1Congratulating the Drexel University Women's Basketball Team on
2its outstanding season, which culminated in winning the
3Women's National Invitation Tournament Championship on April
46, 2013.

5WHEREAS, On April 6, 2013, the Drexel University Women's
6Basketball Team, the Dragons, became the first Division I
7women's team in Philadelphia to win a national postseason
8tournament when they defeated Utah in the National Invitation
9Tournament Championship by a score of 46-43; and

10WHEREAS, The Dragons' hard-fought victory is also the first
11time a Philadelphia Division I team ended its season with a
12national tournament championship since the Villanova Men's
13Basketball Team won the National Invitation Title in 1994; and

14WHEREAS, The team's four seniors, in their last game for the
15Dragons, made vital contributions and led their team to victory;

1and

2WHEREAS, Senior forward Nicki Jones, who missed the season's
3final 15 games due to a knee injury, was one of the loudest
4supporters of her teammates on the court; and

5WHEREAS, Senior guard Renee Johnson-Allen, who during the
6season arguably became the Dragons' best rebounder, made one of
7the most important plays late in the game when she skillfully
8managed to keep the ball inbounds, leading to teammate Hollie
9Mershon's go-ahead layup; and

10WHEREAS, During the game, senior forward Taylor Wootton, who
11played more games than anyone who ever wore a Drexel uniform,
12became the 21st player in Drexel University Women's Basketball
13history to reach 1,000 career points and finished her career
14with 1,003 points; and

15WHEREAS, Speaking of her team's historic win, senior forward
16Hollie Mershon, Women's National Invitation Tournament Most
17Valuable Player and season leading scorer, stated, "there's
18definitely nothing better than playing on your home court and
19winning a championship game and cutting down the net you were
20playing on for the whole season"; and

21WHEREAS, The Dragons finished their season with an impressive
2228-10 record, the most single-season wins in school history; and

23WHEREAS, The team, led by head coach Denise Dillon and
24associate head coach Amy Mallon and their assistants, consisted
25of seniors Renee Johnson-Allen, Nicki Jones, Hollie Mershon and
26Taylor Wootton, juniors Fiona Flanagan, Tory Thierolf and Jamila
27Thompson, red-shirt junior Abby Redick, sophomore Jackie Schluth
28and freshmen Carrie Alexander, Meghan Creighton, Rachel Pearson
29and Pandora Wilson; and

30WHEREAS, It is fitting to recognize such exceptional

1individuals whose dedication, hard work and teamwork put them in
2a class all their own; therefore be it

3RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives congratulate the
4Drexel University Women's Basketball Team on its outstanding
5season, which culminated in winning the Women's National
6Invitation Championship on April 6, 2013.