WIAC Women's Basketball Preview

Madison, Wis. – The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse women's basketball team is predicted to finish second in the 2019-20 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) standings in a preseason poll conducted by the league's head coaches and sports information directors.  The preseason poll was announced by the conference office Monday.

UW-Oshkosh is the preseason favorite in the WIAC after winning the league's regular-season and tournament title a season ago. The Titans advanced to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III "Sweet 16" in 2018-19 as they finished 26-4 overall and 12-2 in the conference.  UW-Oshkosh returns 12 letter winners and two starters. 

UWL is projected to place second in the conference race in 2019 -20 followed by UW-Whitewater, UW-Eau Claire, UW-Stout, UW-Platteville, UW-Stevens Point, and UW-River Falls.
 

Karen Middleton starts her fourth year as the Eagles' head coach in 2019-20, compiling an overall record of 54-26 (.675) and conference mark of 28-14 (.667). UWL finished 22-5 overall and 10-4 in the WIAC in 2018-19, recording its most overall wins since going 22-7 in 1987-88.  The Eagles' 10 league wins were the most since finishing 12-4 in 2010-11.  UWL advanced to the 2019 WIAC Championships Semifinals for the third straight year under Middleton and fifth time overall as the team tied for second overall in the league standings.   

The Eagles were 10-2 at home in 2018-19 while setting a school record in three-point field goals made (195) and attempted (579). 

UWL finished 16-10 overall and 9-5 in the WIAC in 2017-18, advancing to the WIAC Championships Semifinals for the second straight year under Middleton's tutelage.  The Eagles made their first appearance in the tournament semifinals since 2011 in 2017 while earning their highest seed (second) in school history in 2018.  UWL was 16-11 overall and 9-5 in the conference in Middleton's first season in 2016-17, recording its most overall and conference wins since finishing 16-10 overall and 9-7 in the WIAC in 2011-12.
 
UWL returns 11 letter winners and all five starters in 2019-20. Three players have earned All-WIAC honors, including senior guards Dani Craig of Coralville, Iowa (Iowa City West) and Delaney Schoenenberger of Janesville (Craig) and sophomore guard Emma Gamoke of Onalaska (H.S.). 

Craig was a 2018-19 All-WIAC First Team selection after earning honorable mention awards in 2017-18.  She started all 27 games last season, leading UWL in scoring (12.4 per game) and assists (2.6). Craig was second for the Eagles in three-point field goals made (52) and attempted (133) and rebounds (4.9). 

Scoring in double figures in 19 games, Craig had a career-high 24 points at UW-Platteville (Feb. 2). She went eight-of-13 from the field versus the Pioneers, including seven-of-11 from three-point range. The seven 3-pointers set a single-game school record until Gamoke had nine at UW-Eau Claire (Feb. 9). Craig had at least three 3-point field goals in seven different games and at least one in 24 of 27 contests overall.   

She ranked third in the WIAC in three-point shooting (39.1%), fourth in three-point field goals made per game (1.9), seventh in assists (2.6) and ninth in scoring (12.4). Craig was also 13th in the league in field goal shooting (41.6%) and rebounding (4.9).

Schoenenberger was a 2017-18 All-WIAC Honorable Mention choice while Gamoke earned 2018-19 All-WIAC First Team accolades.

Schoenenberger was third for UWL in scoring (10.7) and rebounding (4.7) a year ago while starting all 27 games.  She was third on the team in three-point field goals made (34) and attempted (96) while also finishing third in assists (39).  Schoenenberger was fifth in the conference in three-point shooting (35.4%, 34-of-96), ninth in three-point field goals made per game (1.3) and 14th in scoring (10.7). 
 

Gamoke played in 27 games last year, including 23 starts, while finishing second on the team in scoring (12.2) and leading in three-point field goals made (53) and attempted (158). She also led the Eagles in steals (49) and finished fourth in assists (33) and blocks (17).    

She scored in double figures in 20 contests, including the first 12 games. Gamoke had a career-high 34 points at UW-Eau Claire (Feb. 9), setting a single-game school record with nine 3-point field goals on 13 attempts.  She finished 10-of-15 from the field overall and five-of-six at the free throw line. Gamoke's nine 3-point field goals tied the WIAC single-game record.

Her 34 points are tied for fourth in single-game school history. Kassie Robinson (vs. UW-Stevens Point on Feb. 4, 2012) and Jill Murray (vs. UW-Stevens Point on Dec. 13, 2010) each scored a school record 36 points. Karen Mueller finished with 35 points vs. UW-Oshkosh (Jan. 14, 1984) while Mary Hansen had 34 against the University of Wisconsin (Jan. 25, 1978).  

Recording at least two steals in 13 games, Gamoke had a season-high six against Saint Mary's, Minn. (Nov. 17). She ranked third in the WIAC in three-point field goals made per game (2.0), seventh in steals (1.8) and three-point shooting (33.5%), 10th in scoring (12.2) and 11th in blocks (0.6). 

Other letter winners returning include senior guard Zeporah Jackoyo of Brookfield (Central), junior guard Ava Kramer of Elk River, Minn. (H.S.), and junior center Caitlin O'Brien of Kimball, Minn. (H.S.) along with sophomore guards Jessa Peterson of Onalaska (La Crosse Aquinas) and Kalli Wiebusch of St. Anthony, Minn. (H.S.) and sophomore forwards Carly Coulthart of Sun Prairie (H.S.), Lexie Higgins of Weston (D.C. Everest) and Kyah Steiner of Onalaska (La Crosse Aquinas). 

Kramer and Higgins played in all 27 games a year ago with Kramer starting four contests and Higgins starting 24. Kramer was fourth on the team in scoring (6.9) and second in assists (40) and steals (37). She led UWL in free throws made (76) and attempted (101).  Kramer was eighth in the WIAC in free throw shooting (75.2%). Higgins was fifth in scoring (5.4) last year for the Eagles while leading the team in rebounds (6.0) and blocks (39). Her 6.0 rebounds per game ranked eighth in the conference while her 1.4 blocks were third. 

Coulthart appeared in 26 games with 12 starts while averaging 5.0 points and 3.7 rebounds.  She led the WIAC in three-point shooting at 43.1% (31-of-72) and finished 10th in blocks per game (0.7). 

Steiner played in 24 games, including 15 starts, averaging 4.5 points and 4.2 rebounds.  She finished seventh in the conference in blocks per game (0.9). O'Brien was in 25 games with three starts, averaging 1.1 points and 1.0 rebounds. 

Jackoyo played in 19 games (2.1 points) with Peterson appearing in 17 (2.3 points). Wiebush appeared in five games (1.1 points). 

UWL opens its 2019-20 season Saturday, November 9 at Carroll University (Wis.).