Contact: Brock Reisler, Assistant Executive Director, breisler@midwestconference.org
 
OSHKOSH, Wisconsin – Following a pair of wins over the holiday break, the Ripon College women’s basketball team has moved up to 21st in the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association Coaches Poll, announced by the organization on January 6.
 
The Red Hawks went 2-0 at last week’s BSN Winter Classic hosted by UW-Oshkosh, earning a pair of 20-point victories over Upper Midwest Athletic Conference institutions. In the 71-50 win over UW-Superior on December 28, Sophie Schlieve paced Ripon with a game-high 20 points and nine rebounds. The next day in a 77-55 triumph over Minnesota Morris, four Red Hawks scored in double figures: Natalie Rauwolf (19 points), Karsyn Nelson (17 points), Laney Havlovitz (11 points) and Schlieve (10 points).
 
Ripon possesses key wins over UW-Stout, UW-Eau Claire and UW-Platteville in the non-conference slate. Those three teams – all receiving votes in this week’s WBCA poll – have combined for a 31-5 record so far this season, while Ripon has handed Eau Claire and Platteville their only losses to date.
 
Ripon (11-2, 4-0 MWC) heads to Monmouth (January 7) and Illinois College (January 10) for a pair of Midwest Conference contests this week.
 
The next WBCA poll will be published on Tuesday, January 13.