Kathleen Payne breaks scoring record

GOSHEN — Goshen native Kathleen Payne finished the season, and her college basketball career, by re-writing the record books. With 1,686 points and 740 rebounds, she broke all of SUNY Plattsburgh’s scoring records in women’s basketball.

On March 3, Payne was named Player of the Year by the State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC), the first from SUNY Plattsburgh to receive the honor.

The Plattsburgh State’s Cardinals capped its season with a heartbreaking loss to Castleton. Payne’s stellar final season was marred only by the team’s loss in the final game.

Payne led the Cardinals to its first-ever SUNYAC Championship, and the team earned its first-ever berth at the national championship. Payne was Plattsburgh's leading scorer and rebounder, averaging 19.7 points and 7.6 rebounds per game.

On March 7, Plattsburgh won its first NCAA Division III Women’s Basketball Tournament at Bowdoin College in Brunsnwick, Maine, beating Roger Williams University, 67-56. Plattsburgh was then 23-5.

During the game, another senior, Tequilla Lloyd, posted a game and career-high of 18 points. Payne registered 17 points and nine rebounds. Sophomore Devona Paul amassed 14 points, and the team put on a solid performance.

Plattsburgh then went into the second round of the NCAA Tournament the next night, March 8, against the Castleton Spartans, who upset Bowdoin College 64-62 in the second first-round game on Friday.

But it wasn’t meant to be. In the beginning of the second half, Plattsburgh’s Cardinals had a 20 point lead. But Castleton’s Spartans came back with a vengeance. Castleton won, 76-70.

But Plattsburgh and Payne had an outstanding season. In fact, Plattsburgh had its best ever. And when she leaves Plattsburgh in June with a degree in criminal justice, she'll leave behind a record for others to strive to break, if they can.