 and just their second appearance in program history after compiling a 17-11 record under first year head coach Walter Paschal.  Framingham State will travel to third seed Wheaton College, who has a 20-7 record, on Wednesday evening.  The winner will advance to the semifinals on Saturday with the tournament concluding on Sunday.

The Rams finished as tri-regular season champions of the MASCAC after going 8-4 in the conference.  As the third seed, by virtue of the conference tiebreakers, the Rams defeated sixth Worcester State in the tournament quarterfinals and second seed Westfield State in the semifinals before falling to top seed Bridgewater State in the tournament finals.

Framingham State is led by senior guard Kristen Hoffman (Foxboro, Mass.) and freshman forward Alycia Rackliffe (Feeding Hills, Mass.).  Hoffman, a first team All-MASCAC selection, averaged 14.8 points, 6.8 rebounds and 3.1 steals per game as she became the program's second all-time leading scorer.  Rackliffe, who missed the first half of the season with an injury, has been recognized as the MASCAC Rookie of the Year and been tabbed as the conference Rookie of the Week six times.  Rackliffe is averaging 13.4 points, 9.7 rebounds and 2.8 blocks per game with five double doubles.

Rounding out the tournament field are top seed Emmanuel College who will face eighth seed Brandeis University, second seed Endicott College who will entertain seventh seed Wellesley College, and fourth seed Smith College who will host fifth seed Rivier University in the other quarterfinals on Wednesday.