HR0890LRB097 20902 KXB 67753 r


  
1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

  
 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of 
3Representatives are pleased to congratulate the Illinois 
4Wesleyan Women's basketball team on winning the NCAA Division 
5III National Championship; and
  
 
6    WHEREAS, Illinois Wesleyan beat third-ranked George Fox 
7University, 57-48, on March 17, 2012 at Hope College; the 
8Titans, who had more losses entering the Final Four than the 
9other 3 teams combined, won the tournament through their 
10defense and the scoring of tournament MVP Olivia Lett; and
  
 
11    WHEREAS, Both teams shot 32% as Illinois Wesleyan beat 
12George Fox in the national tournament for the second 
13consecutive time; the Titans won a national quarterfinal 
14matchup last season to reach their first Final Four; and
  
 
15    WHEREAS, Illinois Wesleyan (28-5) overcame a 48-43 deficit 
16with 3 minutes, 46 seconds remaining; the Titans took the lead 
17on a Melissa Gardner 3-pointer with 1:06 to go; Melissa set a 
18Titans' single-season record for 3-pointers this year; and
  
 
19    WHEREAS, Olivia

Lett, who netted a game-high 22 points, 
20scored the final 6 points by making all of her free-throw 
21attempts; and
  
 
 
 
HR0890- 2 -LRB097 20902 KXB 67753 r

1    WHEREAS, The Coach of the Titans is Mia Smith; the 
2Assistant Coaches are Andrea Travelstead, Melanie Ward, Chad 
3Cusac, and Tasha Gaston-Bell; the Titans are Brittany 
4Hasselbring, Kasey Reaber, Melissa Gardner, Lexi Baltes, 
5Colleen McMahon, Abbey White, Whitney Scurlock, Taylor Reaber, 
6Michelle Bilek, Olivia Lett, Katy Seibring, Amy Burton, Karen 
7Solari, Annie Brown, and Shelby Jackson; and
 
8    WHEREAS, Head Coach Mia Smith was named the 2012 Schelde 
9North America/Women's DIII News "Coach of the Year"; she led 
10the Titans to a 28-5 overall record and the 2012 Division III 
11national championship; in her 14th season at Illinois Wesleyan, 
12she has an overall record of 282-108 and is 145-51 in the 
13College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (.725) with 6 
14league championships and 7 NCAA Division III appearances; and
 
15    WHEREAS, Her 2011 team finished fourth in the nation; she 
16has coached 5 All-Americans, including 2012 D3hoops.com 
17"Player of the Year" Olivia Lett, 35 all-conference selections 
18and 4 CCIW "Most Outstanding Players"; she has been the CCIW 
19"Coach of the Year" 4 times, regional coach of the year 3 
20times, and Illinois Basketball Coaches Association Division 
21III "Coach of the Year" 3 times;

therefore, be it
  
 
22    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE 
 
 
HR0890- 3 -LRB097 20902 KXB 67753 r

1NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that 
2we congratulate the Illinois Weslyan University Titans and 
3Coach Mia Smith and wish them continued success in the future; 
4and be it further
  
 
5    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be 
6presented to the Titans and to Coach Mia Smith as a symbol of 
7our respect and esteem.