The Mount Vernon Nazarene College women's basketball team finished the 1995-96 season with a deceptive 10-19 overall record and a 3-15 Mid-Ohio Conference mark. Eight of the Lady Cougars' losses where by ten points or less, including six MOC contests.
MVNC opened the season by flying to Kansas for the MidAmerica Nazarene College Tip-off Tournament. After defeating William Jewell (MO) College in the opening round, the Lady Cougars fell to the host Lady Pioneers in the championship game. Senior Monique Maher and freshman Beverly Peters were named to the All-Tournament Team for their performances.
Upon their arrival back in Ohio, the team went on a three-game winning streak with victories over Wilberforce University, Lake Erie College, and Thiel (PA) College. The latter two victories came in the Lady Cougars' first-ever tournament, the Wazie Shootout. For their efforts in helping MVNC claim the tournament title, Peters and Maher were selected to the All-Tournament Team. Peters was named the tournament's first most valuable player after nailing seven of her fifteen three-point attempts against Thiel in the championship game, both new school records.
Following the Wazie Shootout, the Lady Cougars lost three close games to Wilmington College, Kenyon College, and Tiffin University. However, the team righted itself against Notre Dame College as Maher pumped in an MVNC single-game record 34 points to lead the way in the come-from-behind victory. She also tied the single-game record with nine steals in the contest.
The Lady Cougars continued to play well as they defeated Malone College in their next game. Then, right before Christmas break, the team lost to Cedarville College. With their record at 6-5, the team took two weeks off for the holidays.
In the first game back after the holiday season, MVNC found its newest star. Freshman center Tara Seiter, who missed the first five games of the season because she was still playing for the Lady Cougars' volleyball team, was penciled into the starting line-up for the first time. She did not disappoint anyone as she scored 27 points and snagged 11 rebounds to lead the team to victory over Denison University.
Despite their stronger inside game, MVNC lost the next seven games. Finally, the Lady Cougars ended their skid with a victory over Malone. They also defeated Ohio Dominican College as they finished the regular season with a 9-18 record.
Then, MVNC faced Malone in a playoff game for the eighth seed in the MOC Tournament. In the final home game of her career, Maher scored 19 points, snagged a game-high 13 rebounds, and blocked a school-record seven shot attempts. She combined with Kathy Potter (5 blocks) and Krystal Wright (1 block) to set a new team record with 13 total blocks in the game.
With the victory, the Lady Cougars traveled to top-seeded and fifth-ranked Shawnee State University for an MOC quarter-final game. Despite trailing by 16 points in the first half, the team fought back to take the lead in the second half. However, Shawnee State prevailed in the end 78-65 to end MVNC's season.
Maher established three new MVNC single-season records with 489 points, 183 field goals made, and 95 steals. She was also the team leader in free throw percentage (77.1 percent) and blocked shots (40). She started in all 29 games, and scored in double figures in 24 games. For her efforts, she was named to the All-MOC First Team and the National Christian College Athletic Association All-District Team. She also was named to the NCCAA All-American First Team, becoming the first Lady Cougar basketball player to make the First Team. Besides her achievements on the court, she was also honored for her work in the classroom by making the All-MOC Academic Team, the NCCAA Academic All-American Team, and the NAIA Academic All-American Team.
Maher finishes her brilliant career as the Lady Cougars' all-time leader in points (1,319), field goals made (481), free throws made (280), free throws attempted (374), and games played (105). She also ranks second in career blocked shots (98) and steals (200), third in career three-pointers made (77), fourth in career rebounds (628), and eleventh in career assists (181).
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