Rock Valley, Milwaukee, & Morton to represent Region IV in NJCAA National Tournaments
Region IV will be well-represented when it comes to men's basketball teams playing on the national stage this month, as three programs have qualified for their respective national championship tournaments. Rock Valley College will compete in the 2019 NJCAA Division III Championships, while Milwaukee Area Technical College and Morton College both advanced to the 2019 NJCAA Division II Championships.
Rock Valley College will be the #5 seed when they take the floor for the first time in Rochester, Minnesota, on Thursday, March 14. The Golden Eagles are 23-6 after defeating Columbus State Community College (OH) 73-70 in the District II Championship, and will square off with #4-seed Bunker Hill Community College (MA), who brings a record of 27-4. The quarterfinal matchup will tip off at 5:00 p.m., with the winner advancing to Friday's semifinal. Over the past five years, Rock Valley has won national titles in 2014 and 2016, and earned national runner-up in 2015. They own a 10-5 mark all-time in the national tournament. Region IV has claimed the DIII title four times, and has reached the title game ten times since the 1999-2000 season.
At the Division II tournament in Danville, Illinois, Milwaukee Area Technical College will also open as the #5 seed, while Morton College has earned the #13 seed. The Stormers, champions of the District 3 tournament with a 28-5 record, face #12-seed Ancilla College (IN), with a record of 22-9 on Wednesday, March 20 at 1:00 p.m. The Panthers, boasting a 21-12 mark after claiming the District 4 crown, meet up with #4-seed Erie Community College (NY), with a 25-4 record, at 9:00 a.m. on Tuesday, March 19. The winners of those two games will play in the quarterfinals on Thursday, March 21 at 8:00 p.m. MATC-Milwaukee will be making its fourth appearance at a national tournament, with the prior three all coming in Division III and all ending with opening round losses. Morton is also looking for its first win at the national tournament and will be making its fifth appearance. Region IV is the defending champion after Triton College took the title in 2018, marking the second time in region history and the third time in six years with a team in the title game.
It should be noted that Triton College, playing in NJCAA Division I in 2018-19, came one game shy of the 2019 NJCAA Division I Championships with a 96-92 loss to Moberly Area Technical College (MO) in the NJCAA District IV Championship to complete a 30-4 season.
To watch the games, visit NJCAATV.