A year ago Mary Washington was big-time frustrated after falling to Bowdoin in the Sweet 16. This season, with nearly the same team back, the defensive stalwart Eagles have reached the national semifinals, and one of the reasons is the growth of 6-3 inch junior center Liz Hickey into a dominant player.

We wrote about the Eagles and their arrival onto the national scene with a flourish last season. This season, it's their step up to another level. Hickey has done that and then some, no more so than when she survived playing with four fouls late in the come-from-behind Elite Eight win against Bowdoin.

Read about the culmination of a year's effort, both for Hickey and her team, in this Road to Springfield feature.

Good health has led to good basketball for NYU sophomore Jessica McEntee, the UAA Player of the Year. A herculean (some might say "Jordanesque") second half by the 5-11 forward put the Violets into the Final Four and McEntee even further into the national spotlight.

It's a heck of a lot better than last year for McEntee. She's healthy now, other than the broken nose that requires her to wear a protective mask during games. Learn about the climb to the top in a Road to Springfield feature.