Schmidt Collects Third All-Region Award
UW-Oshkosh senior guard Taylor Schmidt was named to the NCAA Division III women's basketball All-Central Region First Team by D3hoops.com.
Schmidt becomes the 15th Titan to receive all-region first team accolades and the first since Whitney Tyriver in 2008. Schmidt was previously selected to the organization's All-Central Region Second Team in both 2015 and 2016.
Schmidt, who started each of her program-record 119 games during her four seasons, helped lead UW-Oshkosh to a 98-21 record, four trips to the national postseason and three straight WIAC tournament titles from 2014-16.
With Schmidt at point guard, the Titans were one of eight teams to win at least one game at each of the last four Division III women's tournaments, advancing to the third round in 2014 and 2017 as well as second-round appearances in 2015 and 2016.
This season, Schmidt paced the team with 10.9 points per game, a .750 (90-120) free throw percentage and 49 steals as the Titans clinched the regular-season league championship by three games. UW-Oshkosh finished atop the WIAC standings for the first time since 2006 and secured its first outright league title since 1999.
Schmidt scored in double-figures 20 times this year, including a season-high 20 points behind a career-best five 3-pointers during a 77-65 victory over UW-Eau Claire on Jan. 14. She also recorded 14 points and a career-high nine assists in a 68-56 loss to Washington University in St. Louis (Mo.) during the third round of the NCAA Championship on March 10.
Schmidt, a three-time All-WIAC first team selection from 2015-17, concluded her career as the program's leader in both free throws made (401) and attempted (513) while listing fifth on the school's scoring list with 1,281 points.
Schmidt's career totals also include 321 assists, 287 rebounds and 124 3-pointers. She averaged 10.2 points per game during her freshman season in 2014 and 11 points per contest in both 2015 and 2016.
Schmidt, who was selected to the WIAC All-Defensive Team this year, scored at least 10 points in 66 games during her career, including a high of 24 in a 94-71 win over UW-Stout in 2015. Her career-best games also include seven steals in a 64-58 victory over UW-Stout on Jan. 7 of this season.
Joining Schmidt on the All-Central Region First Team were senior guard Katie McDaniels from Wheaton College (Ill.), senior forward Holly Denfeld from Milwaukee School of Engineering, junior forward Mikaela Eppard from Elmhurst College (Ill.) and sophomore forward Madeline Homoly from Washington University.
McDaniels was named the D3hoops.com Central Region Player of the Year while University of Chicago (Ill.) claimed the region's Coach of the Year and Rookie of the Year honors in Carissa Sain Knoche and Miranda Burt, respectively.
D3hoops.com's All-Central Region squads were comprised of three teams with five players each. Sports information directors at the various schools nominated players and voted for the website's 16th annual regional awards.
Named to the All-Central Region Second Team were junior guard Molly McGraw from Illinois Wesleyan University, senior guards Liz Rehberger from North Park University (Ill.) and Andrea Zalis from Westmister College (Mo.), senior forwards Diamond Boyd from Cornell College (Iowa), and MaKenzie Miller from UW-La Crosse.
Tabbed to the Third Team were junior guards Rebekah Ehresman from Illinois Wesleyan University and Brooke Trewyn from UW-Whitewater, sophomore forward Jen Dowden from Wisconsin Lutheran College, senior forward Britta Nordstrom from University of Chicago, and senior center Kaycee Kallenberger from Augustana College (Ill.).