The Niagara women's basketball team returned home after 30 hours stranded in the snow.
The Niagara women's basketball team returned to campus on Wednesday after 30 hours stranded in the snow, athletic director Simon Gray confirmed on Twitter.
.@NiagaraWBB has safely returned to @NiagaraUniv. Perseverance personified. All those that assisted with the rescue effort are #Heroes.
— Simon Gray (@NiagaraAD) November 19, 2014
The team had been stranded since early Tuesday morning on the way back from a 70-54 loss at Pittsburgh on Monday night. The team bus hit the winter storm that's stricken much of Northern New York State around 1 a.m. Tuesday, and had stopped moving an hour later. As of Wednesday morning, the storm had dumped at least 4 feet of snow outside of Buffalo, N.Y., with more expected. At least six deaths have been tied to the storm, according to The Associated Press.
When plows started clearing the snow around the bus early Wednesday morning, Niagara players rejoiced on Twitter.
Thank you god !!! pic.twitter.com/CdBx93ooLx
— #Grind2Shine (@_TC3__) November 19, 2014
A few hours later, state troopers picked up the team and drove them to a nearby police station, where another bus was waiting to take them back to campus.
On our way back to campus now! pic.twitter.com/urg4bYAhiD
— NiagaraWBB (@NiagaraWBB) November 19, 2014
The #NUWBBstrandedonbus hashtag trended on Twitter for much of Tuesday and Wednesday, featuring numerous photos tweeted by team members throughout the ordeal.
State trooper brought water and granola bars. Took babies and passenger off the bus. Thank you thank you! Hope for us all to be home soon.
— Kendra Faustin (@kfaustin) November 19, 2014
#NUWBBstrandedonbus pic.twitter.com/mcqr5yD87t
— Meghan McGuinness (@megmcguinness1) November 18, 2014
@KingJames plz help us get this trending #NUWBBstrandedonbus #NUWBBstrandedonbus we've been stuck on the bus 4 20hrs pic.twitter.com/tZ1S73folB
— #Grind2Shine (@_TC3__) November 18, 2014
Off bus! These gentleman rescued us! pic.twitter.com/e6BhOax7c6
— Kendra Faustin (@kfaustin) November 19, 2014
- Mike Fiammetta