TOPEKA, Kan. -- Washburn women's basketball will head to warmer temperatures for two games in Puerto Rico at the Puerto Rico Clasico on Monday against the University of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras at 4 p.m. CST and against the University of Ana G Mendez at 2 p.m. on Tuesday. 
 

OPENING TIP

• Washburn women's basketball heads out of the country for its final regular season tournament of the year at the Puerto Rico Clasico. 
• The Ichabods will take on the University of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras at 4 p.m. CST on Monday, Dec. 16 followed by the University of Ana G Mendez at 2 p.m. CST on Tuesday.
• Washburn is 4-6 on the year after taking a 83-53 loss against No. 7 Fort Hays State on the road on Saturday, Dec. 7. 
• They are coming off a 13-16 season in 2023-24, finishing 10th in the MIAA with an 8-14 record in the conference and advancing to the first round of the MIAA Tournament. 
• The Ichabods were picked to finish 9th in the MIAA Preseason Media Poll and were tabbed 10th by the coaches.   

ABOUT THE PUERTO RICO CLASICO

• The December session of the Puerto Rico College Sports Tour will feature Emory and Henry College, Haskell Indian Reservation, University of Missouri-St. Louis, Anderson University, Ursuline Colleg, Morningside University, Spring Arbor University and the University of Rio Grande on the women's side. 
• A live stream for each individual game will be available to purchase through puertoricocollegesportstours.com or through the link on wusports.com in the WBB schedule. 
• Live stats will not be available in their normal location. A live box score can be found on stats.ncaa.org under the DII WBB scoreboard. 

BODS AND BITS

• Washburn returns eight letterwinners from last season's roster while adding seven total new faces with five incoming freshmen and two junior transfers rounding out the 15-player roster.  
• The five freshmen are flanked by four sophomores and a junior class that is six players deep. It is the first roster without a senior going back to the 1980's.  
• The Ichabods are scoring 72.6 ppg on 43.8% shooting overall and 30.6% from behind the arc. 
• They are grabbing 36.2 rpg while giving out 14.3 apg. On the defensive end they come away with 8.4 spg and swat away 2.8 bpg. 
• Opponents average 68.9 ppg on 44.0% shooting and 27.4% from deep. 
• Washburn is 2-0 inside of Lee Arena while going 2-4 in road contests and 0-2 in neutral court games.  
• Washburn hit four triples against Fort Hays State to extend its streak of games with a made triple to 108 games. 
• Monday's meeting with Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras will be the 2nd in team history while the contest against Ana G Mendez on Tuesday will be the first. 

BLUE REPORT

• Yiibari Nwidadah leads the team offensively scoring 17.3 ppg while also shooting a team-high 70.2% from the field. She grabs a team-best 7.8 rpg and swats away 1.4 bpg while snagging 1.3 spg. The junior has started all eight games she has played in logging 28.1 mpg. She has shot over 50.0% in every game this season and has two double-doubles. The Olathe, Kan. native has the best field goal percentage in the nation while ranking 3rd in the MIAA in scoring and fifth in rebounding. 
• Payton Sterk is second on the team scoring 17.0 ppg while starting all 10 contests and playing a team-high 30.9 mpg. She is shooting 44.1% from the floor and a team-high 42.6% from deep while dishing out 2.7 apg, also the most on the squad. She also has a team-high 26 3-pointers and 24 free throws. In six games this season she has scored 15+ points. Sterk is 4th in the MIAA and 65th in the nation in points per game while ranking 2nd in the MIAA and 14th nationally in 3-pointers. 
• Gabi Giovannetti is third on the team in scoring at 12.3 ppg while shooting 42.4% from the floor. The junior has started all ten games playing 28.2 mpg. She is adding 2.9 rpg with 2.3 apg and 1.2 spg. She is second on the team with 18 made triples and has scored at least double figures in three of the last four games. Among MIAA players she is 11th in 3-pointers. 
• Madelyn Amekporfor is scoring 6.9 ppg on 41.1% shooting while starting eight of nine games that she has appeared in and logging 23.3 mpg. She is grabbing 3.3 rpg while adding 2.6 apg. On the defensive end she comes away with 1.0 spg. She has multiple assists in seven straight games she has played in. 
• Aniah Wayne is scoring 7.3 ppg in 18.5 mpg off the bench while playing in eight games. She adds 2.8 rpg and 1.0 spg. Her three games with double figure scoring off the bench lead the team. 
• Brooke Gomez has played in all ten games making nine starts in her freshman season logging 21.1 mpg. She averages 4.7 ppg while adding 3.0 rpg, 2.5 apg and 1.0 spg. She has 3+ assists in three of the last four games. 
• Amaya Davison has played in all nine games and started two logging 15.5 mpg. She scoring 4.1 ppg on 41.9% shooting while giving out 1.2 apg and coming away with 1.1 spg.  
• Rebecca Snyder has played in all ten games with two start logging 12.8 mpg and scoring 3.0 ppg with 2.7 rpg.  
• Nia McKenzie has played in all ten games while making one start averaging 12.0 mpg. She is grabbing 3.0 rpg and scoring 2.5 ppg and has 4+ rebounds in six of the last seven games. 
• Emajin McCallop has played in eight games scoring 1.3 ppg across 9.3 mpg.  
• Willow Gideon has played 6.2 mpg across six appearances while scoring 1.7 ppg.  
• Lauren Luebbert, Liz Boyd and Cloie Jansky have each made appearances off the bench while logging less than 7.0 mpg. 

STAT STACKING

• Washburn is shooting efficiently from the field at 43.8% overall. That puts them 4th in the MIAA and 46th in the nation. 
• With 14.3 assists per game the Ichabods are fifth in the conference and 80th nationally. 
• They are 5th in the MIAA and 60th in the nation scoring 72.6 ppg. 
• Washburn forces 17.20 turnovers per game, 6th most in the conference. 

MILESTONE MARKERS

• With 175 career offensive rebounds Yiibari Nwidadah is 9th in program history. She is 11 boards away from moving up to No. 8. In overall rebounds she ranks 27th in Washburn history with 453. 
• Her career rebounding average of 7.6 rpg is sixth highest in program history. With an average of 2.9 orpg she has the second highest offensive average of any Ichabod. 
• Gabi Giovannetti is tied for 19th in program history with 83 career 3-pointers made. She will move up to 18th with two more triples.  

HEAD COACH LORA WESTLING

• Lora Westling is in her third season as head coach at her alma mater entering the 2024-25 season. She has a 28-39 record with Washburn and is 105-117 at the DII level. 
• Westling comes back to Topeka after six seasons at Western Colorado, where she compiled a record of 77-78 and led the team to back-to-back NCAA Tournament selections – the first two in program history.
• Her overall victories is second on the Western all-time list and her 63 RMAC wins is tied for second in program history.
• Prior to Western Colorado, Westling spent three seasons as the head coach at the Division III program, Illinois College.
• Before becoming a head coach Westling had stints as an assistant at Missouri-St. Louis from 2007-10 and Truman State from 2010-13.
• She got her start in coaching at Washburn, where she served as a graduate assistant for the women's basketball and women's soccer teams.
• Westling was a standout member of Washburn's women's basketball team from 2001-05 and helped the Lady Blues to the school's first NCAA Division II national championship in 2005. 
• She also played one season of soccer for the Lady Blues.

WASHBURN ASSISTANT COACHES

• Assistant coaches Matt Barreiro and Katie Dalton along with student assistant Karly Neufeld round out the coaching staff.
• Barriero enters his second year on the staff. He is a 2005 graduate of Arizona Christian and got his masters from Walden University in 2012. He played basketball at both Washington State and Arizona Christian.  
• He has several years of head coaching experience with seven years at the helm at The King's University in Canada and most recently as the head coach at Central Christian College in McPherson, Kan. for two years.
• Dalton joins the staff for the 2024-25 season. She reunites with Westling who she played for at Western Colorado from 2017-22 and was a two-time All-RMAC selection. She graduated from Western Colorado in 2022. 
• She is originally from Magnolia, Texas and has spent time as a head rehabilitation technician and a physical therapy technician.
• Karly Neufeld joins the coaching staff after spending the 2023-24 season on the Ichabod roster.  

LAST TIME OUT

Fort Hays State 83, Washburn 53 (December 7, 2024)
HAYS, Kan. -- Washburn fell behind early after a quick start from No. 7 Fort Hays State and would fall 83-53. The Ichabods will put conference play on hold as they travel out of the country for the Puerto Rico Clasico beginning Dec. 16 as they face University of. Puerto Rico Rio-Piedras. 

The first nine points of the game came for the Tigers (9-0, 2-0 MIAA) with Washburn (4-6, 0-2 MIAA) not getting on the board until Madelyn Amekporfor got a layup to go at the 6:19 mark. The lead for Fort Hays State grew to double figures as the Ichabods were held to 3-14 shooting in the quarter and trailed 22-7.  

It was more of the same to start the second quarter as the Tigers scored the first nine points. Washburn got back-to-back buckets, on a 3-pointer from Gabi Giovannetti then a steal and score by Brooke Gomez. The Ichabods were held off the scoreboard for the remainder of the half, as Fort Hays State shot 11-22 in the quarter to lead 48-12 at the break.  

The Washburn offense got going in the third quarter, as they shot 8-17 (47.1%) and scored 20 points. Fort Hays State's offense continued to be efficient though, as they kept pace and grew the lead to as many as 43 points. Giovannetti got the final two points of the quarter at the line to make it 69-32.  

As the fourth quarter went on the Ichabods chipped away at the deficit to get it down to 30. That is where it sat after 40 minutes following five points from Payton Sterk to end the game.  

Washburn ended the game shooting 20-61 (32.8%) and were 4-22 from beyond the arc. Fort Hays State shot 33-65 (50.8%) even while shooting 5-23 from three-point range.  

A 22-12 advantage in turnovers and 40-33 on the glass boosted the Tigers. They also had a 44-28 advantage in paint scoring.  

Gabi Giovannetti had 11 points to lead the Ichabods. Brooke Gomez had seven with three assists and three steals.  

Five players scored in double-figures for Fort Hays State, led by Katie Wagner DeGarmo with 14.  

ABOUT THE PUERTO RICO-RIO PIEDRAS GALLITOS

• Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras is 0-2 on the year after falling 65-45 to Emory & Henry last time out on Dec. 10. 
• Last season the Gallitos were 0-4 against opponents from the continential United States.  
• Both games this season have been played in the Cosme Beitia Salamo. 
• Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras averages 38.5 ppg on 24.0% shooting. They grab 25.5 rpg and give out 9.0 apg. 
• Defensively they average 13.5 spg and 2.0 bpg. 
• Opponents average 69.0 ppg while shooting 45.0% from the floor. 
• Dayra Albaladejo leads the team at 7.0 ppg in just 8.8 mpg off the bench. She is shooting 44.4% from the floor and 33.3% from deep. 
• Joeysel Velazquez is scoring 6.5 ppg on 30.8% shooting while playing 15.3 mpg. She also grabs 3.0 rpg. 
• Jaymar Montanez has played in one game scoring five points with four rebounds in 21.3 mpg. 
• Thirteen players have scored this season for the Gallitos. 

LAST TIME VERSUS PUERTO RICO-RIO PIEDRAS

Washburn 93, Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras (November 16, 2014)
BAYAMON, Puerto Rico – The Ichabods got their largest victory over an NCAA school since 2005 with a 93-35 win Sunday afternoon against Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras. They also had their largest rebounding total ever against an NCAA school.

Washburn improved to 2-0 after playing a pair of games at Puerto Rico-Bayamon's gym. The Bods will play their home opener Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. against Benedictine at Schendel Court in Lee Arena.

Haley Pfau hit three early 3-pointers to help Washburn jump out to leads of 12-0 and 18-2. She finished with 14 points as she went 4 of 8, all from long range, and hit two free throws. Taylor Ignoto went 5 of 8 from the field and also scored 14 points to tie Pfau for the team lead. Honor Duvall had 10 points and Casyn Buchman led the Ichabods with 10 rebounds for her third career double-figure rebounding game.

The 58-point win is Washburn's second largest against an NCAA opponent, one point short of the school-record 59-point margin of victory over Cal State-Stanislaus in 2004-05. Washburn averaged 59.5 rebounds a game this weekend and recorded two of the top six rebounding games in school history. Sunday's total of 62 tied for the third most in school history and was the most Washburn has ever had against an NCAA school. Saturday's total of 57 was tied for the sixth most in school history.

Washburn stretched its 18-2 start to a 35-8 lead with 6:05 left in the first half and then led by 27, 45-18 at halftime. The Ichabods out-scored UPRRP 48-17 in the second half.

The Ichabods shot 48 percent from the field and 9 of 28 from 3-point range. They were 60 percent from the free throw line. Rio Piedras shot 21 percent from the field and 22 percent from long range. They were also 60 percent from the line. Washburn collected the third most rebounds in school history with 62 and allowed their opponent just 24 boards. The Bods had 11 turnovers while UPRRP had 13.

Duvall and Ally Nikkel set career highs with five assists each and Buchman added four.

Rio Piedras was led by Jacqueline Rosario as she scored 16 points, nearly half of her team's total of 35. She also led her team with seven rebounds.

SERIES WITH PUERTO RICO-RIO PIEDRAS

• Washburn leads the all-time series with Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras 1-0. 
• The only meeting came on Nov. 16, 2014 and was a 93-35 win for the Ichabods in Bayamon, Puerto Rico.

ABOUT ANA G. MENDEZ 

• Ana G. Mendez will be playing its first official game of the season against DII competition. 

SERIES WITH ANA G. MENDEZ

• Tuesday will be the first ever meeting between Washburn and Ana G. Mendez.  

WASHBURN HISTORY

• Washburn women's basketball is 999-500-1 (.666) all-time and are in the 56th year of the program's history. 
• Washburn claimed the 2005 NCAA National Championship over Seattle Pacific with a 70-53 win to cap off a 35-2 season. 
• Washburn has made 17 NCAA Tournament appearances and is 26-16 all-time in those postseason games. 
• The program has won 18 total MIAA Championships, earning nine regular season conference titles and winning nine MIAA Tournament championships. 
• There have been 30 All-American awards given to Washburn players, with 11 of those coming from the WBCA. 
• Washburn has finished 14 seasons with 25 wins and four seasons with 30 victories. 

LOOKING AHEAD

• Washburn will play one final game before the winter break as they take on Central Missouri in Warrensburg, Mo. on Saturday, Dec. 21 at 1 p.m.
• The home finale for the Ichabods will come on Saturday, Feb. 22 at 1p.m. against Rogers State.  
• The MIAA Basketball Championship Tournament will be held in Kansas City, Mo. at the Municipal Auditorium from March 5-9.