2002-03 UW-Oshkosh Women's Basketball News

Titans Cited For Academic Excellence

The Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) announced Wednesday (Oct. 8) its 2002-2003 Academic Top 25 Team Honor Roll for NCAA Division I, NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III, NAIA and Junior College/Community College. The awards recognize the nation's highest team grade point averages (GPA) for the 2002-03 season based upon nominations submitted by WBCA-member coaches.

Among the schools cited for its academic excellence was UW-Oshkosh, which ranked fifth in the NCAA Division III with its cumulative grade point average of 3.485. UW-Oshkosh, the lone Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) school mentioned in the honor listing, ranked third in the WBCA's Top 25 Team Honor Roll in 2001-02 and seventh in 2000-01. UW-Oshkosh won 22 of its 28 games and finished third in the WIAC this past season.

"It incredible to see the grade point averages each Top 25 team produces year in and year out," said Beth Bass, the Chief Executive Officer of the WBCA. "These teams set a precedent among student-athletes and deserve to be recognized for their accomplishment. Congratulations to the 110 teams we honor this year!"

Grade-point averages are calculated by dividing the total number of quality points earned by each student-athlete on an institution's squad list in the given academic terms by the total number of hours earned by the team. The grade point averages are rounded to the nearest thousandth of a point.

In NCAA Division III classrooms, Whitworth College (Wash.) compiled a 3.75 cumulative grade point average to earn first place for the second time in four years. The Pirates posted a 19-7 record on the court and won the Northwest Conference championship this past season. Rounding out places two through four in the NCAA Division III rankings were Coe College (Iowa) at 3.560, Adrian College (Mich.) at 3.538 and Villa Julie College (Md.) at 3.488.

Other first-place rankings went to Indiana State University at 3.639 in NCAA Division I, University of Nebraska-Kearney at 3.723 in NCAA Division II, Concordia University (Neb.) at 3.660 in the NAIA and Salt Lake Community College (Utah) at 3.467 in the Junior/Community College.

Founded in 1981, the WBCA promotes women's basketball by unifying coaches at all levels to develop a reputable identity for the sport and to foster and promote the development of the game in all of its aspects as an amateur sport for women and girls. For more information about the WBCA visit its web site at www.wbca.org. 

Mikolajczak Named All-Central Region

UW-Oshkosh center Kay Mikolajczak (Jr. • Franklin) has been named as a first team selection on the 2003 NCAA Division III All-Central Region Women's Basketball Team by D3hoops.com.

Mikolajczak, a first-time all-region honoree, was joined on the first team by guard Katie Cantrell of Illinois Wesleyan University, guard Laura Crowley of Washington University, forward Kristi Channing of UW-Eau Claire and forward Amanda Nechuta of UW-Stevens Point.

All-Central Region second team selections included Janel Soppeland of UW-Eau Claire, while third team choices included Becca Spaeth of UW-Eau Claire and Laura Verdegan of UW-Stout.

Mikolajczak started 25 of the 27 games that she played in for the Titans this past season, averaging 13.4 points and a team-leading 7.6 rebounds per contest. Mikolajczak paced the WIAC in steals by averaging 2.74 per game, while ranking third in blocked shots by averaging 1.41 per outing. The All-WIAC first team pick also ranked fifth in the league in both rebounding and free throw percentage (82.8) and sixth in both scoring and field goal percentage (51.6).

Scoring in double figures 22 times this past season, Mikolajczak led the Titans to a 22-6 record and a third-place finish in the WIAC. Her performances this past year included an 18-point, 20-rebound outing in an 87-80 win over UW-Stout and a 20-point, seven-rebound showing in an 83-76 win over defending NCAA Division III champion UW-Stevens Point.

Last year, Mikolajczak helped UW-Oshkosh to a 22-6 record and a third-place finish in the WIAC by averaging 11.6 points and 7.4 rebounds per game. Mikolajczak played her freshman season at UW-Eau Claire. 

WIAC Honors Four Titans

UW-Eau Claire senior forward Kristi Channing was voted the Player of the Year, topping the 10 individuals selected to the 2003 WIAC Women's Basketball Team.

Channing has led UW-Eau Claire to a 27-1 overall record and a 16-0 conference mark en route to their eighth conference title since the 1990 season. This year, the Blugolds also captured the WIAC Tournament title, an automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Tournament and the No. 1 national ranking in the latest D3hoops.com poll.

Channing, a two-time All-WIAC first team selection, ranks second in the league in scoring (15.2), fourth in field goal percentage (.531) and ninth in free throw percentage (.792). She surpassed the 1,000-career point plateau against UW-Oshkosh on February 12 and currently has 1,085 career points. Channing becomes the fifth Blugold to win the conference player of the year honor, joining Vanessa Schley (2001), Jayme Anderson (2000), Erika Schmidt (1997) and Arlene Meinholz (1995).

Channing was joined on the first team by teammates Janel Soppeland and Becca Spaeth. Soppeland ranks second in the league in three-point field goals made (1.78), sixth in assists (2.96) and seventh in free throw percentage (.800) and three-point field goal percentage (.340). Spaeth ranks second in the conference in field goal percentage (.543), seventh in blocked shots (.96) and ninth in rebounding (6.4).

UW-Oshkosh's Kay Mikolajczak (Jr. • Franklin) and Libby Sievert (Sr. • Suamico) garnered first team accolades after leading the Titans to their 10th 20-plus win season in the last 11 years. Mikolajczak leads the league in steals (2.74), while ranking third in blocked shots (1.41), fifth in rebounding (7.6) and free throw percentage (.828) and sixth in scoring (13.4) and field goal percentage (.516). She recorded the highest rebounding total in the league this year with a 20-rebound effort at UW-Stout on February 1. Mikolajczak was named to the all-defensive squad during the 2001-02 campaign. Sievert leads the association in three-pointers made (2.25), while ranking fourth in three-point percentage (.404), fifth in scoring (13.6), ninth in field goal percentage (.452) and 10th in assists (2.64).

UW-Stevens Point's Cassandra Heuer and Amanda Nechuta captured first team honors after helping the squad to its third straight with 20 or more victories. Heuer ranks fourth in the league in free throw percentage (.829) and three-point field goals made (1.54), fifth in steals (2.38) and three-point field goal percentage (.377) and ninth in scoring (12.6) and blocked shots (0.9). Nechuta leads the conference in scoring (16.3), while ranking second in steals (2.59), sixth in rebounding (7.2) and eighth in field goal percentage (.470). She established the league's highest scoring effort of the season with a 34-point outburst on February 12 at UW-Whitewater and also recorded six double-doubles (points-rebounds). Nechuta was also selected to the all-defensive squad.

UW-La Crosse's Karen Berg ranks second in the league in free throw percentage (.850), third in rebounding (8.7), fifth in blocked shots (1.23) and seventh in scoring (13.3). She also has a conference-high eight double-doubles (points-rebounds) to her credit this year and led the club in scoring in 12 games.

UW-Platteville's Tiff Flesch led the squad in scoring (13.3), rebounding (8.6) and blocks (26) before suffering a season-ending knee injury in the 19th game of the season.

UW-Stout's Laura Verdegan leads the conference in field goal percentage (.567), while ranking third in blocked shots (1.41), fourth in steals (2.41) and 10th in rebounding (6.3). She was also named to the league's all-defensive team for the second straight year.

Named to the honorable mention team were UW-La Crosse's Amy Greil, UW-Oshkosh's Melissa Schweitzer (Sr. • Amherst), UW-Platteville's Katie Freis and Angie Sisson, UW-River Falls' Erin Effle and Darcy Olsen, UW-Stevens Point's Andrea Kraemer, UW-Stout's Lindsey Erichsen, UW-Superior's Lindsey Anderson and UW-Whitewater's Cathy Rossi.

In addition to Nechuta and Verdegan, individuals named to this year's all-defensive team included UW-Eau Claire's Brooke Wozniak, UW-Oshkosh's Brenda Utech (Sr. • Howard) and UW-Stevens Point's Andrea Kraemer.

UW-Eau Claire head coach Tonja Englund was voted the 2003 Coach of the Year.

Blugolds Oust Titans In WIAC Tournament Final

The UW-Eau Claire women's basketball team took the lead with an early 12-0 scoring run and remained in control the rest of the way as it defeated UW-Oshkosh, 64-50, in the championship game of the WIAC Tournament held Saturday (March 1) in Eau Claire.

UW-Eau Claire (27-1) now receives the WIAC's automatic bid to the 50-team NCAA Division III Championship after winning the league tournament for the third time in four years. UW-Oshkosh (22-6), which was playing in the title game for the fourth time in five years, must wait until Sunday (March 2) evening to see if it receives an at-large bid to the NCAA's post-season event.

UW-Oshkosh, the 23rd-ranked team in the NCAA Division III by D3Hoops.com, trailed only once in the first eight minutes of the game and built a 12-9 advantage with 13:16 left in the opening period. UW-Eau Claire, the top-ranked team in the NCAA Division III by D3Hoops.com, then rallied from its early deficit by scoring 12 unanswered points to take 21-12 lead with 7:47 remaining. The Titans did keep the game close as they cut the Blugolds' lead to four points twice in the first half, but UW-Eau Claire counted the final basket of the period for a 31-25 halftime advantage.

UW-Eau Claire began the second half with a 10-4 scoring run, highlighted by Janel Soppeland's three-point basket that gave the Blugolds' a 40-29 lead with 17:29 remaining in the game. UW-Eau Claire maintained a double-digit advantage from Soppeland's basket to the end of the contest, stretching the lead to as much as 18 points (56-38) with 6:33 left. The Titans cut their deficit to 12 points (59-47) with 2:21 to play, but it was too little and too late to prevent them from dropping their third game of the season to the Blugolds.

UW-Eau Claire, which extended its winning streak to 18 games, utilized outstanding free throw shooting to defeat UW-Oshkosh as it hit 19 of 22 tosses (86.4 percent). The Blugolds also shot 42.9 percent (21-49) from the field and grabbed 44 rebounds to the Titans' 29. UW-Oshkosh failed to benefit from 19 UW-Eau Claire turnovers and was hampered in its effort by making just two three-point baskets in 18 attempts (11.1 percent) and only four free throws in seven tries (57.1 percent). UW-Oshkosh shot 35.5 percent (22-62) from the field.

Kay Mikolajczak (Jr. • Franklin) led UW-Oshkosh in scoring with 17 points and in rebounding with five. The Titans also received eight points, three rebounds and three assists from Melissa Schweitzer (Sr. • Amherst).

UW-Eau Claire's Kristi Channing had a game-high 21 points on 8-of-12 shooting from the field to go along with eight rebounds. Becca Spaeth also grabbed eight boards and scored 10 points while Brooke Wozniak totaled a double-double with 10 points and 12 rebounds. Soppeland also had a strong performance with nine points, nine rebounds, and three assists.

Titans Knock Out Pointers In WIAC Tournament Semifinal

So maybe it wasn't on the same level as Muhammad Ali's famous “rope-a-dope” bout with George Foreman, but the themes were very similar.

Twice this season, the UW-Stevens Point women's basketball team knocked UW-Oshkosh to the canvas by winning games of 88-62 and 75-62.

But Wednesday (Feb. 26) in Stevens Point, UW-Oshkosh threw several nasty punches and upset the defending NCAA Division III champion Pointers, 83-76, in the semifinal round of the WIAC Tournament. Last year, UW-Oshkosh also lost both regular season games to UW-Stevens Point before edging the Pointers, 76-65, on their home hardwood in the semifinal round of the WIAC Tournament.

UW-Oshkosh (22-5) now advances to the championship game of the WIAC Tournament for the fourth time in five years. The Titans will play Saturday (March 1) at UW-Eau Claire (26-1) for the right to receive the WIAC's automatic bid to the 50-team NCAA Division III Championship.

UW-Stevens Point (22-5) held the lead for most of the first 14 minutes of the game before UW-Oshkosh took the lead at 21-20 with 6:16 left and never trailed again. The Titans pushed their advantage to 10 points with five seconds left in the first half before the Pointers' Tara Schmitt dribbled the length of the court and made a layup at the buzzer to cut UW-Oshkosh's lead to 40-32.

UW-Stevens Point battled back the entire second half and scored eight straight points over a three-minute span to cut the lead to 49-48 on a basket by Amy Scott with 11:40 left. However, the Titans came back on the next possession when Kay Mikolajczak (Jr. • Franklin) found Melissa Schweitzer (Sr. • Amherst) under the basket for a wide open layup and Libby Sievert (Sr. • Suamico) followed with a jumper on the next possession to build the lead back up to 53-48. The Pointers' Cassandra Heuer hit two free throws to cut the lead to 53-50, but Mikolajczak answered on the other end and UW-Stevens Point came no closer than five points the rest of the way.

Mikolajczak and Sievert took charge of the Titans' attack, both scoring 20 points. The tandem was an impressive 13-of-27 shooting from the field, but was also flawless from the free throw line, sinking all 12 attempts. UW-Oshkosh also received 18 points, five assists and three rebounds from Michele Rosicky (So. • Plover) and 10 points and a game-high 11 rebounds from Schweitzer. The double-double was Schweitzer's second of the season.

Schmitt led the Pointers in scoring with 20 points, including 13 in the first half. The Pointers also got 17 points and five rebounds from Amanda Nechuta, 12 points and seven rebounds from Scott and 11 points and three rebounds from Heuer.

UW-Oshkosh made its first 14 free throw attempts of the second half to hold off the Pointers and finished the game 26-for-30, including 17-for-19 in the final 20 minutes. The Titans also shot 42.4 percent (25-59) from the field, including 38.9 (7-18) behind the three-point line. UW-Stevens Point shot 46.6 percent (27-58) from the field, 27.8 (5-18) behind the three-point line and 70.8 (17-24) from the charity stripe. The Titans won the rebounding battle, 37-34.

Titans Top Warhawks In WIAC Tournament Opener

It's almost like déjà vu. For the second straight year, the UW-Oshkosh women's basketball team opened the WIAC Tournament at home against UW-Whitewater. And for the second straight year, the Titans dispatched the Warhawks to set up a semifinal round showdown with UW-Stevens Point.

UW-Oshkosh helped set Wednesday's (Feb. 26) date with defending NCAA Division III champion UW-Stevens Point (22-4) by riding a balanced scoring attack to a 70-60 quarterfinal round victory over UW-Whitewater on Monday (Feb. 24) in Kolf Sports Center.

UW-Oshkosh (21-5) spread its scoring wealth as four players tallied double-figure performances, including Libby Sievert (Sr. • Suamico) who counted 13 points on five-of-eight shooting from the field. The Titans also received 12 points from Kay Mikolajczak (Jr. • Franklin), 11 from Melissa Schweitzer (Sr. • Amherst) and 10 off the bench from Laurie Turtenwald (So. • West Allis). In addition to their scoring totals, Schweitzer compiled eight rebounds and five assists, Mikolajczak seven rebounds and two steals, Sievert five rebounds and one assist and Turtenwald three rebounds and two steals.

Before fouling out with 4:47 left in the game, UW-Whitewater's Cathi Rossi posted her seventh double-double of the season by scoring 22 points and grabbing 10 rebounds. Nya Geschke added 12 points and eight rebounds and Leah Thyne 12 points and four assists for the Warhawks (11-14).

UW-Oshkosh led UW-Whitewater for all but two minutes of the game. The Titans took an early 9-4 advantage before the Warhawks scored six unanswered points to take their only lead, a 10-9 count at the 13:50 mark of the opening period. UW-Oshkosh then countered with seven straight points to take control of the game. UW-Oshkosh took a 34-25 lead to intermission after opening as much as a 13-point margin (28-15) in the first half.

In the second half, UW-Oshkosh led by double digits from the 19:20 mark to the 2:55. The Titans' biggest lead of the second period was a 51-33 count with 15:05 remaining, while their smallest advantage was a 65-60 score with 1:51 left. UW-Oshkosh jumped its lead from 65-60 to 68-60 with 1:21 remaining when Turtenwald successfully converted a three-point play.

UW-Oshkosh shot 45 percent (27-60) from the field, including 41.2 (7-17) behind the three-point line. The Titans were just 9-of-17 (52.9 percent) from the free throw line. UW-Whitewater shot just 35.1 percent (20-57) from the field after going 30 percent (9-30) in the first half. The Warhawks were 4-of-14 (28.6 percent) behind the three-point line and 16-of-20 (80 percent) from the free throw stripe. In rebounding, UW-Whitewater posted a 43-35 advantage.

Titans Net Eagles For 20th Win Of Season

The UW-Oshkosh women's basketball team clinched its ninth 20-plus win season in 10 years by defeating UW-La Crosse, 73-60, on Saturday (Feb. 22) in La Crosse.

The contest was the regular season finale for both teams, with UW-Oshkosh ending play with a 20-5 record (11-5 in the WIAC) and UW-La Crosse with an 11-14 ledger (5-11 in the WIAC).

UW-Oshkosh now focuses its attention on the eight-team WIAC Tournament, which opens Monday (Feb. 24) with quarterfinal round action. The third-seed Titans begin their post-season trek in Kolf Sports Center by hosting sixth-seed UW-Whitewater (11-13/5-11 WIAC), with the winner to play either second-seed UW-Stevens Point (21-4/13-3 WIAC) or seventh-seed UW-La Crosse on Wednesday (Feb. 26) in the semifinals. The title game of the WIAC Tournament, which UW-Oshkosh played in a year ago, is scheduled for Saturday (March 1).

After UW-La Crosse took a quick 2-0 lead, UW-Oshkosh scored nine straight points to lead 9-2 with 15:44 remaining in the first half. The Eagles then scored eight unanswered points to take their final lead of the game, a 10-9 count with 13:13 left in the opening period. UW-Oshkosh scored 13 of the next 17 points after trailing 10-9 and eventually took a 35-30 lead to intermission. The Titans shot just 34.1 percent (14-41) from the field in the first half, but benefited from their five three-point baskets and the Eagles' 11 turnovers. UW-La Crosse shot 42.6 percent (11-26) from the field in the opening stanza.

UW-Oshkosh increased its lead to 46-34 in the second half before UW-La Crosse closed to within 46-42 with 13:32 remaining. The Titans then went on an 11-2 scoring run to lead 57-44, and the Eagles could get no closer than 11 points the rest of the game. UW-Oshkosh's biggest lead of the second half was 72-56 with 1:56 left.

Libby Sievert (Sr. • Suamico) led UW-Oshkosh in scoring with 17 points, while Kay Mikolajczak (Jr. • Franklin) and Alison Cesnovar (Jr. • Kenosha) came off the bench to contribute 12 and 11, respectively. The Titans also received six points, seven rebounds and three assists from Melissa Schweitzer (Sr. • Amherst) as they defeated the Eagles for the 29th time in 30 meetings.

Amy Greil led UW-La Crosse with her 10th double-double of the season, finishing with 15 points and 16 rebounds. Yasmin Johnson added 12 points and Jana Merchlewitz 11 for the Eagles.

UW-Oshkosh concluded the game shooting 36 percent (27-75) from the field, with seven three-point baskets in 19 attempts (36.8 percent). The Titans were also 12-of-16 (75 percent) from the free throw line. UW-La Crosse shot 42.6 percent (23-54) from the field, but were just 11-of-21 (52.4 percent) shooting from the charity stripe. The Eagles, who outrebounded the Titans, 46-41, were also hampered in their effort by 26 turnovers.

Titans Fall Short In Bid For Second Seed

With the second seed for the upcoming WIAC Tournament on the line, the UW-Oshkosh women's basketball team knew it needed to supply its best effort when defending NCAA Division III champion UW-Stevens Point rolled into Kolf Sports Center on Wednesday (Feb. 19).

The Titans, however, gave up the first score of the game and never recovered from the Pointers' torrid offensive attack as they dropped a 75-62 decision.

UW-Oshkosh (19-5/10-5 WIAC) struggled to find an offensive rhythm as it shot a season-low 26.3 percent (15-57) from the field. The Titans were also manhandled on the boards, 44-29, and became the victim of five blocked shots.

Defensively, UW-Oshkosh was unable to put the clamps on UW-Stevens Point's Cassandra Heuer and Amanda Nechuta, who combined for 40 points and five assists. Heuer scored 22 points on 7-of-14 shooting from the field and 7-of-7 shooting from the free throw line, while Nechuta counted 18 points on 7-of-13 shooting from the field and 4-of-8 shooting from the charity stripe. Nechuta also grabbed 12 rebounds and Heuer five for UW-Stevens Point (20-4/12-3 WIAC).

UW-Oshkosh also was hindered by the absence of Kay Mikolajczak (Jr. • Franklin). The Titans' top rebounder and second-leading scorer was unavailable for duty after attending the funeral of a friend.

UW-Stevens Point appeared ready to run UW-Oshkosh out of its own venue in the game's first 10 minutes as the Pointers hit 10 of their first 13 shots and roared out to a 24-9 lead. But, UW-Oshkosh fought back almost exclusively with the three-point shot. The Titans went on an 18-5 scoring run over the next five minutes thanks to two three-pointers from Brenda Utech (Sr. • Howard), one from Melissa Schweitzer (Sr. • Amherst) and a big one from Libby Sievert (Sr. • Suamico) that pulled UW-Oshkosh within 29-27 with 5:02 left in the opening period. UW-Stevens Point responded to UW-Oshkosh's challenge by closing the first half with a 16-8 scoring run to lead 45-35 at intermission.

UW-Oshkosh got as close as eight points in the second half and trailed by as many as 20 as the Titans misfired on 21 of their 28 shots from the field.

Utech led UW-Oshkosh in scoring with 14 points, while Sievert added 13 and Herrick 11. Herrick also grabbed a team-high six rebounds.

The Titans now hold the No. 3 seed for the the WIAC Tournament, which begins on Monday (Feb. 24). The top four seeds in the tourney are assured home games in the first round, while the two highest remaining seeds host second round contests.

Titans Overpower Yellowjackets

The UW-Oshkosh women's basketball team peddled to a double-digit lead midway through the first half and shifted to cruise control the rest of the game as it routed UW-Superior, 92-54, on Saturday (Feb. 15) in Kolf Sports Center.

The win, UW-Oshkosh's 37th straight over UW-Superior, assures the Titans of no worse than a third-place finish in the WIAC race. UW-Oshkosh (19-4/10-4 WIAC) can move from its current third-place ranking to second place in the final league standings if it defeats UW-Stevens Point (19-4/11-3 WIAC) on Wednesday (Feb. 19) and UW-La Crosse (11-12/5-9 WIAC) next Saturday (Feb. 22) in its last two conference games.

Libby Sievert (Sr. • Suamico) scored 18 points, dished off three assists and grabbed two rebounds to lead the Titans, while Brittany Herrick (Fr. • Appleton) came off the bench to score a career-high 16 points and grab six rebounds. UW-Oshkosh also received 12 points, eight rebounds, three assists and three steals from Kay Mikolajczak (Jr. • Franklin) and 10 points, five rebounds and two assists from Brenda Utech (Sr. • Howard). Melissa Schweitzer (Sr. • Amherst) collected a team-best nine rebounds for the Titans, who entered the game ranked 16th in the NCAA Division III by D3Hoops.com.

UW-Superior (1-21/0-15 WIAC), which has lost its last 58 WIAC contests, was led in scoring by the 11 points of both Lindsey Anderson and Molly Ray.

UW-Oshkosh took a 2-0 lead over UW-Superior (1-21/0-15 WIAC) just 25 seconds into the game and extended its advantage to 11-3 at the 15:25 mark of the first half. The Titans went on to take a 22-11 lead at the 10:45 mark of the opening period and a 45-25 advantage a little over eight minutes later. Receiving scoring from 10 different players, including Mikolajczak who tallied 12 points, UW-Oshkosh took a 48-26 lead to intermission.

Behind 13 points from Sievert, UW-Oshkosh opened the second half with a 15-6 scoring run to take a 63-32 lead with 15:24 left in the game. The Titans' advantage stood at 30-plus points the final 13:23 of the contest, including a 40-point (92-52) bulge with 1:54 remaining.

Statistically, UW-Oshkosh had an impressive game as it shot 48 percent (36-75) from the field, made all 13 of its free throw tries, made seven of its 20 (35 percent) three-point shots, won the rebounding battle, 45-34, dished off 20 assists and turned the ball over only five times. The number of turnovers was the fewest for the Titans in over four seasons.

After making just two of its first-13 shots from the field, UW-Superior concluded the game shooting 35.2 percent (19-54). The Yellowjackets were 15-of-23 (65.2 percent) from the free throw line as they fell for the 15th straight game. 

Titans Unable To Stop Blugolds' Celebration

The UW-Eau Claire women's basketball team staged a 9-1 scoring run during the final 2:54 of the game to edge UW-Oshkosh, 62-58, and clinch the 2003 WIAC championship outright on Wednesday (Feb. 12) in Eau Claire.

UW-Eau Claire (22-1/14-0 WIAC) has now won eight WIAC championships since the 1990 season, with four outright titles. UW-Oshkosh also owns eight league championships since the 1990 campaign, claiming five titles outright. The two cross-state combatants shared the WIAC crown in 1992, 1995 and 1997.

Ranked 16th in the NCAA Division III by D3Hoops.com, UW-Oshkosh (18-4/9-4 WIAC) gave fourth-ranked UW-Eau Claire all it could handle, especially in the second half when it built a 45-39 lead with 11:13 left in the game. The Titans' advantage didn't last long, however, as the Blugolds scored eight of the next 10 points to tie the contest at 47 with 7:23 remaining.

During the next four-plus minutes each team counted 10 points to enter the final 2:35 of play tied at 57. In the closing minutes it was all UW-Eau Claire as Becca Spaeth's jump shot with 2:13 remaining put the Blugolds up for good at 59-57. UW-Oshkosh scored only one point during the final 3:30 of the game, a free throw by Abby Holler (So. • La Crescent, Minn.) with 1:53 left.

UW-Eau Claire, which defeated UW-Oshkosh, 72-56, earlier in the season, led the Titans most of the first half. The Blugolds opened the game with six straight points and took a 17-9 advantage with 13:12 left in the first period. UW-Oshkosh then answered with a 14-4 scoring run to take its only lead of the opening frame, a 23-21 count with 6:02 left before the break. The two teams later battled to three ties before UW-Eau Claire's Kristi Channing hit a free throw with 26 seconds left to make the score 28-27 in favor of the Blugolds at intermission.

Channing led all scorers with a game-high 22 points as she eclipsed the 1,000 point mark for her career. Channing also grabbed seven rebounds and hit 10-of-16 free throw attempts. Spaeth added 12 points and six rebounds for the Blugolds, while Brooke Wozniak scored eight points and collected a game-best 13 rebounds. As has been the case most of the season, UW-Eau Claire used a strong rebounding performance to top their opponent. This time, the Blugolds outrebounded the Titans by a 37-26 tally.

Libby Sievert (Sr. • Suamico) paced UW-Oshkosh with 14 points, while Brenda Utech (Sr. • Howard) added 11 and Holler nine. The Titans also received six points, a team-best seven rebounds and four steals from Melissa Schweitzer (Sr. • Amherst).

UW-Oshkosh shot 43.4 percent (23-53) from the field, but was just 2-of-11 (18.2 percent) behind the three-point line. The Titans, who committed just 11 turnovers in the game, were 10-of-12 (83.3 percent) from the free throw line. UW-Eau Claire shot 44.9 percent (22-49) from the field and 66.7 percent (18-27) from the charity stripe. The Blugolds failed to make a three-point basket in six tries.

Titans Cancel Warhawks' Flight

The UW-Oshkosh women's basketball team ended the first half with an 11-2 scoring run and remained in control by double digits the rest of the way as it wounded UW-Whitewater, 79-60, on Saturday (Feb. 8) in Kolf Sports Center.

The victory kept UW-Oshkosh (18-3/9-3 WIAC) tied for second place in the WIAC standings with UW-Stevens Point (17-4/9-3 WIAC) and ended UW-Whitewater's (10-10/4-8 WIAC) four-game winning streak.

The last time UW-Oshkosh and UW-Whitewater met, an 82-70 victory for the Titans on January 8, the two teams combined for 51 free throw attempts, 46 fouls, 42 turnovers and 18 missed three-point shots. Saturday on UW-Oshkosh's home hardwood it was another rugged performance as the two adversaries combined for 51 free throw attempts, 45 fouls, 36 turnovers and 23 missed three-point shots. Despite the flow of Saturday's play, the Titans got the win and that's what matters most as they attempt to grab the second seed for the upcoming WIAC Tournament.

UW-Oshkosh trailed UW-Whitewater by an early 4-2 count before going on a 15-2 scoring run to take a 17-6 advantage at the 13:09 mark of the first half. The Warhawks cut their deficit to 25-23, but fell behind 41-29 at intermission as they made only two field goals in the final five minutes of the opening period. Kay Mikolajczak (Jr. • Franklin) sparked UW-Oshkosh in the first half by scoring 14 points, including 10 free throws, and grabbing seven rebounds.

UW-Oshkosh upped its advantage to 56-36 at the 15:02 mark of the second half and led by 16-plus points the rest of the way. The Titans received scoring from several different sources in the second half as six players registered four or more points, including Jennifer Kopecky (Fr. • Fond du Lac) and Brenda Utech (Sr. • Howard) who tallied six each.

Mikolajczak concluded the game with 18 points, nine rebounds and three assists for the Titans, while Libby Sievert (Sr. • Suamico) had 14 points, three assists and two steals and Utech 14 points, three rebounds and two assists.

UW-Whitewater, which lost to UW-Oshkosh for the 41st time in 55 meetings, also had three double-figure scorers as Nya Geschke tallied 15 points, Cathy Rossi 14 and Leah Thyne 12.

UW-Oshkosh made only two more field goals than UW-Whitewater in the game, but had three more three-point baskets and 12 more free throws. The Titans were 24 of 58 (41.4 percent) from the field and 26 of 33 (78.8 percent) from the free throw line, while the Warhawks were 22 of 60 (36.7 percent) from the field and 14 of 18 (77.8 percent) from the charity stripe.

Titans Capture Pioneers

The UW-Oshkosh women’s basketball team converted on five of seven free throws in the final 2:25 to hang on for a 60-57 victory over UW-Platteville on Wednesday (Feb. 5) in Platteville.

UW-Oshkosh (17-3/8-3 WIAC), ranked 17th in this week’s D3hoops.com poll, fought off a furious UW-Platteville (13-8/6-6 WIAC) rally down the stretch to escape with the win.

UW-Oshkosh had taken a 49-38 lead on a layup by Melissa Schweitzer (Sr. • Amherst) with 8:45 remaining, but UW-Platteville proceeded to go on an 11-2 run in the next five minutes.

The Pioneers closed to within two points three times the rest of the way but could not overtake UW-Oshkosh.

The Titans used a balanced scoring attack with Libby Sievert (Sr. • Suamico) leading the way with 15 points. Schweitzer added 12 points and Kay Mikolajczak (Jr. • Franklin) and Abby Holler (So. • La Crescent, Minn.) 10 each. Mikolajczak was also a force on the boards with a game-high eight rebounds.

Holly Kaiser paced the Pioneers with 13 points, while Katie Freis added 10. Angie Sisson grabbed seven rebounds for UW-Platteville.

UW-Oshkosh led for much of the first half, but neither team was able to grab more than a four-point lead before settling for a 31-31 halftime tie.

The game stayed close for the first seven minutes of the second half before UW-Oshkosh finally pulled away. Three straight layups by Holler and a jumper by Sievert turned a one-point lead into a 45-36 advantage by the Titans with 12:13 to play.

Sievert and Schweitzer added layups as UW-Oshkosh continued to up its margin to 11 points with just under nine minutes to play. But the Pioneers began to claw their way back from there and make UW-Oshkosh earn the win the from the free throw line.

Titans Bombard Blue Devils From The Perimeter

Making 11 three-point baskets to tie a school record that it set just one game earlier, the UW-Oshkosh women's basketball team attacked UW-Stout from long range and defeated the Blue Devils, 87-80, on Saturday (Feb. 1) in Menomonie.

The contest matched a pair of nationally ranked teams as UW-Oshkosh entered the game tabbed 20th in the NCAA Division III by D3Hoops.com and UW-Stout 22nd.

UW-Oshkosh, which moved into a tie for second place in the WIAC standings with the win, made 11 of its 26 three-point shots against UW-Stout to match a school record that it established in last Saturday's (Jan. 25) 100-49 win over UW-River Falls. In a catch-up method, UW-Stout (14-6/6-5 WIAC) made only five of its 24 three-point shots against UW-Oshkosh (16-3/7-3 WIAC).

With the exception of the opening seconds, UW-Stout never led UW-Oshkosh after falling behind 5-4 at the 17:55 mark of the first half. The Blue Devils trailed by as many as 16 points (31-15) in the opening period before cutting their deficit to 38-34 at intermission thanks to a half-ending 19-7 scoring run. Kay Mikolajczak (Jr. • Franklin) led UW-Oshkosh's performance in first half by scoring seven points and grabbing 12 rebounds.

UW-Oshkosh opened the second half with a 12-3 scoring run to take a 50-37 advantage at the 16:42 mark of the period. UW-Stout attempted to chip away at its deficit, but could never get closer than five points, an 85-80 count with seven seconds left in the game. After missing six straight free throw attempts near the midpoint of the second half, UW-Oshkosh secured the victory down the stretch by making seven of its last 10 tosses from the charity stripe.

Michele Rosicky (So. • Plover) tallied a career-high 22 points to lead three double-figure scorers for the Titans. Rosicky made eight of her 12 field goal attempts in the contest, including six-of-nine tries behind the three-point line. UW-Oshkosh also received 21 points, a career-best eight assists and five rebounds from Libby Sievert (Sr. • Suamico) and 18 points, a career-best 20 rebounds and four assists from Mikolajczak. The double-double was Mikolajczak's fourth of the season. 

Titans Cruel To Falcons

The UW-Oshkosh women's basketball team needed to rebound from Wednesday's (Jan. 22) rough 88-62 road loss to defending NCAA Division III champion UW-Stevens Point.

And, rebound the Titans did as they hit 10 of their first-13 field goal attempts, including five three-point baskets, en route to a 100-49 victory over UW-River Falls on Saturday (Jan. 25) in Kolf Sports Center. Considering the score, one would find it hard to believe that UW-Oshkosh's win avenged a 56-46 loss to the Falcons earlier in the season (December 4).

UW-Oshkosh (15-3/6-3 WIAC) jumped out to a 27-12 lead over UW-River Falls (9-8/3-6 WIAC) and eventually took a 46-17 advantage to intermission. The Titans shot 58.6 percent (17-29) from the field in the opening period, including six three-point baskets in eight tries. Michele Rosicky (So. • Plover) highlighted UW-Oshkosh's effort in the first half by scoring 11 points, while teammate Brittany Herrick (Fr. • Appleton) counted eight points and four rebounds.

It didn't get much better for UW-River Falls in the second half as UW-Oshkosh opened the period with a 22-8 scoring run, heavily aided by 9-of-11 shooting from the field. The Titans led by as many as 40 points the final 13:42 of the game, including 52 points on three occasions. The crowd's biggest applause came with 38 seconds left in the contest when Kaaren Albrecht (Jr. • Monroe) hit a three-point basket to put the Titans at 100 points. It was just the seventh time in school history that UW-Oshkosh had reached triple figures in scoring.

Three UW-Oshkosh players, Herrick, Rosicky and Jennifer Kopecky (Fr. • Fond du Lac), all tallied scoring highs as the Titans connected on 54.5 percent (36-66) of their field goal attempts, including a school-record 11 three-point baskets. Kay Mikolajczak (Jr. • Franklin) led UW-Oshkosh in scoring with 15 points, while Rosicky and Herrick added 14 each and Melissa Schweitzer (Sr. • Amherst) and Libby Sievert (Sr. • Suamico) 12 apiece. Kopecky had nine points and three assists during her 13 minutes of action.

UW-Oshkosh won the rebounding battle, 45-30, and forced the Falcons into 25 turnovers. UW-River Falls shot just 30.8 percent (16-52) from the field and only 50 percent (11-22) from the free throw line.

Titans Bitten By Pointers

Tara Schmitt scored 17 of her career-high 22 points in the second half as defending NCAA Division III champion UW-Stevens Point pulled away to defeat UW-Oshkosh, 88-62, in a women's basketball contest held Wednesday (Jan. 22) in Stevens Point. The hardwood debate matched a pair of nationally-ranked teams, with UW-Oshkosh classified 16th in the NCAA Division III by D3Hoops.com and UW-Stevens Point 20th.

Schmitt made eight of her 10 field goal attempts, including all four behind the three-point line, and both of her free throw tries to pace UW-Stevens Point (14-3/6-2 WIAC) to its fourth straight win. The Pointers, who compiled their largest victory over UW-Oshkosh since a 71-43 win during the 1989-90 season, also received 20 points from Andrea Kraemer, 18 from Cassandra Heuer and 15 from Amanda Nechuta.

UW-Stevens Point grabbed an early 17-12 lead over UW-Oshkosh (14-3/5-3 WIAC) before the Titans went on a 21-10 scoring run to take a 33-27 advantage with 8:14 left in the opening period. The Pointers rallied back, however, and closed the first half with a 10-3 scoring run to take a lead 41-37 to intermission. Kraemer scored 15 points to pace the Pointers in the opening stanza, while Nechuta totaled 11.

UW-Oshkosh scored first in the second half on a basket by Abby Holler (So. • La Crescent, Minn.), but UW-Stevens Point then scored 15 of the next 17 points to take a 56-41 lead and control of the contest. UW-Stevens Point held an advantage of 15 or more points for the final 14:17 of the game, including an 88-59 count with 44 seconds remaining. The Pointers' Schmitt was six-of-seven from the floor in the second half, including three-of-three behind the three-point line.

Kay Mikolajczak (Jr. • Franklin) led UW-Oshkosh in scoring with 12 points, while Melissa Schweitzer (Sr. • Amherst) totaled 10. The Titans also received eight points from Michele Rosicky (So. • Plover) and seven from Brooklyn Yunker (Fr. • Lake Geneva).

UW-Oshkosh, which committed just 11 turnovers in the game, shot only 39.7 percent (23-58) from the field and 52.6 percent (10-19) from the free throw line. UW-Stevens Point shot 57.4 percent (31-54) from the field and 80.0 percent (16-20) from the charity stripe. The Pointers, who won the battle off the glass, 39-27, also made 10 of their 20 three-point shots.

Titans Unable To Conquer First-Place Blugolds

Shooting a season-best 61 percent (30-49) from the field, the UW-Eau Claire women's basketball team remained perfect in WIAC play by defeating UW-Oshkosh, 72-56, on Wednesday (Jan. 15) in Kolf Sports Center.

UW-Eau Claire (15-1/7-0 WIAC), ranked eighth in the NCAA Division III by D3Hoops.com, now takes a two-game lead atop the WIAC standings, while 16th-ranked UW-Oshkosh (13-2/4-2 WIAC) drops into a three-way tie for second place.

UW-Eau Claire handled UW-Oshkosh with its outstanding marksmanship from the floor as opposed to just 36.2 percent (21-58) shooting by the Titans. The Blugolds also held a 33-23 rebounding edge along with hitting 7-of-11 three-point shots. UW-Eau Claire limited UW-Oshkosh to just 4-of-20 shooting behind the three-point line.

UW-Eau Claire started the game with a three-pointer from Janel Soppeland and would never trail the rest of the way. The Blugolds jumped out to a 13-6 lead, but the Titans battled back to pull within 15-14 with 14:01 remaining in the first half. The game stayed within six points the remainder of the opening period, with UW-Oshkosh again pulling within one at 31-30 with 1:15 to play. The Blugolds finished the opening stanza with four unanswered points by Kristi Channing to take a 35-30 halftime lead.

The Blugolds wasted no time extending their advantage in the second half, opening the period with a 10-2 scoring run to take a 45-32 lead. UW-Oshkosh then responded with a scoring run of its own by counting 13 points to the Blugold's two in the next 4:26. Leading 47-46, UW-Eau Claire again went on a large scoring run, turning a one point advantage into a 65-50 lead with just 4:40 remaining in the game. This time, UW-Oshkosh had no answer and UW-Eau Claire took the victory.

Libby Sievert (Sr. • Suamico) led UW-Oshkosh in scoring with 13 points, while Kay Mikolajczak (Jr. • Franklin) added 12 and Abby Holler (So. • La Crescent, Minn.) and Melissa Schweitzer (Sr. • Amherst) seven each.

Soppeland tallied 20 points to lead three double-figure scorers for the Blugolds, who also received 18 points from Becca Spaeth and 14 from Channing. Spaeth also had a game-high nine rebounds and a team-best two blocked shots.

Titans Swat Yellowjackets

Receiving points from each of its 14 players, the UW-Oshkosh women's basketball team destroyed UW-Superior, 87-63, on Saturday (Jan. 11) in Superior.

The victory was the Titans' 36th straight over the Yellowjackets and helps set up Wednesday's (Jan. 15) WIAC showdown in Kolf Sports Center between second-place UW-Oshkosh (13-1/4-1 WIAC) and first-place UW-Eau Claire (14-1/6-0 WIAC).

Libby Sievert (Sr. • Suamico) led UW-Oshkosh's scoring parade against UW-Superior with 14 points, while Brooklyn Yunker (Fr. • Lake Geneva) counted a career-high 13 and Michele Rosicky (So. • Plover) a career-best 12. In all, UW-Oshkosh's nine non-starters, highlighted by Yunker and Rosicky, accounted for 57 of the Titans' 87 points.

UW-Superior (1-10/0-6 WIAC) had a pair of double-figure scorers in the contest as Stephanie Janigo totaled 22 points and Jolene Gudmunsen 13.

UW-Oshkosh and UW-Superior battled to four early ties before the Titans turned the game into a rout with a 28-9 scoring run to end the first half. Rosicky ignited UW-Oshkosh's impressive scoring run by accounting for nine of the Titans' first -11 points. UW-Oshkosh took a 40-19 lead to intermission behind the 11 points of Sievert and nine of Rosicky.

UW-Oshkosh led by 20-plus points for all but 10 seconds of the second half, with its largest advantage being 76-47 (29 points) with 3:17 left and its smallest being 78-60 (18 points) with 1:13 remaining. Jennifer Kopecky (Fr. • Fond du Lac) counted eight points and Yunker six to lead UW-Oshkosh's scoring in the second half.

UW-Oshkosh shot 46.2 percent (30-65) from the field and 58.6 (17-29) from the free throw line. The Titans also shot 55.6 percent behind the three-point line, making a season-best 10 field goals in 18 attempts. UW-Superior shot 46.2 percent (24-52) from the field and 63.2 (12-19) from the free throw stripe. The Yellowjackets made only three of their 10 (30 percent) tries behind the three-point line.

The Titans outrebounded the Yellowjackets, 45-30, with UW-Oshkosh's Kay Mikolajczak (Jr. • Franklin) accounting for a game-high eight. 

Titans Wound Warhawks

Shooting 55 percent (31-56) from the field and having four of its five starters in double-figure scoring, the UW-Oshkosh women's basketball team defeated UW-Whitewater, 82-70, on Wednesday (Jan. 8) in Whitewater. The Titans have now won eight straight games since dropping a 56-46 decision to UW-River Falls on December 7.

UW-Oshkosh (12-1/3-1 WIAC) trailed for only 35 seconds in the game as the Titans jumped to a 12-2 lead at the 16:28 mark of the first half. UW-Whitewater (6-5/1-3 WIAC) fought back to take a 26-25 lead at the 5:23 mark of the opening period before UW-Oshkosh regained the advantage for good a little over a half-minute later on a basket by Brenda Utech (Sr. • Howard). The Titans closed the first half with a 10-4 scoring run to lead 35-30 at intermission.

UW-Whitewater pulled to within one point three times in the second half, with the latest being 52-51 with 9:22 left in the game. The Titans then responded with a 17-3 scoring run, including six points each from Utech and Kay Mikolajczak (Jr. • Franklin), to jump their advantage to 69-54 with 4:49 remaining. The closest the Warhawks got down the stretch was 78-70 with 1:02 left.

UW-Oshkosh, which defeated UW-Whitewater for the 40th time in 54 meetings, was led in scoring by Mikolajczak's game-high 23 points. The Titans also acquired 16 points from Utech and 12 each from Melissa Schweitzer (Sr. • Amherst) and Libby Sievert (Sr. • Suamico).

UW-Whitewater had four double-figure scorers in the game as Nya Geschke counted 21, Leah Thyne 15, Amy Morris 12 and Cathy Rossi 11.

UW-Oshkosh outrebounded UW-Whitewater, 31-30, as Mikolajczak led the Titans with eight. UW-Oshkosh also forced 24 turnovers and blocked five shots while making 18 of its 27 (66.7 percent) free throw tries.

Titans Outgun Blue Devils

Behind career scoring bests from Libby Sievert (Sr. • Suamico) and Alison Cesnovar (Jr. • Kenosha), the UW-Oshkosh women's basketball team defeated defending WIAC champion UW-Stout, 84-70, on Monday (Jan. 6) in Kolf Sports Center.

Sievert scored 23 points and Cesnovar 12 as the Titans (11-1/2-1 WIAC) topped the Blue Devils (10-3/2-2 WIAC) for the 37th time in 43 meetings. UW-Stout did win two of its three contests with UW-Oshkosh a year ago, including a 90-71 decision in the championship game of the WIAC Tournament.

In a classic example of the irresistible force against the immovable object, it was UW-Oshkosh with its league-leading defensive scoring average of 49.8 points per game that prevailed. The Titans held the Blue Devils to nearly 13 points below their league-leading scoring average of 82.8 points per game by forcing 20 turnovers and limiting UW-Stout to just 42.4 percent (28-66) field goal shooting.

UW-Oshkosh and UW-Stout played to five ties during the early stages of the contest, including 14-14 at the 9:40 mark of the first half. Sievert broke the deadlock and gave the Titans the lead for good at the 8:32 mark of the opening period by sinking a long three-point shot. UW-Oshkosh led by as many as eight points in the first half before settling for a 32-27 advantage at intermission.

In the second half, UW-Oshkosh led by double digits the final 12:46 of the game, including 19 points four times. UW-Stout pulled to within eight points of UW-Oshkosh at 48-40, but the Titans responded with a 15-6 scoring run to lead 63-46 with 8:37 left.

In addition to the stellar play of Sievert and Cesnovar, UW-Oshkosh also received 12 points and eight rebounds from Kay Mikolajczak (Jr. • Franklin), nine points and a career-best seven rebounds from Michele Rosicky (So. • Plover) and nine points and six rebounds from Melissa Schweitzer (Sr. • Amherst).

UW-Stout was led in scoring by Jessie Herrman's 15 points. The Blue Devils also received nine points each from Lindsey Erichsen, Sara Kahl and Laura Verdegan.

UW-Oshkosh concluded the game shooting 43.9 percent (25-57) from the field. The Titans also made a season-high 28 free throws in 34 attempts (82.4 percent).

Titans Tame Wildcats

The UW-Oshkosh women's basketball team built a nine-point lead late in the first half and remained in control as it defeated Linfield College (Ore.), 66-50, on Sunday (Dec. 22) in McMinnville, Ore. The loss was the most lopsided of the season for Linfield College (6-3), a first-time opponent of UW-Oshkosh (8-1).

UW-Oshkosh took an 8-7 lead at the 15:34 mark of the first half and held the advantage the remainder of the game. The Titans constructed a 26-17 lead late in the opening period before the Wildcats scored four unanswered points to cut their deficit to 26-21 at intermission.

It didn't take long for UW-Oshkosh to assert itself following intermission as Michele Rosicky's (So. • Plover) three-pointer from the corner in the opening minute put the Titans in front by double digits, 33-23. UW-Oshkosh stretched its lead to 20 points (45-25) on Kay Mikolajczak's (Jr. • Franklin) layin with 12:26 remaining. The Wildcats then trimmed the difference to 13 points (49-36), but Mikolajczak's uncontested layup with 3:19 left pushed the Titans' lead back to 20 at 58-38.

Mikolajczak hit eight of her 13 shots from the field and four of her five free throw attempts to tally a game-high 20 points. She sparked the Titans in the second half by scoring 16 points, recording three steals and grabbing two rebounds. UW-Oshkosh also received 10 points and two assists from Rosicky and eight points, a game-high eight rebounds and five assists from Melissa Schweitzer (Sr. • Amherst).

Linfield College, which was outrebounded by UW-Oshkosh, 42-27, was led in scoring by Melissa McBride's 14 points and Monica Schwing's 11.

UW-Oshkosh made 49 percent (25-51) of its shots from the field and 57.9 percent (11-19) of its attempts from the free throw line, while Linfield College converted on 34 percent (16-47) of its shots from the field and 68.2 percent (15-22) of its tries from the charity stripe. The two teams combined for 48 turnovers, with the Wildcats owning 25.

Titans Pull Away From Bearcats

The UW-Oshkosh women's basketball team rallied from an eight-point deficit late in the first half to defeat Willamette University (Ore.), 57-48, on Saturday (Dec. 21) in Salem, Ore. The contest was not only the first between the two schools, but also the first played in Oregon for UW-Oshkosh.

Willamette University (4-2) led by as many as eight points (21-13 & 23-15) on two occasions in the first half before UW-Oshkosh (7-1) closed the opening period with nine consecutive points to lead 24-23 at intermission.

In the second half, UW-Oshkosh shot 51.9 percent (14-27) from the field and forced 16 turnovers to pull away from Willamette University. The Titans led the last 15:11 of the game, with their eight-point winning margin being their largest advantage of the contest.

Kay Mikolajczak (Jr. • Franklin) led UW-Oshkosh's second half charge by scoring 10 of her game-high 12 points in the final 18 minutes. Mikolajczak also concluded the contest with five rebounds, four steals and one blocked shot. The Titans also received 11 points, seven rebounds and four steals from Libby Sievert (Sr. • Suamico) and eight points, four rebounds and two steals from Abby Holler (So. • La Crescent, Minn.).

Willamette University, which was held to its lowest-scoring output of the season, was led by Rosie Contri's nine points, six assists, three rebounds and three assists.

UW-Oshkosh shot 40 percent (24-60) from the field after shooting just 30.3 (10-33) in the first half. Willamette University shot 40.9 percent (18-44) from the field after shooting only 33.3 (8-24) in the opening period. The Bearcats outrebounded the Titans, 32-30, but were hampered in their effort by 28 turnovers.

Titans Shred Regents

The UW-Oshkosh women's basketball team led Rockford College (Ill.) for all but 15 seconds as it routed the Regents, 84-48, on Sunday (Dec. 15) in Kolf Sports Center.

UW-Oshkosh (6-1) wounded Rockford College (4-5) early by scoring 11 unanswered points to start the game. The Titans then knocked the Regents out later in the opening period by going on a 20-4 scoring run to end the first half. UW-Oshkosh had a pair of 26-point leads in the first period, including a 48-22 advantage at intermission.

UW-Oshkosh began the second half outscoring Rockford College, 16-4, to take a 64-26 lead with 14:36 left in the game. The Titans led by as much as 42 points in the second half, including an 84-42 score with 3:11 remaining.

Kay Mikolajczak (Jr. • Franklin) made 10 of her 13 field goal attempts to lead UW-Oshkosh in scoring with 20 points. Mikolajczak, who scored 16 of her points in the first half, also grabbed five rebounds, recorded three steals, blocked two shots and dished off two assists. The Titans also received 17 points, five assists and four rebounds from Libby Sievert (Sr. • Suamico) and 12 points, three assists and three steals from Melissa Schweitzer (Sr. • Amherst). Sievert scored 15 of her points on five three-point baskets.

UW-Oshkosh benefited off the bench by getting six assists, five steals and three rebounds from Alison Cesnovar (Jr. • Kenosha) and five points, two steals and two assists from Laurie Turtenwald (So. • West Allis).

Heather Wheeler paced Rockford College in scoring with 12 points, while Kristina Dorman and Paula Jones added 11 each.

UW-Oshkosh shot 55.7 percent (34-61) from the field, including 53.3 (8-15) behind the three-point line. The Titans also made eight of their 11 (72.7 percent) free throw tosses. Rockford College, which committed 33 turnovers, shot 34.7 percent (17-49) from the field and 68.8 percent (11-16) from the free throw line. The Regents made just three of their 10 (30 percent) three-point shots.

Strong Finish Helps Titans Capture Green Knights

With Kay Mikolajczak (Jr. • Franklin) dominating play, the UW-Oshkosh women's basketball team outscored St. Norbert College, 15-7, down the stretch and defeated the Green Knights, 64-56, on Saturday (Dec. 14) in De Pere.

Mikolajczak scored six points, recorded four steals, grabbed one rebound, blocked one shot and dished off one assist in the final 5:12 of the game as the Titans pulled away from 49-49 tie to record their ninth win over the Green Knights in 10 meetings.

St. Norbert College (2-2) took a 27-25 lead to intermission after rallying from a 19-14 deficit with 6:41 left in the opening period. Action was tied five times in the first half, with St. Norbert College owning its biggest advantage over UW-Oshkosh at 12-8 with 12:22 remaining.

UW-Oshkosh (5-1) fell behind by four points on three occasions (29-25, 31-27 & 39-35) in the second half, but stormed back to take a 47-41 lead with 9:45 left in the game. St. Norbert College then responded to its six-point deficit by going on an 8-2 scoring run to tie the game at 49 with 6:27 remaining. However, in the following six-plus minutes it was all UW-Oshkosh as the Titans took their biggest lead of the contest, eight points at 64-56, on a pair of free throws by Mikolajczak with 10 seconds left.

Mikolajczak scored 14 points and grabbed six rebounds to lead UW-Oshkosh, while Melissa Schweitzer (Sr. • Amherst) added 13 points and five rebounds, Libby Sievert (Sr. • Suamico) 12 points and five rebounds and Brenda Utech (Sr. • Howard) 11 points and five steals.

St. Norbert College received 13 points and five rebounds from Stacy Ritter, 12 points and 10 rebounds from Susan Schramka and 12 points and four rebounds from Kelly Krombach.

UW-Oshkosh shot 45.8 percent (22-48) from the field and 88.2 percent (15-17) from the free throw line, while St. Norbert College shot 40 percent (20-50) from the field and 75 percent (12-16) from the charity stripe.

Falcons Topple Titans

A late-game 12-1 scoring run broke an even contest into an eventual 56-46 victory for the UW-River Falls women's basketball over UW-Oshkosh on Saturday (Dec. 7) in River Falls. The win was UW-River Falls' first over UW-Oshkosh since the 1988-89 season.

Darcy Olsen and Amber Sickels led the Falcons in scoring with 15 points each, while Erin Effle finished with 13.

The Falcons (4-2/1-1 WIAC) led most of the contest, including a 19-11 lead toward the end of the first half. The Titans (4-1/1-1WIAC) came back to a 23-21 halftime score and kept the pressure on until the UW-River Falls run with 7:23 to go.

The Falcons shot 43.8 percent (21-48) from the field and made 76.9 percent of their 13 free throws. UW-Oshkosh suffered from a 29.2 percent field goal shooting (14-48).

Olsen knocked down three from behind the arc and played the full 40 minutes. Effle led the Falcons in rebounds with 10, assists with five and steals with five.

UW-Oshkosh was led in scoring by Libby Sievert (Sr. • Suamico) who had 13 points and Melissa Schweitzer (Sr. • Amherst) who had 10.

Titans Win 10th Straight WIAC Opener

It's hard for a team to win a WIAC game when it suffers a six-minute scoring drought.

But, thanks in part to a dominant second half performance by Kay Mikolajczak (Jr. • Franklin), the UW-Oshkosh women's basketball team stormed past UW-Platteville, 61-50, on Wednesday (Dec. 4) in Kolf Sports Center.

The contest started WIAC play for both teams, with UW-Oshkosh winning its league opener for the 10th consecutive season. The victory also marked the Titans' 26th win over the Pioneers in 27 games.

Mikolajczak scored seven of her team-leading 13 points, grabbed 10 of her game-best 15 rebounds and recorded three of her team-high four steals in the second half as the Titans erased a 25-23 halftime deficit.

UW-Oshkosh (4-0/1-0 WIAC) took a 21-15 lead in the first half, but went scoreless for 6:25 late in the opening period to fall behind 25-21 with 56 seconds left. The Titans closed their halftime deficit to 25-23 when Brittany Herrick (Fr. • Appleton) made a layup with 47 seconds remaining before the break.

Spirited by Mikolajczak, UW-Oshkosh opened the second half with a 28-8 scoring run to lead 51-33 with five minutes left in the game. The Pioneers (2-1/0-1 WIAC) closed the count to 55-45 with 1:22 remaining, but the Titans scored four answered points during the next 28 seconds to increase their lead to 59-45. UW-Platteville's second half performance was hampered by 15 turnovers and just 28 percent (7-25) shooting from the field.

Mikolajczak led UW-Oshkosh with her 13 points and 15 rebounds, while Melissa Schweitzer (Sr. • Amherst) added 12 points, six rebounds and three assists. The Titans also received nine points each from Libby Sievert (Sr. • Suamico), Laurie Turtenwald (So. • West Allis) and Brenda Utech (Sr. • Howard).

UW-Platteville was paced by Tiff Flesch, who scored 16 points and grabbed nine rebounds for team highs. She had 10 points and six rebounds in the first half. The Pioneers also received 14 points from Angie Sisson.

UW-Oshkosh shot 42.9 percent (24-56) from the field and made seven of its 12 (58.3 percent) free throw attempts, while UW-Platteville shot 32 percent (16-50) from the field and made 14 of its 21 (66.7 percent) free throw tries. The Titans outrebounded the Pioneers, 37-32, in the contest and blocked six shots.

Quick Start Helps Titans Overpower Warriors

The UW-Oshkosh women's basketball team raced to a 19-4 advantage and never looked back as it celebrated a 62-46 victory over Wisconsin Lutheran College on Tuesday (Nov. 26) in Milwaukee.

UW-Oshkosh (3-0) had seven different players score points during its quick start as Kay Mikolajczak (Jr. • Franklin) and Libby Sievert (Sr. • Suamico) each totaled four to lead the way. Wisconsin Lutheran College (2-1) closed its deficit to 21-13 with 4:12 left in the opening period, but UW-Oshkosh answered with an 11-2 scoring run to lead 32-15 at intermission.

In the second half, UW-Oshkosh held a double-digit lead for nearly the entire 20 minutes. The Warriors pulled to within 36-27 with 15:41 left in the contest, but the Titans again answered, this time with a 10-2 scoring run. UW-Oshkosh led by as many as 19 points during the last nine minutes of the game, including 58-39 with 3:41 remaining.

Sievert led UW-Oshkosh in scoring with 16 points, including four three-point baskets, while Mikolajczak added 12 points and Pam Fehring (Fr. • Hartford) and Melissa Schweitzer (Sr. • Amherst) eight each. Mikolajczak also grabbed a game-high 11 rebounds, while Schweitzer collected 10.

Erin Hilleshiem led Wisconsin Lutheran College, which has dropped all six of its contests played against UW-Oshkosh, in scoring with 14 points.

UW-Oshkosh shot 43.3 percent (26-60) from the field against Wisconsin Lutheran College and committed just 12 turnovers. The Titans have now held their first-three opponents of the young 2002-03 season under 50 points.

The Warriors concluded the game shooting 41.2 percent (21-51) from the field after making just seven of 24 attempts (29.2 percent) in the first half. They committed 15 turnovers in the contest.

UW-Oshkosh Wins Battle Of The Titans

Both nicknamed the Titans, it was the UW-Oshkosh women's basketball team that prevailed with a 66-49 victory over Illinois Wesleyan University on Saturday (Nov. 23) in Bloomington, Ill. The victory, coupled with Friday's (Nov. 22) 57-45 win over Fontbonne College (Mo.), gave UW-Oshkosh the championship trophy in the Illinois Wesleyan University Tip-Off Tournament.

UW-Oshkosh (2-0) led Illinois Wesleyan University (1-1) for all but 26 seconds of the 40-minute debate. UW-Oshkosh trailed 4-3 in the early stages of the contest before counting eight straight points to take an 11-4 lead with 15:38 remaining in the first half. UW-Oshkosh led Illinois Wesleyan University, 38-26, at halftime.

UW-Oshkosh held a double-digit lead for nearly the entire second half, with its biggest advantage being 66-47 with 1:10 remaining. The closest Illinois Wesleyan University came to UW-Oshkosh in the second stanza was 51-42 with 6:06 left.

Libby Sievert (Sr. • Suamico) led UW-Oshkosh in scoring with a career-high 19 points, while Kay Mikolajczak (Jr. • Franklin) added 12 and Brenda Utech (Sr. • Howard) 11. Mikolajczak also grabbed a game-high 10 rebounds for UW-Oshkosh, which registered a 43-29 advantage in that category over Illinois Wesleyan University.

Katie Cantrell scored 14 points to lead Illinois Wesleyan University, while Brooke Bailey scored nine points and grabbed a team-best seven rebounds. Illinois Wesleyan University has now lost all three of its meetings with UW-Oshkosh.

UW-Oshkosh shot 40 percent (24-60) from the field, while Illinois Wesleyan University shot 38.5 percent (20-52). Both teams struggled behind the three-point line as UW-Oshkosh made only three of 14 attempts and Illinois Wesleyan University just three of 17. UW-Oshkosh's scoring advantage came at the free throw line where it made nine more tries (15-9) than Illinois Wesleyan University.

Titans Win Season Opener

There'll be better games statistically for the UW-Oshkosh women's basketball team this season, but in the end a win is a win.

Friday (Nov. 22) in Bloomington, Ill., UW-Oshkosh opened its 2002-03 season by defeating Fontbonne University (Mo.), 57-45, in the semifinal of the Illinois Wesleyan University Tip-Off Tournament. The victory puts UW-Oshkosh in Saturday's (Nov. 23) championship game, where it will meet Illinois Wesleyan University at 2 p.m.

UW-Oshkosh won its 23rd season opener in 29 years despite shooting just 38 percent (19-50) from the field and committing 23 turnovers. Fortunately, the Titans' first-time opponent shot just 33.3 percent (13-39) from the field, committed 27 turnovers and was outrebounded, 35-28.

UW-Oshkosh, which led 29-20 at intermission, was paced in scoring by Libby Sievert's (Sr. • Suamico) 14 points. The Titans also received 11 points from Melissa Schweitzer (Sr. • Amherst) and 10 from Brenda Utech (Sr. • Howard). Schweitzer and Sievert each grabbed five rebounds to lead UW-Oshkosh.

Fontbonne University, champion of the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference and a participant in the NCAA Division III Tournament the past two seasons, was led by Elizabeth Klotz's 15 points and six rebounds. The Griffins also received 11 points from Maureen Roberts.

2002-03 Season Preview

Maybe it's something in the Fox River water, but year in and year out, there is one thing you can count on in WIAC women's basketball competition. UW-Oshkosh is always a force to be reckoned with.

Since women's basketball began as an intercollegiate sport at UW-Oshkosh with the 1971-72 season the Titans have built a highly successful pillar at the conference and national levels. The Titans have won one NCAA Division III championship, claimed nine WIAC titles, made 10 NCAA Division III Tournament appearances and been victorious in 581 of their 768 games played.

UW-Oshkosh will again look to compete for the league crown in 2002-2003 after posting a 21-7 record, a third-place finish in the WIAC standings and a spot in the title game of the WIAC Tournament a year ago. Last year's WIAC finish marked the 13th straight season that UW-Oshkosh had placed in the top three in the league derby.

For the Titans to continue their mark of league excellence and return to the NCAA post-season play for an 11th rime, they will have to overcome the loss of three starters - guards Kristin Steckmesser, Jamie Turtenwald and forward Jenny Deuster. Those three players helped UW-Oshkosh be the only team to defeat eventual conference and tournament champion UW-Stout in league play (88-60 on Jan. 5 in Oshkosh) and be the last team to beat eventual NCAA Division III national champion UW-Stevens Point (76-65 on Feb. 20 in Stevens Point).

Looking to fill their voids are eight returning letter winners, including starters Kay Mikolajczak, a junior forward, and Melissa Schweitzer, a senior guard. Also back after starting a good portion of the games last season is Brenda Utech, a senior guard.

Mikolajczak arrived on the UW-Oshkosh campus from UW-Eau Claire a year ago, and took the league by storm, averaging 11.6 points and 7.4 rebounds per game, and totaling 55 blocks on the year to earn a spot on the All-WIAC Defensive Team.

The most veteran of the group, Schweitzer poured in 11.6 points and grabbed 6.3 rebounds a game last season. She was one of only three players to start all 28 games for the Titans last year. Another veteran with heavy experience returning is Utech. Last year, she averaged 8.3 points per contest while starting 19 times.

A key to the Titans success in 2002-03 will be the return of sophomore forward Abby Holler. Holler missed the 2001-02 campaign due to a knee injury. In 2000-01, she averaged 2.5 points and 1.9 rebounds per contest.

Also returning this season are key reserves Kaaren Albrecht, a junior guard, Jodi Bushman, a senior forward, Michelle Rosicky, a sophomore guard, Libby Sievert, a senior guard, and Laurie Turtenwald, a sophomore guard. Sievert came to the Titans from NCAA Division II Bemidiji State University (Minn.) and excelled in a number of roles, averaging 7.8 points in 20.8 minutes per game.

Players looking to make an impact for seventh-year head coach Pam Ruder's Titans this year are newcomers Alison Cesnovar, Pam Fehring and Brittany Herrick.