TOPEKA, Kan. --- Washburn officially opens the regular season campaign and it's 49th season of competition on Friday when it tips off against Minnesota State-Mankato in the Central Region Challenge at the historic Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City before facing Mary (S.D.) on Saturday.
SCOUTING THE MAVERICKS
Minnesota State-Mankato went 1-1 during the preseason with a 50-point over Division III St. Olaf before falling 33 points short against Division I foe, Nebraska. The Mavericks are led by head coach Emilee Thiesse who's in her sixth season with the team. MSU brings back 10 players from last season's 16-11 team (12-10 NSIC) including six uppermen. Claire Ziegler (Sr./F) is the leading returner after averaging team-bests in points/game (11.9) and rebounds/game (7.8) in 2016-17. Also back this season for the Mavericks is Taylor Klug (So./G) who earned NSIC All-Freshman Team honors a season earlier after coming off the bench to average 8.4 points and 11.9 minutes per game. This will be the Mavericks' first meeting with Washburn in 21 seasons and second all-time. Washburn won the initial meeting at home on Nov. 29, 1996, 63-46.
SCOUTING THE MARAUDERS
Mary will rely on youth this season as the Marauders' lineup features 12 underclassman with four of the five veteran players being seniors. UM finished last season 15-16 overall and qualified for the NSIC tournament at 10-12. Last season's team scoring leader Gabbie Bohl (So./F) returns after posting 15.3 points/game and 5.9 rebounds/game as a freshman. Also back for the Marauders is Lauren Rotunda (So./G) who was third on the team in scoring (9.1 ppg) in 2016-17. Saturday's match-up will be the third meeting in as many seasons with the Ichabods, with all-series split 1-1.
STRONG OPEN
Under head coach Ron McHenry, Washburn is 16-1 in season openers with a 5-1 mark when starting the season on the road or at neutral site venues.
HISTORY TIME CLASS
Friday's opener will be only the second time in program-history Washburn has played a regular season contest on Nov. 10. Its last outing came during the 2013-14 season when it downed Barry (Fla.), 94-67, in the Nova Southeastern Sharks Tip-Off Classic in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
LAST OUTING
The Ichabods opened the season with exhibition action against Division I powerhouse, Baylor which was tabbed third in the AP Preseason Poll, making it the highest ranked opponent Washburn has ever faced in the preseason, as it fell Monday, 117-33. Washburn shot 12-of-48 (25 percent) from the field with 6-of-25 (24 percent) from beyond the arc. Alexis McAfee gave the Ichabods their only lead of the contest with a three-pointer at 9:19 in the first to make it 3-2, as she finished with a team-best 14 points. Olivia Montague (5), Denesia Smith (3), Makayla Vargo (3), Madison Vargo (3), Taylor Blue (2), Hunter Bentley (2) and Reagan Phelan (1) made up the balance in scoring. Smith had a team-high four rebounds as Bentley and Phelan followed with three boards each. Baylor used extended runs and capitalized on Washburn errors to build a 62-18 lead by halftime. The Lady Bears shot 65.3 percent (47-72) from the field and 23.1 percent (3-13) from three-point distance and won the rebound battle, 47-21.
FOLLOW THE BODS
Fans can follow the Ichabods all-season long by listening to KPTK 106.9 FM radio with Jake Lebahn and Dan Lucero calling the action. Live stats for all games will be made available, with conference contests being streamed through the MIAA Network. All links can be found on wusports.com/live or the women's schedule page.
SEASON REWIND
Washburn finished the 2016-17 campaign at 17-12 overall for its 16th consecutive winning season, while going 10-9 in conference action. The Ichabods earned their 16th straight berth to the MIAA Tournament as the seventh-seed, though fell to No.10-seed Southwest Baptist at home during the opening round. Erica Lane (now Erika Yoder) garnered team MVP honors as she finished the season as team leader in free throw percentage (.825) while distributing a single-season best 99 assists with 3.4 per game. Lane finished her career as Washburn's all-time leader in free throw percentage (.840). Lane was named an All-MIAA Honorable Mention while Alyxis Bowens picked up second team honors she finished with 12.7 points/game, 7.1 rebounds/game, 39 blocks and shot 58.5 percent from the field. On Jan. 12, Ron McHenry became the 23rd women's basketball coach in NCAA Division II history to reach 400 career victories with a win at Northeastern State. McHenry reached the milestone in just 512 games, making him the fastest coach in Division II women's basketball to accomplish the feat.
ROSTER BREAKDOWN
The 2017-18 roster for the Ichabods features six true freshmen, four sophomores, one redshirt-sophomore, four juniors, one redshirt-junior and one senior. The lineup represents two countries and five states with 11 Ichabods from Kansas (11), two from Arizona and one player from Missouri, Nebraska and Iowa with Belgium being the other country.
NEW UNI... WHO DIS?
The Ichabods welcome 11 new players into the fold for the 2017-18 campaign including five transfers and six freshman. Transferring to Washburn for this season is Axelle Bernard (Sr./UTEP), Olivia Montague (Jr./Wisconsin-Parkside), Alexis McAfee (So./Wayne State, Neb.) along with Taylor Blue (Jr.) and Denesia Smith (Jr.) both from Pima CC (Ariz.). True freshman include Adyson Narber, Jordan Lenherr, Mackenzie Loe, Hunter Bentley, Katy Heger and Lauren Richter. Shambrey Budd (R-Jr.) will also be a part of this season's lineup after sitting out in 2016-17.
FAMILIAR FACES
Reagan Phelan (So./G) is the lone returning starter from last season in which she started 28 of 29 and was third on the team in scoring with 11.2 points/game. The Holyrood, Kan., native also averaged 30.6 minutes as a freshman, shot .446 from the field while completing 74-of-94 (.787) attempts from the line. Makayla Vargo (Jr.) appeared in 26 games in 2016-17 coming off the bench to average 12.3 minutes/game and 2.7 points. Cara Donley also returns for her sophomore season after adding 1.4 points in her first go-around last season. Madison Vargo (R-So.) and Hayley Thompson (So.) will provide depth from the bench.
SCHEDULE PREVIEW
The home opener is slated four days later as Washburn welcome Nebraska Christian on November 15. Thanksgiving weekend will feature the Parrish Hotels Thanksgiving Classic at Lee Arena as Washburn faces off against St. Cloud State and Truman State. December 6 marks the MIAA opener for the Ichabods as in-state rival Fort Hays State comes to town. A showdown with Benedictine on December 30 will begin a five-game home stand, the longest of the season for the Ichabods. Emporia State visit Lee Arena during that stretch on January 6. Washburn will close the season with a four-game road trip being a visit to White Auditorium on February 13 to conclude the season series with ESU with the season finale coming against Northeastern State on February 24. First round action of the the MIAA Tournament will begin February 26 at campus sites with quarterfinals played on March 1, semifinals on March 3 and the finals slated for March 4, all at Municipal Auditorium.
MIAA PRESEASON POLL
Washburn was projected to finish eighth in the MIAA Preseason Coaches' Poll. Central Missouri topped the listed with seven first-place votes. Last season's regular-season champion Pittsburg State garnered four first-place nods as it was placed second. Tournament champion Emporia State was picked third as it received two first-place votes. Central Oklahoma took fourth with one first-place vote, while Fort Hays State rounded out the top five. Missouri Western and Lindenwood were each predicted higher than the Ichabods, taking sixth and seventh respectively. Southwest Baptist and Nebraska-Kearney trailed accordingly with Missouri Southern at No. 11. Northwest Missouri landed at No. 12 with Northeastern State and Lincoln taking the final two spots.
EARLY SUCCESS
Since taking the reins for the 2000-01 season Ron McHenry has put together 12 perfect Novembers, including a 6-0 mark during the 2014-15 season. Washburn has never loss more than two games during the opening month of the season and is 74-9.
WASHBURN TRADITION
The 2017-18 campaign marks the 49th season of Washburn women's basketball. The program is 886-405-1 all-time, has seen 23 seasons with at least 20 wins, and 17 appearances NCAA Division II Tournament appearances with the 2004-05 team crowned as national champions. From Jan. 26, 2005 to Mar. 11, 2006, Washburn won 51 consecutive games. The streak is the longest in NCAA Division II and sixth all-time in NCAA history.
UP NEXT
Washburn will open its home schedule with a midweek clash against up-start Nebraska Christian on Wednesday, Nov. 15. Tip-off is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. and will be part of a doubleheader with the men's team.
