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FLINT — Three years ago Southwestern Michigan College had a women’s basketball coach, but no team.

The college had not fielded athletics in more than 25 years. While the Roadrunners had a rich athletic tradition, despite that, no one was quite sure what would happen with SMC hit the court for the 2022-23 season.

Coach Jeanine Wasielewski spent the better part of a year combing the gymnasiums of southwest Michigan and northern Indiana looking for the best talent for the Roadrunners’ inaugural season.

She brought the likes of Edwardsburg’s Macey Laubach, Niles’ Kamryn Patterson and Amara Palmer, Michigan City, Indiana’s Arianna Lemons, Hazel Crest, Illinois’ Cameron Thomas, Goshen’s Tori Eldridge and Constantine’s Charlee Baucom to Dowagiac.

Before she left after one season to become an assistant coach at Rutgers, Wasielewski’s team posted an impressive 18-9 record in its first season, and qualified for the Great Lakes District Tournament.

Jay Jenkins was tabbed to replace Wasielewski. He built upon what she had started, and now in just its second season back on the hardwood, Southwestern Michigan tied for first place in the Michigan Community College Athletic Association and earned the top see in the Great Lakes District B Tournament, which wrapped up Saturday afternoon.

After losing to St. Clair County Community College in the MCCAA semifinals last weekend, the Roadrunners earned its revenge against the Skippers, beating them 69-56 to advance to the National Junior College Athletic Association Division II Tournament in Joplin, Missouri, March 18-23.

Laubach was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player, while Thomas, and St. Louis, Missouri’s Nalani Williams were named to the all-tournament team after helping SMC win the championship.

Southwestern Michigan College will be making its first national tournament field for the first time since 1994 when the Roadrunners defeated Chattahoochee Valley Community College 81-72.

Thomas, who had 19 points in the semifinals against Lakeland Community College on Thursday, led the Roadrunners with 21 points, while Laubach finished with 20 points, 15 rebounds, five assists and a pair of steals. Williams added 14 points, 17 rebounds and a trio of assists.

Southwestern Michigan led from start to finish.

The Roadrunners (26-5) scored the game’s first six points, and led by as many as 13 points in the first quarter.

The Skippers (25-6) were able to finally get their feet under them and cut the lead to 20-12 by the end of the opening quarter.

St. Clair County was able to close to within four points — 20-16 — early in the second quarter, but would never get any closer.

Southwestern Michigan pushed its advantage back to double digits with 2:41 to play in the opening half on a pair of Palmer free throws.

The Roadrunners settled for a 35-26 lead at halftime.

The Skippers were able to get the lead down to five points in the third quarter, but once again, Southwestern Michigan pushed it back up to 10 points midway through the third on a 3-pointer by Thomas.

St. Clair County trailed by 14 points entering the final 10 minutes of the contest.

The Skippers closed the gap to eight points midway through the fourth quarter, but were never able to get any closer as Southwestern got the lead back to double figures and put the game away at the foul stripe where it hit 9-of-11 attempts.

Amanda Kitchen, who also made the all-tournament team, had a huge game for the Skippers with 23 points, 21 rebounds and five blocked shots.