Women's Basketball

2015-16 Women’s Basketball Season Preview

Contact: Lou Groce, Director of Media and Information, 920-229-8157

GRINNELL, Iowa – The 2015-16 women’s basketball season tips-off tonight as Illinois College heads to Eureka College and continues Saturday when St. Norbert College heads to the University of St. Thomas for what will be a big early season test for the Green Knights. 

Preseason Poll 

St. Norbert is the favorite to win its sixth conference title in the past seven years.  The Green Knights garnered the maximum number of first-place votes in the annual Midwest Conference Preseason Coaches’ Poll.  It should come as no surprise as St. Norbert returns nearly every player from last season including three All-MWC selections.  In total, the conference returns seven All-MWC players from last season including Beloit College’s Lana Wieseman, who was named a Preseason Honorable Mention All-American by Women’s DIII News.   

Conference action is right around the corner with Lawrence University traveling to Ripon College and Cornell College trekking to Lake Forest College on Nov. 21. 

Below is a team-by-team preview of each the 11 Midwest Conference Programs. 

Beloit College Buccaneers
Head Coach: Jennifer McCormick (5th season) 24-68 overall, 19-53 MWC
2014-15: 8-15 overall, 7-11 MWC
Projected 2015-16 MWC Finish: 8th
Letterwinners returning: 11
Letterwinners lost: 0
Starters returning: 5
Returning All-MWC Performer: Lana Wieseman

The Bucs return all five starters this season so experience should not be an issue in Beloit.  Senior Lana Wiseman, a First Team All-MWC selection last year, was named an Honorable Mention All-American by DIII Women’s News after averaging a conference-best 20.3 points per game and pulling down an average of 8.6 rebounds.  She needs just 299 points to become the Bucs’ all-time leading scorer.  Laura Panicali will also provide some scoring after averaging 12.1 points per game last season. 

Carroll University Pioneers
Head Coach: Kris Jacobsen (17th season) 247-160 overall, 180-102 MWC
2014-15: 16-8 overall, 13-5 MWC
Projected 2015-16 MWC Finish: 2nd
Letterwinners returning: 7
Letterwinners lost: 7
Starters returning: 2
Returning All-MWC Performer: Malory Christenson

Second Team All-MWC pick Malory Christenson returns to lead the Pioneers in 2015-16 and Carroll will once again have high expectations.  The Pioneers earned a first-place vote in the Midwest Conference Preseason Coaches’ Poll and were picked to finish second in the league.  Christenson averaged 14 points per game last year and led the team in minutes played.  Also returning to the starting lineup is Rachel Van Sluys.  Van Sluys scored 10.3 points per game a season ago, but may take some time to get her basketball legs underneath her as she is the leading scorer on the Pioneers’ women’s soccer team that won the MWC Tournament and has advanced to the NCAA Tournament. 

Cornell College Rams
Head Coach: Brent Brase (11th season) 115-134 overall, 45-9 MWC
2014-15: 15-10 overall, 12-6 MWC
Projected 2015-16 MWC Finish: 3rd
Letterwinners returning: 10
Letterwinners lost: 3
Starters returning: 2

The Rams are projected to make their fourth straight Midwest Conference Tournament since rejoining the league prior to the 2012-13 season despite the loss of two of the best players in the program’s history.  Replacing Rikki Mulloy and Taylor Dicus will be no easy task, but the Rams return three experienced starters from last season in Haley Grana, Maggie Hogen and Kellie Kuzmanic.  Kuzmanic is already fourth on the Cornell all-time list with 227 assists and is ninth in three-pointers made with 71.  Hogen and Madie Rinehart will be a difficult duo to score on for opposing post players, as they already rank fourth and seventh in career blocks at Cornell.  First Team All-MWC volleyball pick Diamond Boyd will be back on the hardwood this winter as well after taking last season.  In 2013-14 she averaged over six points and five rebounds. 

Grinnell College Pioneers
Head Coach: Dana Harrold (3rd season) 13-33, 10-26 MWC
2014-15: 10-13 overall, 8-10 MWC
Projected 2015-16 MWC Finish: T6th
Letterwinners returning: 12
Letterwinners lost: 2
Starters returning: 5
Returning All-MWC Perfomer: Alissa Hirsh

The Pioneers made huge strides in head coach Dana Harrold’s second season at return all five starters from a vastly improved club.  Senior guard Alissa Hirsh was a First Team All-MWC last season after averaging 19 points per game in conference play and leading the team with 94 assists.  Kayla Morrissey and Alex Neckopulos will be a solid 1-2 punch again down low.  Morrissey averaged nearly 12 points per game a season ago, and Neckopulos pulled down over 11 rebounds per game. 

Illinois College Lady Blues
Head Coach: Lora Westling (3rd season) 26-21 overall, 21-15 MWC
2014-15: 14-10 overall, 11-7 MWC
Projected 2015-16 MWC Finish: 5th
Letterwinners returning: 6
Letterwinners lost: 5
Starters returning: 3

The Lady Blues will have a lot of new faces when they open the 2015-16 season as of 11 of the team’s 17 members will be freshman.  The loss of MWC Player of the Year Hannah McGinnis will be difficult, but the return of sophomore Melissa Solorio should lighten the blow.  Solorio averaged 11.7 ppg as a freshman and just over five rebounds and there will be plenty more for the taking this winter.  Senior Jill Friedrich will provide experience in the backcourt and should slide into the starting lineup on a more regular basis this year after averaging eight points per game and finishing second on the team with 41 assists last year.  Forward Ashley Hoegger will need to step up as well after a solid sophomore campaign in which she averaged 7.3 points and 3.5 rebounds. 

Knox College Prairie Fire
Head Coach: Emily Cline (8th season) 52-109 overall, 37-85 MWC
2014-15: 11-12 overall, 9-9 MWC
Projected 2015-16 MWC Finish: 9th
Letterwinners returning: 12
Letterwinners lost: 8
Starters returning: 2

The Prairie Fire are coming off of their best season in head coach Emily Cline’s tenure and hoping to continue to build of last season’s success.  Knox’s 11 wins last season were the most for the program since the 2001-02 season and its nine wins in MWC play were the most since 1996-97.  Naja Woods and Jamie Blue are the Prairie Fire’s top returning scorers at 8.4 and 7.9 points per game, respectively. Blue also finished averaging nearly five rebounds per game, which was good for second on the team.  Knox’s fast-paced attack finished second in Division III last season in scoring and in three-pointers made a season ago. 

Lake Forest College Foresters
Head Coach: Tamlyn Tills (8th season) 83-80 overall, 70-52 MWC
2014-15: 12-11 overall, 11-7 MWC
Projected 2015-16 MWC Finish: 4th
Letterwinners returning: 10
Letterwinners lost: 6
Starters returning: 2
Returning All-MWC Performer: Michelle Ricolcol

Second Team All-MWC Performer Michelle Ricolcol will lead the Foresters’ charge to get back to the MWC Tournament after missing out via a tiebreaker in 2014-15.  Ricolcol averaged over 10 ppg in MWC play last season and was a solid all-around player, grabbling close to three rebounds per night, and finishing third on the team in both assists and steals.  She was also the Foresters’ top three-point threat, knocking down 21 triples.  K.C. Stralka (7.3 ppg, 6.3 rpg) and Brie Majkowski (6.8 ppg) will also be key contributors this winter. 

Lawrence University Vikings
Head Coach: Ashley Wellman (3rd season) 4-42 overall, 1-35 MWC
2014-15: 1-22 overall, 0-18 MWC
Projected 2015-16 MWC Finish: 11th
Letterwinners returning: 8
Letterwinners lost: 5
Starters returning: 4

With the return of four starters from last year’s team, the Vikings should be improved from last season.  Liz Arco is Lawrence’s top returner after averaging 8.7 ppg and 5.7 rebounds.  Andrea Wilkinson will also be an important factor in the Vikings’ season.  Patsy Kealey will also return to the court after missing last season with a knee injury. 

Monmouth College Fighting Scots
Head Coach: Kyle Wilson (1st season)
2014-15: 10-13 overall, 9-9 MWC
Projected 2015-16 MWC Finish: T6th
Letterwinners returning: 8
Letterwinners lost: 10
Starters returning: 3

New head coach Kyle Wilson makes it three coaches in three years for Monmouth.  Last season, Wilson was the top assistant at NCAA Division II institution Henderson State University.  Wilson will aim to get the Scots back in the MWC Tournament this season and will be counting on last season’s top scorer Kelsey Walsberg, who averaged over 12 ppg in conference last year.  Walsberg shot an impressive 42.1% from long range last year and drilled a team-best 48 treys.  Katie Houston, the team’s top rebounder at 7.4 per game also returns for the Fighting Scots.

Ripon College Red Hawks
Head Coach: Lauren Johnson (2nd season) 12-34 overall 12-24 MWC
2014-15: 2-21 overall, 2-16 MWC
Projected 2015-16 MWC Finish: 10th
Letterwinners returning: 10
Letterwinners lost: 5
Starters returning: 4

The Red Hawks bring back their top three scorers from last season and hope to have an improved campaign this year.  Emma McDonald led the team in scoring at an 8.5 points per game clip and led the squad with 27 made 3s and 33 assists. Nicole Herkert was the team’s top rebounder last season at 6.6 boards per game and Megan Jensen hopes to improve on her 5.2 scoring average. 

St. Norbert College Green Knights
Head Coach: Connie Tilley (39th season) 631-281 overall, 408-106 MWC
2014-15: 22-4 overall, 17-1 MWC
Projected 2015-16 MWC Finish: 1st
Letterwinners returning: 9
Letterwinners lost: 1
Starters returning: 4
Returning All-MWC Performers: Brianna Byrne, Heidi Van Sistine, Jill Kleiman

The Green Knights were the obvious pick to top the MWC Preseason Coaches’ Poll as they return eight of their top nine scorers from last season and three All-MWC selections.  The Green Knights outscored their opponents by nearly 16 points per game last season and could be even better this winter.  St. Norbert’s backcourt will be solid again with the return of Jill Kleiman and Brianna Byrne.  Byrne averaged 13.8 points per game last year, while Kleiman put in 9.3 points, 3.7 boards, 3.1 steals and 3.0 assists per game.  Heidi Van Sistine will patrol the paint again this year and averaged a team-high 6.6 rebounds per game a season ago.