Reigning Champs: NYU Women’s Basketball Shines On and Off the Court

The Violets faced off against Smith College for the championship game last March. When the final buzzer rang, NYU led 77–49, securing victory for the second time in two years. The team won every game this season and last—the eighth-longest winning streak in NCAA women’s basketball history. They also achieved the highest-scoring season in the program’s history with a total of 2,726 points scored. Swish! 

“This season’s championship win means everything to me. It’s not just about the trophy or the title, it’s about the journey we took to get there,” Caroline shares. “Winning again proved that our success wasn’t a onetime thing. It’s built on something real: trust, work ethic, and a love for the game and each other.”

It’s true—this team’s love for each other runs deep. They call themselves “The Sisterhood,” a moniker that reflects their support for one another across all areas, not just basketball. “I think the strong bond we’ve built is the reason why we are so successful,” says Belle Pellecchia. She led the team in field goal percentage, free throws made, and steals per game last season before graduating from the College of Arts and Science. “Any time someone has an injury, we accompany them to doctor’s appointments so no one has to go alone. We support each other in academic affairs. We scream and jump when we find out one of us has landed an internship or a job.”

Head Coach Meg Barber is an NYU Violet through and through. She graduated from NYU herself in 2002 with a degree in economics. As coach, she led the team to not only two NCAA Division III Championships, but four consecutive University Athletic Association Championships. Last spring, both the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association and the Metropolitan Basketball Writers Association named her Division III Coach of the Year. 

“It means the world to me to represent NYU as an alumnus leading the program,” says Coach Barber. “The experience of coaching in a National Championship game with a sea of purple in the stands, including so many of my former teammates and lifelong NYU friends and supporters, was a dream come true. These women have cemented the NYU women’s basketball program in NCAA history. They have left a legacy of transformation within NYU athletics of what is possible.”

The Violets’ success on the court is bolstered by quality time spent off of it. They go out for ice cream, see Broadway shows like Hell’s Kitchen, and even travel to Shanghai for exhibition games. But time spent simply talking, laughing, and being there for one another means the most. “We come from all different places across the country and the world, just like the NYU student body,” says Caroline. “But despite those differences, we’ve built something so close-knit. Our shared goals and values make us family.”

Caroline explains that it’s not just the NYU women’s basketball team that shares a remarkably close bond. “It’s all of NYU Athletics,” she says. “The athletic community at NYU is full of students who work incredibly hard, not just in their sport but in the classroom and beyond. We support one another, show up to each other’s games, and celebrate the successes of every program like they’re our own. In a place as big as NYU, athletics gives us something really special.” 

Now, with a new season nearing, the women’s basketball team has its sights set on a three-peat. Equipped with tremendous skill, dedication, and camaraderie, a third championship title is certainly within reach for this group of athletes. “I would never count NYU women’s basketball out,” says Belle. “They can absolutely do it!”