Division III national championship ends on wild buzzer-beater as Mary Washington wins first title

Colin Mitchell's last-second layup lifts Mary Washington over Emory for the school's first national championship in any sport since 1991.

Apr. 6, 2026 at 3:50am

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In a dramatic finish, Colin Mitchell hit a put-back layup at the buzzer to lift Division III Mary Washington to a 75-73 victory over Emory in the men's basketball national championship game. The remarkable sequence happened after Kye Robinson airballed an awkward shot, but Mitchell was there to grab the rebound and quickly score the game-winning points.

Why it matters

This is a historic moment for Mary Washington, as it marks the school's first national title in any sport since its women's tennis team won in 1991. For the men's basketball program, it is the first national championship in school history, capping a remarkable 30-3 season.

The details

With the game tied 73-73 and 12 seconds left, Emory's Ethan Fauss hit a game-tying 3-pointer to force a final possession. Mary Washington's Kye Robinson then charged down the court, but his shot attempt airballed. Fortunately for the Eagles, Colin Mitchell was there to grab the rebound and quickly put up the game-winning layup as time expired.

  • The national championship game was played on April 5, 2026 in Indianapolis, Indiana.
  • Mary Washington finished the season with a 30-3 record, the new program record for wins.
  • This was Mary Washington's first national title in any sport since the women's tennis team won in 1991.

The players

Colin Mitchell

The Mary Washington player who hit the game-winning layup at the buzzer to secure the national championship.

Kye Robinson

The Mary Washington player who airballed the shot that led to Mitchell's game-winner, but was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player after finishing with 27 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists and 4 steals in the championship game.

Ethan Fauss

The Emory player who hit the game-tying 3-pointer with 12 seconds left to force the final possession.

Marcus Kahn

The head coach of the Mary Washington Eagles, who led the team to its first national championship.

Mary Washington Eagles

The Division III men's basketball team that won its first national title in school history.

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What they’re saying

“We trusted Kye to get to the spot. And he got there and shot a good shot. Right place, right time.”

— Colin Mitchell, Mary Washington Player

“I feel like I was not taking the easiest shot possible. I feel like I was making it kind of hard on myself. And then once I felt my leg buckle a little bit, I was like, 'Oh, I just have to get it up.' Definitely the best missed shot of my life.”

— Kye Robinson, Mary Washington Player

What’s next

The Mary Washington men's basketball team will look to build on its historic national championship season and aim to defend its title next year.

The takeaway

This dramatic buzzer-beater victory not only gives Mary Washington its first national championship in any sport since 1991, but also marks a remarkable achievement for the men's basketball program to win its first-ever national title. The school's perseverance and resilience in the final seconds of the game exemplify the spirit of Division III athletics.