By Laura Amato
It started with pick-up games in a driveway upstate. Now the Rowland sisters are rebuilding the Queens College women’s basketball program.
MacKenzie, Madison and Merrick Rowland grew up playing basketball together—whether it was drills in the gym or a bit of friendly family competition or even leading their high school squad to postseason glory. But while their pasts have been chock-full of hoops highlights, the Rowland sisters never thought about playing college basketball together. In fact, their roundabout road to Knights stardom is a bit of a surprise for everyone involved.
“I think a lot of people think it was some sort of devious plan I had all along. I didn’t,” said Queens College coach Elizabeth Naumovski. “I recruited MacKenzie first at an AAU event and she wasn’t playing with either of her sisters on the team. So I saw her for who she was and when I was recruiting her, she didn’t even mention that she had sisters who were good at playing basketball.”
MacKenzie was the first Rowland sister to commit and it wasn’t until the family came down for a pre-season brunch with the team that Naumovski even realized there was more basketball talent in this particular gene pool. The trio’s father, Derrick, was quick to point out that middle-sister Madison was looking for a college program and it only took Naumovski a few moments of watching her play to realize she was a perfect fit for the Knights.
It didn’t take long for Madison to agree.
“It became like a family thing to be able to play with MacKenzie again,” she said. “It’s awesome because not everyone gets to experience that. You’re playing with people who you’ve had chemistry with for years and years and years.”
Fast forward another year and youngest sister Merrick was suddenly part of the mix as well, although her road was a bit tricker. Naumovski went upstate to see the youngest Rowland play—this time at the request of mom Stacey—and wasn’t impressed.
“I went to go see Merrick play and she had an awful game,” she said. “And I just didn’t know if she was going to help us.”
Merrick spent her first year of college at Niagara County C.C. and turned things around. She set the program record in three-pointers and finished second in the country from distance. Suddenly, there was a need for her in Queens.
“We had been an awful three-point shooting team, like one of the worst in the conference, and that turned out to be Merrick’s speciality,” Naumovski said. “We actually needed her.”
With all three Rowland sisters in Queens last season, the trio set out to help reshape the program and so far it’s been working.
Madison, the all-time leading scorer in program history, led the nation in steals—again—last season, MacKenzie was named All-Met First Team and Merrick shot a blistering 90 percent from the line. All three were driving forces behind the Knights’ postseason run and an appearance in the NCAA Division II East Regional. The only thing the trio can’t seem to do is dribble—a skill they say their younger brother got.
“We all kind of balance each other out,” Merrick said. “The one thing one of us can’t do, someone else can.”
There’s no sisterly feuds between the trio, no bickering over minutes or points, only a fierce competitiveness to win and to work as hard as possible. It’s a trait they bring to every aspect of their lives—the group has even started their own business together during the offseason, a designated-driver service.
The Rowlands don’t mind being grouped together—that’s how it’s always been. After all, the trio knows they’re strongest together, especially on the court. And, this year, they’re relishing that opportunity.
“It’s actually really fun because Kaitlyn [Mahon] and Beth [Bonin], the other two starters, they’re called first. So then it’s just me, MacKenzie and Merrick left on the bench,” Madison said. “All I can think about is that our mom would love to take a picture of this right now.”
