10-Year Celebration: UMAC Women's Basketball All-Decade honors
ST. PAUL, Minn.---As part of its 2018-19 "10-Year Celebration," the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) named five individual athletes to the UMAC Women's Basketball All-Decade Team and selected a Coach of the Decade and Team of the Decade, the conference announced Thursday.
The five individuals named to the All-Decade Team include Erica Babinec (Martin Luther College, 2008-12), Katie DeWitt (Northwestern, 2008-11), Hailey Kontny (University of Wisconsin-Superior, 2015-18), Emily Mehr (University of Minnesota Morris, 2009-13) and Haley Sandin (Bethany Lutheran College, 2015-Present). The UMAC also recognized Minnesota Morris head coach Tim Grove as the Coach of the Decade and the 2015-16 Wisconsin-Superior squad as the Women's Basketball Team of the Decade.
All-Decade Team
Erica Babinec, Martin Luther College (2008-2012)
Babinec led Martin Luther to four-straight UMAC postseason appearances and regular season and tournament titles in 2011-12 which sent the Knights to the NCAA tournament for the first time in program history. That season, the Knights' guard capped her four-time All-UMAC First Team career with Player of the Year honors. Babinec owns the Knights' career records for points (1,644), rebounds (685), free thrown (418) and steals (267).
Katie DeWitt, University of Northwestern (2008-2011)
In just three seasons, DeWitt made her mark at Northwestern capped by All-America honors from both the WBCA and DIII News in 2010-11. She was a three-time All-UMAC First Team selection and led the Eagles to a UMAC tournament championship in 2009-10. During that season, DeWitt was named the UMAC player of the Year. DeWitt is fourth all-time at Northwestern in career points (1,637) and owns the record for career scoring average (20.2 ppg) in 81 games played.
Hailey Kontny, University of Wisconsin-Superior (2015-2018)
Kontny led Wisconsin-Superior to three-straight UMAC regular season and tournament titles, as well as NCAA appearances, in the program's first three years as a conference member. During her three seasons as a Yellowjacket, the squad went a perfect 48-0 in the UMAC regular season. Her efforts earned her UMAC Player of the Year three consecutive seasons as well as the 2017-18 Tournament MVP. Kontny was two-time D3Hoops All-West Region and finished sixth in program history for career points (1,208 points).
Emily Mehr, University of Minnesota Morris (2009-2013)
Mehr was an integral part of a Minnesota Morris program that won four UMAC regular season championships during her time on campus. With Mehr, the Cougars also made two NCAA tournament appearances. She was the 2009-10 Freshman of the Year and finished with two All-UMAC First Team honors and the 2012-13 UMAC Player of the Year nod. Mehr ended her four seasons fourth all-time in career points at Minnesota Morris with 1,542.
Haley Sandin, Bethany Lutheran College (2015-Present)
In her first three seasons at Bethany Lutheran Sandin has helped lead a program turnaround. The current Viking senior has been a three-time All-UMAC First Team selection and was the 2015-16 Freshman of the Year. Sandin finished in the top two in UMAC scoring in each of her three seasons and averaged 18.8 ppg. Following 2017-18, Sandin owned program records in points (1,507), made 3-ptrs (100), made FG (459), made FT (489), assists (278) and steals (202).
Coach of The Decade
Tim Grove, University of Minnesota Morris
Grove is one of the most successful coaches' in UMAC women's basketball history since taking over the Minnesota Morris program in 2006. During the UMAC 10-year period, Grove boasted a 170-98 overall record and was five times named Coach of the Year. His Cougars won six-straight UMAC titles (four outright and two shared) beginning in 2009-10. That season, the Cougars earned a Pool B berth for the program's first NCAA Tournament appearance before winning two UMAC AQs in 2010-11 and 2014-15.
Team of The Decade
University of Wisconsin-Superior, 2015-2016
Wisconsin-Superior won the UMAC women's basketball regular season title in its first year as a UMAC member in 2015-16. The Yellowjackets went a perfect 16-0 winning by an average of 20.3 ppg. Wisconsin-Superior then won the UMAC postseason title to advance to the NCAA tournament for the first time in program history. The Yellowjackets finished with an overall record of 24-4 and started a streak of three-straight undefeated conference regular seasons in the UMAC (2015-2018). The team members were Bailee Bartunek, Katie Boone, Meghan Brun, Adriana Dupree, Shaelyn Halverson, Ceanne Harrison, Natalia Iruegas, Grace Kennedy, Hailey Kontny, Brittany Laehn, Justine Larson, Amelia Leger, Sarah Lekson, Allyssa Lindberg, Anna Munsen, Allie Nelson, Hannah Norlin, Hadley Skalmoski, Jade Tucker and Amber Zimpel. Head coach was Don Mulhern.
Throughout 2018-19, the UMAC will recognize individual athletes and one coach for each conference sport on All-Decade Teams and name one team as Team of the Decade. Individuals and teams were nominated by UMAC full and associate member institutions and the teams were selected by a committee of administrators and coaches from the UMAC. The All-Decade recognition is part of the UMAC "10-Year Celebration" commemorating the first 10 years of NCAA Division III membership for the UMAC.
All-Decade Team Archives
"10-Year Celebration" Page