Minnesota Morris returns as UMAC women's basketball favorite
2012-2013 UMAC Women’s Basketball Preseason Coaches’ Poll
1. 47 Points - University of Minnesota Morris (5 First Place Votes)
2. 44 Points - College of St. Scholastica (3)
T-3. 32 Points - Martin Luther College
T-3. 32 Points - Northwestern College
5. 30 Points - Bethany Lutheran College
6. 19 Points - Northland College
7. 11 Points - North Central University
8. 9 Points - Crown College
ST. PAUL -- Winner of at least a share of the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) regular season women’s basketball championships in each of the last three years, the University of Minnesota Morris was predicted to once again claim the league title in 2012-2013 according to a poll of the UMAC coaches. The Cougars lost just two conference games a year ago and will come back with three starters, including UMAC All-Conference player Emily Mehr.
1. University of Minnesota Morris Cougars
2011-2012 Overall Record: 19-8
2011-2012 UMAC Record: 12-2
2011-2012 UMAC Finish: T-1st
Starters Returning: 3
Starters Lost: 2
In addition to Minnesota Morris’ 12 UMAC wins in 2011-2012, the Cougars’ two conference losses were by a combined six points. Mehr, a 1,000-point scorer, was a recipient of the UMAC Player of the Week award for three consecutive weeks and finished 34th in the NCAA Division III with 18.3 points per game, which also landed her second among all UMAC players. Mehr and UMAC Co-Freshman of the Year Kendra Wycoff, look to lead Morris in scoring this season. Wycoff averaged 11.4 points per game, making 63 three-point attempts in her rookie season. Defensively, the Cougars turned opponents over 504 times last season. Returner Kelsey Erickson was second on the team with 45 steals while fellow returner Abby Fragodt had a team-high 46 blocks on the year (1.7 per game). Ericksen led the league in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.5) and was sixth in the UMAC in defensive rebounding with 4.6 per game.
2. College of St. Scholastica Saints
2011-2012 Overall Record: 12-14
2011-2012 UMAC Record: 10-4
2011-2012 UMAC Finish: 3rd
Starters Returning: 3
Starters Lost: 2
St. Scholastica won 10 conference games for the first time in program history in 2011-2012 and finished third in the UMAC standings. This season, Saints head coach Stacy Deadrick brings back most of her talented back court in junior Kayla Heisler, the 2010-11 UMAC Freshman of the Year, and sophomore Mariah Hovick, who was the 2011-12 Co-UMAC Freshman of the Year. Hovick was a Second Team All-UMAC member and led St. Scholastica in scoring (323 points), assists (74), steals (70). Heisler was named to the UMAC Honorable Mentio team last season, starting 17 games in her rookie year while scoring 185 points. Also returning in the backcourt is Sammy Doucette, who missed most of last season due to injury. Returnees Erin Frase and Haley Hoyer will look to fill the shoes of departed senior Laura Amys, who left the program as the Saints’ all-time leading shot blocker. Freshman Danica Schellbach will also be looked upon to add an inside presence.
T-3. Martin Luther College Knights
2011-2012 Overall Record: 20-8
2011-2012 UMAC Record: 12-2
2011-2012 UMAC Finish: T-1st
Starters Returning: 3
Starters Lost: 2
Martin Luther must replace the experience and production of a record breaking senior class that helped the Knights to a conference championship and NCAA Tournament berth last season, but the Knights hope the return of three starters and several other major contributors will lead to another season of competing for the top spot in the UMAC. Post player Amanda Burk figures to lead the Knights’ balanced offensive attack as the team’s returning leader in points (13.2) and rebounds (8.8) per game. Burk also shot .487 from the field and .752 from the line a season ago. In the backcourt, Martin Luther brings back three experienced players. Brittney Gossen returns after starting 27 games at point guard last season, providing valuable pressure defense and scoring punch (7.8 points per game) to the position. Wings Alex Anthon and Hannah Hackbarth will look to take a step forward into bigger roles as sophomores after strong freshman campaigns. Anthon (9.8 points per game) slashed her way into being the team’s third-leading scorer last year and figures to play a similar role this season, while Hackbarth showed the ability to spread the floor in leading the team in three-pointers made (37) last season.
T-3. Northwestern College (Minn.) Eagles
2011-2012 Overall Record: 8-17
2011-2012 UMAC Record: 5-9
2011-2012 UMAC Finish: 6th
Starters Returning: 4
Starters Lost: 1
Northwestern looks to utilize its youth as the team steps onto the hardwood this season. After losing just two seniors, including UMAC All-Conference selection Kristin Sczublewski, the Eagles return eight players from last year’s squad.
Leading the returners will be the trio of Mollie Sir, Jessica Fife, and Chanel Madson. Sir led the team offensively (12.6 points per game) while also finishing eighth among all UMAC players in scoring average. Close behind was Madson, who returns for her second season in an Eagles uniform after averaging 12.2 points per game en route to an all-conference honorable mention recognition as a freshman. Rounding out the trio is Fife, who averaged a double-double on the year, scoring 10.9 points per game while also bringing in 10.3 boards per contest. Fife grabbed 20 or more rebounds in two games during the 2011-2012 season. NWC will also rely on its six newcomers to bring depth to the court as the team looks ahead to the upcoming campaign.
5. Bethany Lutheran College Vikings
2011-2012 Overall Record: 8-18
2011-2012 UMAC Record: 7-7
2011-2012 UMAC Finish: T-4th
Starters Returning: 3
Starters Lost: 2
Last season, Bethany Lutheran qualified for the UMAC Postseason Tournament for the first time since the 2007-08 year. The Vikings are looking to continue their success despite losing leading scorer and first team all-conference honoree Jessica Englund. Although the Vikings lose Englund and starter Anna Cepek to graduation, this year’s squad will have a wealth of returners including second team all-conference and all-defensive selection Jade Pelzl. Pelzl was third in three-point field goals with a total of 37 made in UMAC contests and ranked tenth in three-point field goal percentage making .337 percent of her shots. In addition to Pelzl, Kelsie Ammann will be back on the roster. Ammann led the team in assists last season and also made 84 percent of her free throw attempts. Other impactful returners include Amanda Edmison, Kasslin Swenson and Shelby Wiederhoeft. Wiederhoeft had a .460 field goal percentage and averaged 6.0 boards per game throughout the 2011-2012 season.
6. Northland College LumberJills
2011-2012 Overall Record: 12-13
2011-2012 UMAC Record: 7-7
2011-2012 UMAC Finish: T-4th
Starters Returning: 2
Starters Lost: 3
Following the graduation of five seniors from the 2011-2012 Northland squad, this year’s LumberJills team has plenty of new faces which brings plenty of unknowns with it. Northland hopes to add new faces to four returning players that all have significant experience and compete for a spot in the UMAC Tournament. Head Coach Bill Wilson begins his fourth season at the helm of the LumberJills and is optimistic about this year’s team. The LumberJills return three seniors in Sam Stanfield, Sara Hoge and Stephanie Wilkinson. Stanfield and Hoge were big contributors to last year’s squad that finished 7-7 in UMAC play. Stanfield averaged 7.1 points per game and 2.7 rebounds in 2011-2012 while Hoge averaged 9.7 points per game and 2.8 rebounds. Fellow returner Jess Jaeckel amassed 37 blocks last year and will have an opportunity to expand her role on offense this season. Wilson is confident that with the addition of four newcomers to the LumberJills roster, that Northland will be a better defensive team than in years past.
7. North Central University (Minn.) Rams
2011-2012 Overall Record: 10-15
2011-2012 UMAC Record: NA
2011-2012 UMAC Finish: NA
Starters Returning: 4
Starters Lost: 1
North Central comes into the upcoming season with four starters returning from a 10-15 campaign last year. That group includes the three top scorers and rebounders for the Rams who will be led by first-year head coach Jeff Grenell. Senior guard Elisabeth Trickey earned the North Central career steals record midway through her junior year last season and needs just 14 points to become the eighth player in NCU history to break 1,000 points for her career. Trickey averaged 11.1 points, 3.5 assists, 3.0 steals and 4.5 rebounds per game last season. Jorie Grenell was the Rams’ top scorer from a year ago, averaging 14.1 points per game while making 42 percent of her three-point attempts. Forward Melissa Kidd pulled down a team-high 8.2 rebounds per contest and while adding 10.5 points per game. Senior forward Christina Goodman enters the 2012-2013 season having averaged 6.3 rebounds and 5.3 points per game a year ago.
8. Crown College Storm
2011-2012 Overall Record: 1-23
2011-2012 UMAC Record: 0-14
2011-2012 UMAC Finish: 8th
Starters Returning: 3
Starters Lost: 2
Crown enters the 2012-2013 season with a roster full of newcomers and designs on becoming a more competitive program in the UMAC. Head coach Ryan Chmielewski enters his second year at the helm of the Storm program and is hopeful that a mix of experience and youth will be enough to earn Crown some success on the hardwood. Returning to lead the Storm is senior Judy Mundt, an all-conference honorable mention guard who scored her 1,000th career point last season while playing 37.3 minutes per game. Mundt will once again be asked to shoulder the scoring load and lead a young team. Joining Mundt are key returners Sam Brueggeman and Kendra Maagard. A number of freshmen will play key roles for the Storm including Kayla Judkins and Britanny Swanson. Judkins will bring stability and scoring from the point guard position while Swanson will provide a post presence that was severely lacking last season.
All eight UMAC teams will play a full slate of nonconference games before league contests kick off on January 8. At the conclusion of the 14-game conference schedule, the top four teams will compete in the conference tournament on Wednesday and Saturday, February 20 and 23, with the winner earning the UMAC's automatic qualifier into the NCAA Tournament.