Jacksonville University’s Priscilla Williams darted onto the court and wrapped both arms around head coach Special Jennings, lifting her off the ground with a long embrace.
The final buzzer had just sounded in the Dolphins’ (24-8, 13-5 ASUN) 66-63 overtime victory against Austin Peay in the ASUN women’s basketball championship game and the emotions came rushing out.
Advertisement
Williams, who fouled out with 1:27 remaining in regulation, continued to hold on to Jennings as the entire Dolphins’ sideline spilled onto the court of VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena. Jacksonville outlasted the Governors (19-13, 8-10) in a tight contest and booked an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2016.
Going Dancing!: JU’s Priscilla Williams is ASUN Player of Year, Tatum Brown top freshman
“They’ve never quit, they’ve never given up, and they’ve played for each other all season,” Jennings said after the game. “I’ve had a thrill coaching these young women. This is about them. This has been about them and I’m just so happy that we we’re able to get that championship today.”
It took grit for the Dolphins to win, overcoming a late deficit after Austin Peay’s Anovia Sheals sunk two free throws on the heels of Williams fouling out.
Advertisement
But the Dolphins didn’t flinch and responded with a Comari Mitchell floater and Makiya Miller free throw to tie the game at 56 to end regulation.
As the two teams went into the extra period, Jennings only had one message for her team: “They gave us more time, we got them.”
Jacksonville University wins ASUN women’s championship with overtime victory against Austin Peay
![Jacksonville Dolphins forward Mariyah Brown (20) center, celebrates with teammates after Jacksonville University defeated Austin Peay 66-63 in overtime in the ASUN Women's Basketball Tournament Championship at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena Monday, March 9, 2026 in Jacksonville, Fla. [Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union]](https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/8hwFIdJqKWLQOQPCB8olwA--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTY2ODtjZj13ZWJw/https://media.zenfs.com/en/the-florida-times-union/8740b55404adaa64c32bd71bda4a4626)
Jacksonville Dolphins forward Mariyah Brown (20) center, celebrates with teammates after Jacksonville University defeated Austin Peay 66-63 in overtime in the ASUN Women’s Basketball Tournament Championship at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena Monday, March 9, 2026 in Jacksonville, Fla. [Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union]
Jacksonville needed a shot in the arm as the clock ticked down to just under two minutes remaining in overtime. Jennings signaled for timeout and grabbed her clipboard, drawing up a play that’d get the Dolphins the look they wanted.
Advertisement
With the game tied at 60, freshman point guard Tatum Brown lofted a pass to a cutting Mitchell, who snagged the ball out of the air and shot a layup all in one motion. She made the layup after being clipped by an Austin Peay defender and was swarmed by her teammates as the home fans erupted.
It gave the Dolphins the push they were looking for as Mitchell’s basket broke the tie and kept Jacksonville ahead for the remainder of the contest.
“You’ve got to want in. In that moment, I knew that my team needed me,” Mitchell said of the play. “Not having Priscilla on the floor, I knew my team needed me.”
The bucket gave Mitchell 10 points, joining Carmaya Brown (10) and Williams (16) as the only Dolphins to score double digit points.
Advertisement
After a few empty trips by both teams, a baseline jump shot from Mychal White gave Jacksonville a 64-60 advantage with 20 seconds remaining. The Governors didn’t go quietly, though.
Mya Williams made a 3-pointer with 10 seconds remaining—giving her 20 points in 40 minutes of action—to cut the lead to one. But for the second time in this tournament, Makiya Miller, who was named ASUN Tournament Most Outstanding Player after the contest, iced the game with two free throws and the Dolphins were crowned ASUN Tournament Champions.
“Our team group chat is actually called ASUN Champs,” Mitchell revealed after the game. “We named it that back in the summer time when we were clashing, but we were still sticking together.”
ASUN Player of the Year Priscilla Williams shines in tournament final
![Jacksonville Dolphins guard Priscilla Williams (23) celebrates after cutting off a portion of the net after Jacksonville University defeated Austin Peay 66-63 in overtime in the ASUN Women's Basketball Tournament Championship at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena Monday, March 9, 2026 in Jacksonville, Fla.[Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union]](https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/ceJgN1p_HwbeB0KVi89axA--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTg0MztjZj13ZWJw/https://media.zenfs.com/en/the-florida-times-union/eaa7e68784e62e87a38ab5daa59cb79f)
Jacksonville Dolphins guard Priscilla Williams (23) celebrates after cutting off a portion of the net after Jacksonville University defeated Austin Peay 66-63 in overtime in the ASUN Women’s Basketball Tournament Championship at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena Monday, March 9, 2026 in Jacksonville, Fla.[Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union]
Even though Williams watched from the bench for the final six minutes of play, she showed exactly why she was voted the ASUN’s Player of the Year during the tournament finale.
Advertisement
She opened the game with defense, teaming with Brown to trap an Austin Peay player in the opening quarter and force a traveling violation. Then she used her gravity to draw in opposing defenders while setting up easy buckets for teammates.
In the second quarter, Williams tracked down her own miss and drove hard into the lane before whipping a pass to the corner where Brown sunk a three-pointer to give Williams her fourth assist of the game.
“I’ve tried to turn my turnovers down, so this game I was really focused on getting my team the ball,” Williams said after jokingly saying that her coaches always tell her to slow down the game. “I draw a lot of attention, so my team’s always there and they make the plays. I don’t get assists without them scoring the buckets.”
Advertisement
When the Dolphins needed a boost, it was Williams who stepped up to provide it. Whether it was snatching one of her game-high 13 rebounds out of the air, or going to the free throw line where she netted 5-of-5 attempts, she stepped it up in a major way.
Even after fouling out of the game, she was the first player to greet her teammates during breaks and vocal in huddles. It’s the type of intangibles that makes her unique, according to Jennings.
![Jacksonville Dolphins guard Priscilla Williams (23) draws a foul in the fourth period. Jacksonville University defeated Austin Peay 66-63 in overtime in the ASUN Women's Basketball Tournament Championship at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena Monday, March 9, 2026 in Jacksonville, Fla. [Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union]](https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/Dss3mieNJFUsxbpViDp_cA--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTYyMTtjZj13ZWJw/https://media.zenfs.com/en/the-florida-times-union/065098dde7fb515c4190d3a2c2542715)
Jacksonville Dolphins guard Priscilla Williams (23) draws a foul in the fourth period. Jacksonville University defeated Austin Peay 66-63 in overtime in the ASUN Women’s Basketball Tournament Championship at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena Monday, March 9, 2026 in Jacksonville, Fla. [Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union]
“She’s a unicorn. She’s going to be able to do whatever she wants at the next level as long as she’s mentally in the right space and she knows that,” Jennings said as she ran down her attributes. “She can dribble, pass, shoot, rebound, whatever it is you need.”
Advertisement
Williams closed the ASUN chapter of her career with another complete game, logging 16 points, 13 rebounds and four assists in 35 minutes. But her story doesn’t end there because the Dolphins are going dancing.
A Special Season: Jacksonville University secures March Madness bid for first time since 2016
![Jacksonville University head coach Special Jennings celebrates with the trophy after Jacksonville University defeated Austin Peay 66-63 in overtime in the ASUN Women's Basketball Tournament Championship at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena Monday, March 9, 2026 in Jacksonville, Fla. [Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union]](https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/Fqw0a1Pg5H8RgodX327ubA--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTcxMDtjZj13ZWJw/https://media.zenfs.com/en/the-florida-times-union/199d34444bc63155f80af5250fd8b9b3)
Jacksonville University head coach Special Jennings celebrates with the trophy after Jacksonville University defeated Austin Peay 66-63 in overtime in the ASUN Women’s Basketball Tournament Championship at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena Monday, March 9, 2026 in Jacksonville, Fla. [Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union]
Roughly five miles down the road from Swisher Gymnasium, the Dolphins felt right at home on Monday evening. With confetti still on the court and their fans out in full force, one by one players and coaches cut down the nets inside VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena.
While they were very complimentary of Austin Peay after the game, this is exactly what the Dolphins envisioned when they came together. Voted to finish seventh in the ASUN before the season, they bested the expectations of outsiders and cemented one of the best seasons in program history for JU.
Advertisement
The last time the Dolphins went dancing was a decade ago in 2016. It took a lot of grit and grind to get to this point, but it also took someone “special” at the helm to pull it all together.
![Jacksonville University head coach Special Jennings during the first period in the ASUN Women's Basketball Tournament Championship at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena Monday, March 9, 2026 in Jacksonville, Fla. [Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union]](https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/51lYztyrluKjd1Yy07fk6A--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTgyNDtjZj13ZWJw/https://media.zenfs.com/en/the-florida-times-union/2ccaaa460223b58204c415670405c436)
Jacksonville University head coach Special Jennings during the first period in the ASUN Women’s Basketball Tournament Championship at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena Monday, March 9, 2026 in Jacksonville, Fla. [Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union]
“This just feels different. It’s surreal to do it as a player and go to the NCAA tournament four times,” Jennings said in the post-game press conference. “Now as a collegiate coach to do it and take my team to the NCAA tournament, pun intended, is special.”
Jennings appeared in 131 games at Xavier during her playing days while making 115 starts from 2007-2011. She’s tied for fourth all-time in assists at Xavier and won three Atlantic 10 tournament titles during her time in college.
Advertisement
And after just three seasons in Jacksonville, she’s led the Dolphins to their second ASUN tournament title in program history. The Dolphins will find out their status in the NCAA tournament on Selection Sunday, but this was a night they won’t soon forget.
It’s like Jennings said: “It’s special.”
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Jacksonville University wins ASUN title, qualifies for NCAA tournament
