LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Thursday was an exciting day for the only HBCU in Louisville as they got to celebrate "Lady Falcon's Day".
The women's basketball team at Simmons College of Kentucky won the championship title at the National Christian College Athletic Association on March 16.
Lieutenant Governor of Kentucky Jacqueline Coleman stopped by the school's library to bestow the highest honorable status in the state to the entire team.
"What the public saw and what was on the court is a fraction of the challenges that you face as a collegiate student athlete," Coleman said.
In the second year of the school's revival of the program the Lady Falcons became champions.
"It's not so often that we get to celebrate something like that in Kentucky so I wanted to make it special," Coleman said. "Thanks to Governor Andy Beshear I was able to make all the women on the basketball team, and the coach, and the athletic director Kentucky Colonels. Which is the highest honor you can get in the Commonwealth of Kentucky."
Coleman presented the honor to each individual and said the school will now face pressures to do it again next year.
A family member of two students on the team, Mancy Seay, was in audience to watch this happen. She's been cheering on the team at every game she was able to attend.
"I wanted them to have a good experience, but I never imagined they would go this far," Seay said. "It's historical for us and I know Simmons is a historical college, but we're still making history and that's pretty cool."
Simmons College of Kentucky Athletic Director Jerry Eaves said their goal wasn't to just win but to also produce new leaders for the community. While at the podium he told the team that he's never held them accountable on how many points made or games they won, but that he's held them accountable for how they act and respond to adversity.
College graduate player Zephaniah Gray said the title of being a Kentucky Colonel is a blessing to her.
"Honestly I'm very excited to get a lot of recognition for this opportunity and I just can't wait to see what the future will hold for me," Gray said.
The team said they hope to step up to the challenge of bringing this title back home next season.
The celebrations continued throughout the day with a parade from the library to the main campus where they ended the day with a community party.
Make it easy to keep up-to-date with more stories like this. Download the WHAS11 News app now. For Apple or Android users.
Have a news tip? Email assign@whas11.com, visit our Facebook page or Twitter feed.