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| Team Pages: EC, LC, OSH, PLT, RF, STP, ST, SUP, WW |
|
RELEASED: Thursday, November 6, 2008 UW-Whitewater Tabbed Women’s Basketball Preseason Favorite
The Warhawks earned the fourth title in school history a year ago and received eight first-place votes in the conference poll. UW-Whitewater is ranked No. 1 nationally in the D3hoops.com preseason poll coming off the most successful season in program chronicles. Last year’s squad established WIAC records with 2,728 points scored, 208 three-point field goals made and 594 assists en route to a third-place national finish and school-record 29 victories. The Warhawks return 18 letterwinners and three starters, including senior Tiffany Morton and juniors Kelsey Hendrickson and Heidi Sonntag. Hendrickson shot 46.0 percent from the behind the three-point line a season ago, while Sonntag converted 41.5 percent of her three-point attempts. UW-Eau Claire, ranked No. 25 nationally, picked up the remaining first-place tally in the conference predictions and is pegged for second in the nine-team derby. The Blugolds shared last year’s title - the ninth in school history - with the Warhawks, while advancing to the second round of the NCAA tournament. Over the last two seasons, UW-Eau Claire has compiled a 25-2 record, including a 16-0 mark in WIAC contests, at Zorn Arena. Senior Heidi Arciszewski ranks 14th on the school’s all-time scoring list with 1,003 points. UW-Stevens Point graduated six seniors that accounted for 1,193 of the team’s 2,166 points, 460 of the 1,078 rebounds grabbed and 2,753 of the 5,826 minutes played a year ago. The Pointers shot at a 76.8 percent clip from the free throw line - a mark that ranked third in the NCAA Division III and established a league record. UW-Stevens Point became the first non-No. 1 seed to claim the WIAC tournament title as the No. 3 seed last year. The Pointers have produced 20-plus wins in seven of the last eight seasons and reached double-figures in WIAC victories eight consecutive years. UW-Stout has recorded 16-plus victories 16 times in the last 18 years, including six 20-plus win seasons. The Blue Devils have placed fourth or higher in the league standings 13 consecutive years. Junior Julia Hirssig shot 64.8 percent from the field last year, a mark that led the NCAA Division III and ranks second on the WIAC chart. Head coach Mark Thomas is the longest-tenured coach in the WIAC with 21 seasons to his credit, along with a conference-leading 372 victories. UW-La Crosse set a school record shooting 74.9 percent from the free throw line a year ago. The Eagles also had two individuals named to the All-WIAC first team for the first time since the 1987-88 campaign. Senior MacKenzie Hunter, who has started 77 of 79 career games, could become the first player in school history to earn All-WIAC honors all four seasons. Senior Lindsay Wahl established school marks with 125 free throws made and 170 free throws attempted last season. UW-Platteville’s 2007-08 squad broke the school record with 161 three-point field goals made and return their top three-point shooters in sophomore Angie Vamstad (36.5 percent) and junior Vanessa Nemitz (33.9 percent). Sophomore Brianna Klaas is expected to play this season after making a full recovery from cancer. The Pioneers will play 11 of their first 12 games away from home. UW-Oshkosh’s roster consists of five freshman, nine sophomores and one junior with eight players who have started at least four games. The Titans return 948 of their 1,512 points scored, 453 of their 770 rebounds collected and 3,212 of their 5,200 minutes played a year ago. UW-Oshkosh has had an All-WIAC first team selection every season since the 1981-82 campaign. UW-River Falls will participate in an exhibition contest against the University of Wisconsin to start the year. The Falcons are 1-1 all-time against the Wisconsin ‘junior varsity’ with the two teams last playing on Dec. 13, 1980 and UW-River Falls emerging with a 74-72 win. The Falcons finish the season with four of their last five games at home. UW-Superior’s roster includes 10 freshmen and a trio of junior college transfers. The Yellowjackets begin the year with 11 of their first 14 contests away from Mertz Mortorelli Gymnasium. 2008-09 Preseason Picks (Voted on by WIAC Sports Information Directors) ( )--First-Place Votes
Team Tidbits UW-Eau Claire UW-La Crosse UW-Oshkosh UW-Platteville UW-River Falls UW-Stevens Point UW-Stout UW-Superior UW-Whitewater # # # # #
|
| Past Seasons Review |
Team Records |
| Past Team
Champions WIAC Tournament All-Time Results |
| Year-By-Year/Game-By-Game
Results (1990-05) Series Results (Since 1990-91) All-Time Standings (Since 1978-79) |
All-Time
All-WIAC Selections |
| All-Americans Academic All-Americans |
| NCAA Division III Statistics |
| D3Hoops.com Women's Basketball Coaches Association |
MADISON, Wis.--Defending league co-champion, University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, is the preseason favorite to win the 2009 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) women’s basketball championship, according to the conference’s sports information directors. |
Official Basketball of the
WIAC
