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Bill

HR 2002

Commending the University of Mary Washington men's basketball team.

2026, 1st Special Session Introduced by Bonita Anthony and 78 co-sponsors

Commends the University of Mary Washington men’s basketball team for winning the 2026 NCAA Division III National Championship, the program’s first national title.

Bill text as passed House (HR2002ER)
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Bill Summary · HR 2002

Summary of HR 2002 (2026S1) – Virginia House of Delegates

Title

Commending the University of Mary Washington men's basketball team.

Purpose and Intent

  • To formally commend and recognize the University of Mary Washington (UMW) men’s basketball team for winning the 2026 NCAA Division III National Championship.
  • To highlight the team’s historic achievement as the university’s first national title for a men’s team in any sport and the first national championship for the university since 1991 (women’s tennis).

Key Provisions and Provisions Summary

  • Official acknowledgment of the team’s national championship:
    • Recognizes the UMW Eagles’ victory over Emory University, 75–73, on April 5, 2026, in Indianapolis, Indiana.
    • Notes the championship as the first national title for a UMW men’s team and the first national title for the university since 1991.
  • Season and performance details cited:
    • Overall 2025–26 record: 30–3.
    • Home record: 16–0 at Ron Rosner Arena (Anderson Center), with program records for both wins and winning percentage.
    • Preseason and final rankings: Started 15th in the D3Hoops.com preseason poll; rose to as high as 2nd; finished the season ranked 1st nationally in NCAA Division III.
  • Conference and tournament achievements:
    • Won the Coast-to-Coast (C2C) Athletic Conference Championship for a second consecutive year, defeating Christopher Newport University in the title game.
    • Advanced to the national championship by defeating top-ranked and defending national champion Trinity College in the NCAA Division III semifinals (Fort Wayne, Indiana).
    • Hosted NCAA Division III tournament games on campus, drawing standing-room-only crowds and elevating the conference’s national profile.
  • Individual honors and milestones:
    • Sophomore guard Kye Robinson surpassed 1,000 career points in 54 games; named C2C Player of the Year and Most Valuable Player of both the C2C Tournament and the NCAA DIII National Championship Tournament.
    • Jay Randall and Ulysses Young named to the C2C All-Tournament Team; Randall and Robinson earned First Team All-Conference honors.
    • Kaden Bates named C2C Defensive Player of the Year; Bates named to the NCAA DIII National Championship All-Tournament Team alongside Jay Randall.
    • Head coach Marcus Kahn achieved his 400th collegiate win in January 2026; recognized as C2C Coaching Staff of the Year, and received national accolades (Glenn Robinson National Coach of the Year; D3Hoops.com 2025–2026 Coach of the Year) alongside assistants Mark Sansone and Chris Lomax.
  • Academic performance:
    • Team posted an average GPA of 3.261 for the fall 2025 semester.
  • Public visibility and impact:
    • Championship game widely covered by national media (ESPN networks and ESPNU), with the game and highlight plays featured prominently.

Who/What Would Be Affected

  • The University of Mary Washington community (students, alumni, faculty, staff) in terms of recognition and pride.
  • Local lawmaking environment by virtue of formal acknowledgment in the Virginia House of Delegates.
  • No fiscal appropriation or policy changes are proposed; the bill functions as a ceremonial commendation.

Procedural and Timeline Details

  • Bill Type: House Resolution (HR), 2026 Special Session I Introduced.
  • Date of Introduction: April 22, 2026.
  • Status: Presented and laid on Speaker’s table (no further legislative action indicated in the document).
  • Sponsors: Primary and co-sponsors include J.G. Cole, Nicole Cole, N.T. Cole, Anthony Rasoul, Reid, and co-sponsors David Reid, Sam Rasoul, Bonita Anthony.
  • Action History: HR 2002 was presented and laid on the Speaker’s table on April 22, 2026.

Overall Assessment

HR 2002 is a ceremonial resolution recognizing and commending the University of Mary Washington men’s basketball team for achieving a historic national championship in 2026, detailing remarkable season statistics, conference success, individual honors, coaching milestones, and the team’s academic performance. It serves as a formal expression of admiration and pride from the Virginia House of Delegates.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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