Women's Basketball

2023-24 UMAC Women’s Basketball Awards

ST. PAUL, Minn. – The Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) announced the postseason award winners for the 2023-24 UMAC Women’s Basketball season on Wednesday morning. The University of Minnesota Morris Cougars led all teams with nine awards including three of the top honors. The University of Wisconsin-Superior followed with six awards won including UMAC Player of the Year. Only statistics earned in conference games during the regular season count for consideration in the awards. The awards are nominated and voted on by the conference head coaches.
 
Wisconsin-Superior’s Elise Besonen earned UMAC Player of the Year honors. The junior guard led the Yellowjackets in their 13-1 conference campaign to earn the UMAC Regular Season Championship. Besonen played in all 14 conference games for the Yellowjackets and averaged 14.4 points per game on 49.6 percent shooting, leading all UMAC players with a 52.8 percent shooting average from three-point range. The junior was also top of the conference from the free throw line, making a UMAC-best 92.3 percent of her shots from the charity stripe in conference games.
 
Minnesota Morris’s Jay Kwetah earned UMAC Defensive Player of the Year honors. The senior guard led the Cougars defense as they only allowed 54.3 points per game in conference play. Kwetah led all UMAC players with 65 steals in 14 games. Her average of 4.6 steals per game was 1.2 steals more than the next-best mark in the UMAC: her teammate Malory Anderson’s 3.4 steals per game. Kwetah’s defense was key to Minnesota Morris leading the conference in steals per game (14.14) and turnover margin (+6.00).

The Cougar’s Maddy Grove earned UMAC Freshman of the Year honors. In 12 conference games played, the first-year guard led the UMAC in points per game with 18.1, total points with 217, and field goals made with 84. Grove shot 47.5 percent from the floor and averaged 4.1 rebounds per game while notching 26 steals.

Minnesota Morris Cougars Head Coach Tim Grove earned UMAC Coach of the Year honors. One year removed from a fourth-place finish at 8-6, the 18-year coaching veteran led his team to an 11-3 overall record to finish second in the UMAC regular season standings. In conference play, Coach Grove’s team averaged 70.1 points per game while allowing just 54.3 points per game, the third-best and second-best marks in the UMAC respectively. The Cougars defense ranked first in steals per game with 14.14 and second in blocked shots per game with 4.00. His team also led the UMAC with 17.86 assists per game. After the regular season ended, Grove’s Cougars would go on to win the UMAC Tournament Championship, their third in program history, to punch their ticket to the NCAA DIII Championship.

The University of Northwestern Eagles won the team sportsmanship award, an accolade that is selected by the UMAC coaches and awarded to the team that best represents sportsmanship throughout the entire season, including the championship event. Each team also had one representative named to the all-sportsmanship team.
 
PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Elise Besonen | Wisconsin-Superior

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Jay Kwateh | Minnesota Morris

FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR
Maddy Grove | Minnesota Morris

COACH OF THE YEAR
Tim Grove | Minnesota Morris

TEAM SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD
University of Northwestern

FIRST TEAM ALL-CONFERENCE
Name Institution Yr.. Pos. Hometown / High School
Elise Besonen Wisconsin-Superior Jr. G Ewen, Mich. / Ewen-Trout Creek
Maddy Grove Minnesota Morris Fr. G Morris, Minn. / Morris Area
Lexi Hagen Northwestern Jr. G Jordan, Minn. / Jordan
Jordyn Heckendorf Martin Luther Sr. G Kewaskum, Wis. / Kettle Moraine Lutheran
Caitlyn Ryan North Central So. F Papillion, Nev. / Papillion-La Vista
 
SECOND TEAM ALL-CONFERENCE
Name Institution Yr. Pos. Hometown / High School
Gianna Klarenbeek Bethany Lutheran Fr. G Inwood, Iowa / West Lyon
Erika Mattson Wisconsin-Superior Sr. G Ely, Minn. / Ely Memorial
Jasmine Sondrol Northwestern Jr. F Grand Forks, N.D. / Red River
Lexiss Trygg Bethany Lutheran Jr. F Virginia, Minn. / Virginia
Kaitlyn VanderPloeg North Central Jr. F Clear Lake, Iowa / Clear Lake
 
HONORABLE MENTION ALL-CONFERENCE
Name Institution Yr. Pos.     Hometown / High School
Malory Anderson Minnesota Morris Sr. G     Morris, Minn. / Morris Area
Charlotte Ferstl Wisconsin-Superior Fr. F     Plain, Wis. / River Valley
Aubrea Kor Bethany Lutheran Fr. F Pipestone, Minn. / Pipestone Area
Jay Kwateh Minnesota Morris Sr. G     Maple Grove, Minn. / Osseo
McKenzie Latzke Crown Sr. G Gaylord, Minn. / Sibley East
Emma Nelson Martin Luther Sr. F Redwood Falls, Minn. / Minnesota Valley Lutheran
Lauren Paulsen Martin Luther Jr. G/F     Oconomowoc, Wis. Luther Prep
 
DEFENSIVE ALL-CONFERENCE
Name Institution Yr. Pos. Hometown / High School
Malory Anderson Minnesota Morris Sr. G Morris, Minn. / Morris Area
Jay Kwateh Minnesota Morris Sr. G Maple Grove, Minn. / Osseo
MyKenzie Leccia Wisconsin-Superior So. G Somerset, Wis. / Somerset
Lauren Paulsen Martin Luther Jr. G/F Oconomowoc, Wis. Luther Prep
Taylor Schuck Northwestern Jr. G Maple Grove, Minn. / Heritage Christian

ALL-SPORTSMANSHIP
Name Institution Yr. Pos. Hometown / High School
Katie Dobson Wisconsin-Superior Jr. G Black River Falls, Wis. / Black River Falls
Livvy Grosz Northwestern Sr. G New Brighton, Minn. / St. Anthony
Abby Howe North Central Sr. F Ham Lake, Minn. / Blaine High School
Maya Price Martin Luther Jr. F Weston, Wis. / Northland Lutheran
Kodie Rempp Northland Jr. G Harrison, Neb. / Sioux County
Isabelle Sager Crown So. C Red Lodge, Mont. / Red Lodge
Jadyn Sondrol Minnesota Morris Sr. G Grand Forks, N.D. / Red River
Megan Wegner Bethany Lutheran So. G Marshall, Minn. / Marshall