How's your bracket? It might be time to put team loyalty aside for a night and cheer on a local athlete instead.

Beacon, NY in the NCAA Tournament

It's not everyday that our hometown is represented on one of college sports' biggest stages, let alone by a team's scoring leader, but here we are! Tonight, the Beacon Bulldogs' own Lauren Schetter, who now plays for the Pace University Setters, will be representing the Hudson Valley in the NCAA Division II Women's Basketball Championship's Elite 8. It's an underdog matchup, too, with the Setters gearing up to face off against the top-seeded North Georgia Nighthawks.

Pace Athletics
Pace Athletics
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You can skip ahead to the link to watch below, but the most exciting part of the game tonight is that Pace University hasn't made it this far in the tournament in over twenty years, and a win would put them in uncharted territory: the Final Four. They're also being led by homegrown talent.

Beacon's own Lauren Schetter is Pace University Setter's leading scorer (Pace Athletics)
Beacon's own Lauren Schetter is Pace University Setter's leading scorer (Pace Athletics)
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Making History

Pace University in New York City didn't even have a basketball program last year due to COVID-19, which adds even more excitement to what the team has already accomplished. Beacon's Lauren Schetter shared the team's elation and surprise:

These last couple of days, we've always been going up to each other and be like, 'This does not feel real at all.' If you asked us a couple months ago, if we would make it to the Elite Eight, we would definitely say probably not. It's an awesome feeling, but it also doesn't feel real.

Schetter has a lot to be proud of individually, too. After their win over Daemen to advance to the Elite Eight, Schetter was named Most Outstanding Player. So how can we support our local athlete?

Pace Athletics
Pace Athletics
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How to Watch

Luckily, the NCAA is making it easy for Hudson Valley residents to cheer on our former Bulldog. They are offering a stream available HERE on their website. Game starts at 7pm Eastern tonight (Monday 3/21/2022)!

This isn't the first time the Hudson Valley has made a mark in elite sports. Check out the list of local Olympians below.

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