The University of Mary Washington men’s basketball team will be honored with a city-wide celebration this weekend following its historic NCAA Division III national championship. The university’s Fan Fest is scheduled for Saturday, April 18, from 3 to 5 p.m. at the Anderson Center on the Fredericksburg campus, with a team trolley traveling through downtown ahead of the event.
The celebration will include fan activities, food trucks, and opportunities for the public to meet players and celebrate the title.
In a recent interview with Potomac Local News Regional Editor Kelly Sienkowski, head coach Marcus Kahn reflected on the journey that led to the program’s first national title and a 30-3 season.
“Yeah, there were really two,” Kahn said when asked when he first realized the team had championship potential. “One was kind of early in the season. We’re a young team, and we challenged ourselves. We went out to Pittsburgh for the Great Lakes Invitational, a tournament, and played two teams that, in most years, are among the better teams in the country, and came out 2–0. So I knew that we were ready to compete against the best.”
He continued, “And then later in the year, maybe the most defining moment for me was we actually lost two games in a row. So coming off those two losses in the same week, it was: how were we going to respond as a team, and what would we do in our next game? Our next game was against Christopher Newport, which had been one of those losses. So I knew we were playing a really good team, and the way we bounced back and competed told me we had the resilience and makeup to continue making a big run. At that point, I thought, okay, we’re going to be just fine.”
Kahn credited the team’s mental commitment and culture for carrying them through the long season. “Their love for each other, their love for the team, their love for the game—they were in it for the right reasons,” he said. “And really committed to not letting each other down. I think that was a really big part of this group. One of the more fun, and probably the most fun team I’ve ever coached, and winning aside, they’re just a good group of guys.”
The players stayed grounded by volunteering with the local Upward basketball program for kindergarten through eighth-graders during winter break. “We love working with Upward,” Kahn said. “We’ve done it for a couple of years now. … It’s a great way to give back to the community. And what’s really fun is seeing those Upward teams come to our games afterward. It becomes a mutual relationship.”
Fan support also played a major role, especially during the NCAA Tournament. “It was a lot of fun,” Kahn said. “Especially toward the end of the season, as the crowds grew. … Then it really culminated in the NCAA Tournament when we were hosting early rounds. We had standing room only in our last home game—students literally up in the walkways watching. It meant everything to our guys.”
A core principle that guided the season, Kahn explained, was discipline. “Discipline in how we prepare every day, and not looking for shortcuts. … This year, what made it so rewarding is we stayed true to who we were from September to April.”
Kahn was named Division III National Coach of the Year following the championship run, an honor he credited to his players and staff. “There are a lot of people who have played a role in me even having my name associated with that award,” he said.
He hopes the players remember more than just the trophy. “I hope they remember that shared experience, and how positive it was for their time here at Mary Washington,” he said.
A buzzer-beating finish delivered the first national championship in program history for the University of Mary Washington men’s basketball team—and earned head coach Marcus Kahn national recognition.
“It took a second to set in… it was pure joy,” Kahn said of the moment his team secured the Division III title, capping a 30–3 season.
That moment came on April 5 in Indianapolis, when sophomore forward Colin Mitchell’s putback layup at the buzzer lifted the Eagles to a 75-73 victory over Emory University in the national championship game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Kye Robinson, the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player, led UMW with 27 points.
The win marked the first national title for any UMW men’s team and the program’s first since women’s tennis in 1991.
The run-up to the championship showcased the team’s depth and resilience throughout the season. After the early statement in Pittsburgh, the midseason back-to-back losses tested the group, but the immediate response—including a key win over Christopher Newport—confirmed their championship makeup.
They claimed the Coast-to-Coast Athletic Conference tournament title in Santa Cruz, California, then hosted NCAA Tournament games at the Anderson Center with record crowds. Student buses followed the team to Indianapolis, where they defeated top-ranked Trinity (CT) in the semifinals before the dramatic final.
