MADISON, Wis. -- University of Wisconsin-Platteville women's basketball team has been picked to finish fifth in theWisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) in 2014-15, according to a preseason poll conducted by the league's head coaches and sports information directors.
UW-Platteville has four returning starters from last year's unit that tied for fourth in the WIAC standings - marking the best finish since the 1989-90 campaign. The Pioneers will be looking for their first back-to-back top-four conference finish in 25 years. UW-Platteville has 87.0 percent of its scoring back, including the top-three scorers in seniors Alyssa Krajco (17.0 points per contest), Stacy Clark (16.5) and Rachel Cropp (10.7). Krajco and Clark ranked second and third in the league in scoring, respectively, while Clark topped the conference with a 53.8 field goal percentage. The Pioneers will play five of their first seven games at home.
UW-Oshkosh enters the 2014-15 campaign ranked fifth nationally in the D3hoops.com preseason poll and is the preseason pick to win the WIAC Championship. The Titans have won 11 WIAC regular-season championships and claimed their second WIAC tournament crown a year ago, while advancing to the "Sweet 16" of the NCAA Division III Championship. UW-Oshkosh welcomes back four starters and 75.4 percent of its scoring, including senior Katelyn Kuehl and sophomore Taylor Schmidt, who each contributed 10.2 points per contest. Kuehl was fourth in the WIAC with 7.4 rebounds per game.
The Titans have placed third or higher in the league standings 19 times in the past 25 seasons, including second-place finishes each of the last two seasons. UW-Oshkosh opens with seven of the first 10 games away from Kolf Sports Center and will play just two non-conference home contests.
UW-Whitewater, ranked No. 14 by D3hoops.com, is slotted for second in the nine team league derby after making its second straight Final Four showing a season ago – finishing third. The Warhawks also achieved a 16-0 mark in WIAC contests marking just the seventh time in conference history a team has posted that record. In 2013-14, the Warhawks were fifth in NCAA Division III with a 77.6 free-throw shooting percentage and 15th with a 36.2 three-point field goal percentage. The lone returning starter is junior Abbie Reeves, who made a team-high 54 three-point field goals. UW-Whitewater has posted a 43-5 record at Kachel Gymnasium the last four seasons, but will play just four of its first 11 at home.
UW-Stevens Point loses four starters, but returns 50.4 percent of its scoring and 60.0 percent of its rebounding from a year ago. Sophomore Lauren Anklam is back after contributing 7.5 points per contest and adding a team-best 38 steals and 40 three-point field goals made. UW-Stevens Point has claimed seven WIAC tournament titles – the most of any league program. The Pointers have won at least 20 overall games and 10 WIAC contests in 13 of the last 14 seasons. Head coach Shirley Egner tops the conference's all-time wins list with 474 victories – a mark the ranks 19th among active NCAA Division III coaches.
UW-Superior has four starters back from the 2013-14 squad that advanced to the WIAC tournament title game for the first time in program history. Leading the returnees is senior Sally Linzmeier, who claimed conference player of the year recognition a season ago. She enters the season with 1,211 career points and needs just 90 to become the school's all-time leader. Linzmeier holds the school record with 242 career steals and ranks fourth with 440 field goals made and 303 free throws made. The Yellowjackets play eight of their first 10 games on the road, giving them only two on their home court before the calendar flips to 2015.
UW-Eau Claire welcomes back all five starters, including four players that played in all 25 games, from a year ago. The Blugolds also bring back their top-six scorers and returning players accounted for 88.4 percent of their points and 72.5 percent of their rebounds. Leading the returnees is junior Tennie Lichtfuss, who topped the squad with 13.9 points per game, 88 assists and 63 steals. UW-Eau Claire will play six of its first seven games at Zorn Arena.
UW-Stout brings back 10 of its top-12 scorers and four of its top-six rebounders from last season. The Blue Devils' roster includes six seniors, which is the largest senior class since 2009-10. Leading the returnees is junior Kyleigh Hebert, who was second on last year's squad with 10.8 points per game. Senior Brea Boomer averaged 8.4 points and 5.2 rebounds per game, while senior Katelynne Folkers contributed 7.5 points and a team-best 6.6 rebounds per contest. Head coach Mark Thomas is the longest tenured women's basketball coach in league archives.
UW-La Crosse's 2014-15 roster includes nine freshmen, four sophomores and three juniors. Sophomore Rachel Atchison reached double-figures in 14 games a year ago, averaging a team-best 11.3 points per game. Head coach Lois Heeren needs eight victories to record 200 in her career with the program. The Eagles will play three of their first four WIAC games on the road, but finish the schedule with four of the final six at home.
UW-River Falls does not have a senior on this year's roster. Junior Richell Mehus is back after leading the squad with 9.9 points per game. The Falcons also welcome back Jessie Van Wyhe, who missed all of last season due to injury. Head coach Cindy Holbrook is six wins away from reaching 200 in her career. The Falcons will play just one of their first six contests at Karges Center.
2014-15 Preseason Predictions--Voted on by WIAC Head Coaches and Sports Information Directors
2013-14 Record
1. UW-Oshkosh 26-4 overall, 13-3 WIAC
2. UW-Whitewater 27-5, 16-0
3. UW-Stevens Point 17-10, 9-7
4. UW-Superior 16-12, 7-9
5. UW-Platteville 13-13, 7-9
6. UW-Eau Claire 7-18, 5-11
7. UW-Stout 11-15, 7-9
8. UW-La Crosse 10-15, 4-12
9. UW-River Falls 6-19, 4-12
Team Nuggets
UW-Eau Claire
Head Coach: Tonja Englund; 15th season at UWEC; 254-135
Letterwinners Returning/Lost: 8/5
Starters Returning/Lost: 5/0
Returning All-WIAC: Tennie Lichtfuss, Jr., G (2014-First); Courtney Lewis, Sr., F (2013-Honorable, 2014-Honorable)
UW-La Crosse
Head Coach: Lois Heeren; 22nd season (16th at UWL); 243-297 (overall) / 192-194 (at UWL)
Letterwinners Returning/Lost: 6/10
Starters Returning/Lost: 1/4
Returning All-WIAC: None
UW-Oshkosh
Head Coach: Brad Fischer; 3rd season at UWO; 46-10
Letterwinners Returning/Lost: 9/3
Starters Returning/Lost: 4/1
Returning All-WIAC: Katelyn Kuehl, Sr., F (2014-First); Ashley Neustifter, Jr., G (2014-Honorable); Taylor Schmidt, So., G (2014-Honorable)
UW-Platteville
Head Coach: Megan Wilson; 5th season at UWP; 32-69
Letterwinners Returning/Lost: 10/3
Starters Returning/Lost: 4/1
Returning All-WIAC: Stacy Clark, Sr., F (2014-First); Rachel Cropp, Sr., G (2014-Honorable); Alyssa Krajco, Sr., F (2014-First)
UW-River Falls
Head Coach: Cindy Holbrook; 15th season at UWRF; 194-170
Letterwinners Returning/Lost: 12/4
Starters Returning/Lost: 3/2
Returning All-WIAC: None
UW-Stevens Point
Head Coach: Shirley Egner; 26th season at UWSP; 474-199
Letterwinners Returning/Lost: 9/5
Starters Returning/Lost: 1/4
Returning All-WIAC: None
UW-Stout
Head Coach: Mark Thomas; 28th season at UWST; 442-275
Letterwinners Returning/Lost: 16/3
Starters Returning/Lost: 3/2
Returning All-WIAC: Brea Boomer, Sr., F (2013-Honorable); Kyleigh Hebert, Jr., G (2014-Honorable); Katelynne Folkers, Sr., G (2014-Honorable)
UW-Superior
Head Coach: Donald Mulhern; 18th season (9th at UWS); 207-230 (overall) / 81-125 (at UWS)
Letterwinners Returning/Lost: 11/1
Starters Returning/Lost: 4/1
Returning All-WIAC: Sally Linzmeier, Sr., G (2012-Honorable, 2012-All-Defensive, 2013-First, 2013-All-Defensive, 2014-First/Player of the Year, 2014-All-Defensive)
UW-Whitewater
Head Coach: Keri Carollo; 13th season at UWW; 234-107
Letterwinners Returning/Lost: 7/15
Starters Returning/Lost: 1/4
Returning All-WIAC: None