TOPEKA, Kan. -- Washburn women's basketball will head to the Sooner State to begin the 2025-26 season at the Central Region Crossover with games against St. Cloud State at 5 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 14 and against No. 18 Southwest Minnesota State at 1 p.m. on Saturday with both games in Edmond, Okla. on the campus of Central Oklahoma. 
 

OPENING TIP

• Washburn women's basketball begins the 57th season in program history at the Central Region Crossover facing St. Cloud State and No. 18 Southwest Minnesota State. 
• The Ichabods begin the 2025-26 campaign facing the Huskies at 5 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 14 in Edmond, Okla. They finish the two-day tournament on Saturday against the Mustangs at 1 p.m. from Hamilton Field House.
• Washburn is coming off a 18-13 season in 2024-25, finishing 5th in the MIAA regular season with an 11-8 record in the conference play. They advanced to the MIAA Tournament Semifinals.
• The Ichabods were picked to finish 2nd in the MIAA Preseason Coaches Poll and were tabbed 3rd by the media.  
• Washburn is receiving votes in the first WBCA Poll of the year released on October 28. 
• St. Cloud State will begin its 2025-26 season against the Ichabods while Southwest Minnesota State is 1-1 on the year entering the crossover. 

CENTRAL REGION CROSSOVER

• The 2025 Central Region Crossover will take place in Edmond, Okla. on the campus of Central Oklahoma. 
• Washburn and Central Oklahoma represent the MIAA while Southwest Minnesota State and St. Cloud State represent the NSIC. 
• All games will be played inside Hamilton Field House. 
• All games will be availiable to stream through the MIAA Network. Passes to watch the games can be purchased online. 

LET'S GET IT STARTED

• Washburn is 41-15 all-time in season openers after falling 72-82 to Southwest Minnesota State last season. 
• The Ichabods' most recent season-opening victory came in the 2022-23 season at home against the Bulldogs with a 71-55 win.

BODS AND BITS

• Washburn returns ten letterwinners from last season's roster while adding four total new faces in the form of three transfers and one true freshman. 
• The experienced Ichabod roster consists of four seniors, four juniors, five sophomores and one freshman. 
• As a team Washburn had shooting splits of 44.7% from the floor, 31.6% from deep and 68.8% at the free throw line while scoring 72.3 ppg in 2024-25. 
• They are 37.9 rpg with 12.8 apg to 16.3 turnovers per contest. Defensively they averaged 7.2 spg with 3.2 bpg. 
• Opponents in 2024-25 averaged 66.6 ppg while shooting 40.7% from the floor and 30.4% from behind the 3-point line. 
• Washburn went 9-2 inside of Lee Arena last season, 6-8 on the road and 3-3 in neutral court meetings last season. 
• Washburn made one triple against Pittsburg State in the final game of the 2024-25 season to extend its streak with a made 3-pointer to 128 games. 

BACK IN BLUE

• Yiibari Nwidadah is back for year four in blue as a senior. She is coming off an All-MIAA second team and MIAA All-Defensive team campaign as a junior after playing and starting in 29 games and logging 28.4 mpg. She led Washburn scoring 16.8 ppg on 62.6% shooting from the floor while grabbing 8.0 rpg including 2.7 on the offensive end. She also tied for a team-high swatting away 1.0 bpg. The Olathe, Kan. native had 12 scoring efforts of 20+ points and had eight double-doubles on the year. She finished 1st in the MIAA and 3rd nationally in field goal percentage, 5th in the conference and 64th nationally in pgg and 6th in the MIAA in rpg. 
• Payton Sterk also returns to the Ichabods after also earning All-MIAA second team honors as a junior and being named the MIAA Co-Newcomer of the Year. Sterk played and started in all 31 contests logging a team-high 31.1 mpg while scoring 15.7 ppg on 41.5% shooting overall. She led the team with 62 3-pointers while also shooting a team-best 38.0% from deep. The Colorado Springs, Colo. native grabbed 3.4 rpg and dished out 2.3 apg, second most on the team. She had 10 20+ scoring efforts including three 30+ point games. She finished 2nd in the MIAA and 37th nationally shooting 84.6% at the line and was 3rd in the MIAA and 25th in the nation in 3-point percentage. She was also 8th in the conference in ppg. 
• Gabi Giovannetti enters her senior season with Washburn coming off a junior season where she was one of two players toplay and started in all 31 games. She logged 27.3 mpg and was third on the team scoring 11.6 ppg on 41.7% shooting from the floor and 32.0% from deep with 47 made triples, second most on the team. The Shawnee, Kan. native also tallied 3.1 rpg, 2.1 apg and 1.0 spg. She delivered 18 double-digit scoring efforts and finished 11th in the MIAA in total 3-pointers made. 
• Madelyn Amekporfor returns for her junior season in Topeka after playing in 30 games and making 29 starts last season and logging 26.7 mpg. She scored 7.8 ppg on 47.0% shooting from the floor while grabbing 5.2 rpg, second most on the team. Defensively the Andover, Kan. native swiped a team-high 1.2 spg and made 1.0 bpg. She had nine games with 10+ points and seven games with either three steals or blocks. She finished 11th in the MIAA in blocks and blocks per game. 
• Brooke Gomez is back as a sophomore for the Ichabods in 2025-26 after playing in all 31 games and making 30 starts as a freshman. She played 20.5 mpg scoring 4.6 ppg on 37.6% shooting while grabbing 3.1 rpg and dishing out a team-high 2.7 apg. The Northglenn, Colo. native had five games with 5+ assists, tops on the team. She finished 15th in the conference in total assists. 
• Aniah Wayne returns for her senior campaign and year three with Washburn. Last season she came off the bench in 29 games playing 18.1 mpg while scoring 5.8 ppg on 34.0% shooting. She was third on the team with 25 3-pointers and also grabbed 2.9 rpg. The Omaha, Neb. native had six games scoring in double figures. 
• Nia McKenzie will enter her junior season with the Ichabods in 25-26 after playing in 27 games and making one start as a sophomore logging 15.0 mpg. She tallied 3.2 ppg on 45.3% shooting while grabbing 3.7 rpg. The Aurora, Colo. native had nine games with five or more rebounds off the bench. 
• Willow Gideon returns as a sophomore for Washburn after playing in 16 games off the bench as a freshman and logging 6.2 mpg. The Rolla, Mo. native tallied 41 total points with eight 3-pointers and nine rebounds across 99 minutes of action. 
• Lauren Luebbert appeared in 17 games off the bench for the Ichabods last season and is back as a sophomore. The Marshfield, Mo. native logged 116 total minutes scoring 15 points with 16 rebounds in that time. 
• Cloie Jansky rounds out the group of returns for Washburn in 2025-26. The Magnolia, Texas native played in seven games off the bench tallying 30 minutes scoring 14 points and grabbing five rebounds as a freshman last season. 

FRESH FACES

• Four new Ichabods will join the 2025-26 roster with three transfers and one true freshman coming to Topeka. 
• Kennadi Jackson is the lone freshman on the roster as she stays in-state coming to Washburn from Wichita, Kan. and Wichita Heights HS. She will join the guard group and wear #2 for the Ichabods. 
• Kylin Shipman joins Washburn as a sophomore coming from Regis University where she spent one season. She played in 10 games making one start for the Rangers. Shipman is a Laramie, Wyoming native and played prep ball at Laramie HS. She will wear #10 in 2025-26.
• Kellyn Hunter will be a junior for the Ichabods after transferring from Spring Hill College where she spent two seasons. She was the 2023-24 SIAC Freshman of the Year and averaged 14.1 ppg in 2024-25 earning All-SIAC First Team honors. She is a Mobile, Alabama native and played in high school at Faith Academy. Hunter will wear #13 for Washburn. 
• Britany Kogbara comes to Washburn as a junior from Mesa Community College where she began her career. She averaged 13.4 ppg and 9.5 rpg as a sophomore and earned NJCAA First Team All-American honors for the Thunderbirds. She is from Peoria, Arizona and played in high school at Peoria. Kogbara will wear #30 for the Ichabods. 

STAT STACKING

• The Ichabods shot 44.7% from the floor as a team in 2024-25, the third best in the conference and 16th in the nation.
• Washburn finished 30th in the nation and 2nd in the MIAA generating 21.61 free throw attempts per game. They were also second in the conference with 14.87 free throws made per game. 
• Washburn was 36th nationally scoring 72.3 ppg, fifth highest mark in the conference. 
• The Ichabods finished with a rebounding margin of +5.3 on the boards, fourth best among conference teams and 47th in the nation. 
• With a +5.7 overall scoring margin, Washburn had the fifth best mark in the MIAA and 82nd in the nation a year ago. 
• Behind the arc the Ichabods shot 31.6%, the fifth best percentage in the conference and 90th in the nation. 
• Washburn protected the paint averaging 3.2 blocks per game, sixth most in the conference and 98th most nationally. 
• The Ichabods also finished in the top half of the conference in offensive rebounds per game and assists per game.

ADVANCED STATS

• Brooke Gomez had the highest AST% on the team last season accounting for 23.0% of all assists when on the floor. Gabi Giovannetti was second on the team at 16.0%. 
• Yiibari Nwidadah grabbed 16.0% of total rebounds when on the floor, a team high. Nia McKenzie is second at 14.0%. 
• Nwidadah had a team-high 63.6% true shooting which factors in added value for 3-pointers and free throw percentage. Payton Sterk was second on the team with a 55.2% true shooting for the year. 
• Washburn had a team offensive rating of 99.6 ppg and a defensive rating of 91.7 ppg which are based on averages per 100 possessions.

MILESTONE MARKERS

• With 229 career offensive rebounds Yiibari Nwidadah is 5th in program history at creating extra opportunities. In overall rebounding she is 13th with 623 career boards. 
• Her career field goal percentage of .581 is the 2nd best in program history. In scoring she ranks 26th with 992 career points. 
• Gabi Giovannetti is 13th in program history with 112 career 3-pointers made. She is tied for 21st among all Ichabods with 50 blocked shots. 
• Payton Sterk currently sits 34th in program history with 62 3-pointers made in just 31 career games with Washburn. 
• With 44 career blocked shots Madelyn Amekporfor is tied for 26th in program history. 

HEAD COACH LORA WESTLING

• Lora Westling is in her fourth season as head coach at her alma mater entering the 2025-26 season. She has a 42-46 record with Washburn and is 119-124 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 Katie Dalton and Robin Stahl along with student assistant Karly Neufeld complete out the coaching staff.
• Dalton enters her second year on the Washburn sideline in 2025-26. After moving to Topeka she reunited 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.
• Robin Stahl joins the Ichabod staff in 2025-26 after a one-year stop at Ottawa University where she was an assistant coach with the women's program. Before that she spent one season as a graduate assistant at Central Missouri. 
• Stahl is an Alliance, Ohio native who began her career at Malone University where spent four years with career averages of 13.5 ppg and 3.6 apg. She graduated from Malone in 2022. She played one season at Central Missouri before moving into a GA position. 
• Karly Neufeld is back for a second season as a student assistant in the 2025-26 season. 

LAST TIME OUT

Pittsburg State 71, Washburn 57  (March 8, 2025)
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Washburn's season came to a close in the MIAA Tournament Semifinals with a 71-57 loss to No. 9 nationally ranked and No. 1 seed Pittsburg State on Saturday night. The No. 5 seeded Ichabods close the season with a 18-13 record.  

Scoring came early and often for the Gorillas (28-3), scoring the first five points of the game and turning that into a 19-2 run to open the game up. A bucket by Gabi Giovannetti at the 8:37 mark was the only thing breaking up the scoring. Washburn (18-13) closed the quarter strong, on a 10-4 run capped off by a buzzer-beating 3-pointer from Brooke Gomez to make it 22-12 after one.  

The second quarter featured another strong start for Pittsburg State, extending the lead to 21 points after a 13-2 run to open the quarter. The Ichabods held them scoreless for the next three minutes and change, scoring six points in the span with the final two on a basket inside by Yiibari Nwidadah. The Gorillas finished the half on a 6-0 run, shooting 8-14 in the quarter to lead 41-20 at the break.  

Both sides traded baskets out of halftime, twice Washburn cut the deficit down to 17 points but each time Pittsburg State had an answer. The Ichabods nearly matched their first half scoring as they put up 18 points in the third quarter, aided by 8-8 shooting at the line but faced a 19-point deficit with 10 to play.  

Gomez led off the fourth quarter with a jumper, bring the deficit back down to 17. The Gorillas continued to respond back with each team trading baskets into the final five minutes. The lead was finally cut below 17 after Madelyn Amekporfor got free for a layup with 1:46 to play. Time ran out on Washburn as Pittsburg State came away with a 71-57 win in the semifinal round.  

The Ichabods ended the game shooting 21-58 (36.2%) from the field. They were an efficient 14-16 at the line but just 1-12 from behind the arc. The Gorillas shot under 40.0% in the second half but finished the game at 28-63 (44.4%) overall with a 4-20 shooting effort from deep.  

Rebounding went with a slight edge to Pittsburg State at 38-35, as did turnovers 16-14. Washburn was able to crash the glass for 8 offensive rebounds, but scored just two second chance points. Points off turnovers went in favor of the Gorillas 25-12.  

Yiibari Nwidadah and Madelyn Amekporfor each scored 12 points to lead the Ichabods. Nwidadah had seven rebounds and tied a career high with four blocks. Off the bench Amaya Davison had nine points with 5-6 shooting at the line while Brooke Gomez scored seven and Payton Sterk had six.  

Karenna Gerber finished with 26 points on 11-16 shooting to lead the Gorillas. Grace Pyle had 19 and Macie Mays had 18 for the tournaments No. 1 seed.  

ABOUT THE ST. CLOUD STATE HUSKIES

• St. Cloud State finished the 2024-25 season with a 15-14 record overall and went 11-11 inside the NSIC. They were knocked out in the quarterfinal round of the NSIC Tournament in a 76-60 loss to Concordia-St. Paul. 
• They were picked to finish fifth in the NSIC Preseason Coaches Poll. 
• Last year the Huskies went 9-8 playing inside of Halenbeck Hall, 6-5 on the road and 0-1 in neutral court games. 
• St. Cloud State scored 66.4 ppg in 2024-25 shooting 40.7% from the floor, 33.2% from deep and 71.8% from the line. They grabbed 38.9 rpg and dished out 16.1 apg. 
• They ranked 21st in the nation in assists per game and were 40th nationally with a 0.99 assist to turnover ratio. With a rebounding margin of +5.1 they were 48th nationally on the boards. 
• Jada Eggebrecht returns as a senior after playing and starting in all 29 games a season ago and averaging 30.6 mpg. She led the team scoring 13.3 ppg while shooting 41.6% from the floor. She drilled 47 3-pointers while also giving out 2.2 assists and grabbing 3.3 rpg. She was 11th in the NSIC in 3-pointers made and went on to earn All-NSIC second team honors. 
• Alana Zarneke is back for her junior season after playing and starting all 29 games a season ago logging 26.3 mpg. She was second on the team scoring 11.1 ppg shooting 39.9% from the floor while drilling a team-high 52 triples on 39.4%, also a team-high. She grabbed 4.7 rpg, dished out a team-high 2.3 apg and made 1.3 spg while being named to the All-NSIC second team. 
• Reagan Briggs returns as a sophomore after playing in all 29 games and making 24 starts as a freshman playing 22.7 mpg. She scored 4.9 ppg on32.0% shooting while grabbing 4.8 rpg. 
• Also returning is junior Paige Lambe after playing in 29 games and starting 20 last season playing 21.2 mpg. She scored 7.9 ppg on 43.8% shooting. She led the team with 1.1 bpg while grabbing 4.1 rpg. 
• Rachel Kottke returns as a sophomore after playing all 29 games last season and starting in just one. She logged 21.1 mpg while scoring 6.5 ppg on 39.1% shooting and adding 2.3 apg and 1.2 spg. 

HEAD COACH LORI FISH

• Is in her 18th season as the head coach at St. Cloud State where she has amassed a 277-187 record. 
• Has guided her teams to four 20-win seasons, two Division Championships, three Conference Championships, four Conference Tournament Finals, one NCAA Sweet 16 and five NCAA Tournament berths.
• Following five years as Dr. Lori Ulfert's top assistant at St. Cloud State, Fish was hired as the head coach at Minnesota State-Mankato in 2004.
• Graduating from South Dakota State in 1991, Fish spent two seasons coaching Foley High School before opening her collegiate coaching career by returning to Brookings for a two-year stint as a graduate assistant coach in 1993-94 and 1994-95.
• A St. Cloud native, Fish attended St. Cloud Tech High School and was inducted into the St. Cloud Tech Hall of Fame in 2004.

SERIES WITH ST. CLOUD STATE

• The all-time series between the two teams is tied 1-1. 
• They have never met at a neutral location before. 
• The series began on Nov. 24, 2017 with a 58-55 win for Washburn in Topeka. 
• The most recent meeting came on Nov. 9 last season with a 63-51 win for St. Cloud State in St. Cloud, Minn. 
• Washburn averages 54.5 ppg all-time against the Huskies. 

ABOUT THE SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA STATE MUSTANGS

• Southwest Minnesota State has already began its 2025-26 season as they went 1-1 last weekend including a 63-62 win over Tampa last time out on Nov. 8. 
• This year the Mustangs are 1-1 in neutral court games. Last season they went 12-1 at home in Marshall, Minn., 11-3 on the road and 5-1 in neutral court meetings. 
• The 2024-25 SMSU squad went 28-5 overall and 19-3 in the NSIC. They fell in the NSIC Tournament semifinals but advanced to the NCAA Central Region Championship where they lost 85-82 to Pittsburg State. 
• So far on the short year Southwest Minnesota State averages 64.0 ppg with shooting splits of 36.6% from the floor, 27.4% from deep and 65.6% at the line. Opponents are scoring 66.0 ppg on 44.2% shooting. They also grab 37.0 rbp with 13.0 apg. 
• Last season the Mustangs were first in the NSIC and fourth in the nation with a 46.7% field goal percentage. They also were 4th nationally averaging 82.3 ppg and 15th in the nation grabbing 41.97 rpg. 
• Audrey Swanson is leading the team in scoring in 2025-26 at 16.5 ppg on 33.3% shooting while starting in both games and playing 34.5 mpg. She is adding 8.0 rpg with 4.5 apg, a team-high mark, and also leads the team with six 3-pointers. 
• Nicole Maenke has also started both games for the Mustangs playing 34.5 mpg. She is second on the team at 16.0 ppg on 43.3% shooting and is adding 2.5 rpg and apg. 
• Kylan Gerads is scoring 15.0 ppg on a team-high 61.1% from the floor to begin the year. She has started both games logging 29.0 mpg and is pulling down 6.5 rpg. 
• Natalie Nielsen is averaging a double-double in the young year scoring 11.5 ppg on 41.2% shooting and grabbing 11.0 rpg with 4.0 on the offensive end. She has made two starts playing 34.0 mpg. 
• No other player on the team is averaging more than 3.5 ppg to go with the four scoring in double figures. 

HEAD COACH TOM WEBB

• Enters his 10th season leading the Southwest Minnesota State women's basketball program where he has a 124-119 career record. 
• Webb came to SMSU after spending eight seasons (2008-16) as the head coach at Division II Cameron University in Lawton, Okla.
• Webb began his coaching career as a student assistant women's basketball coach at SMSU in 1998-99, before serving as a graduate assistant for the Northern State University men's basketball program in 1999-2000.
• Webb earned his bachelor's degree in elementary education from SMSU in 1998 and earned his master's degree in health and physical education from Northern State in 1999.

SERIES WITH SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA STATE

• The all-time series between the two teams is tied 1-1. 
• All games in the series have been on neutral courts. 
• The series began on Dec. 19, 2004 with a 70-49 win for Washburn in Honolulu, Hawaii. 
• Southwest Minnesota won the most recent meeting on Nov. 8 of last season, 82-72 in St. Cloud, Minn.
• Washburn averages 71.00 ppg all-time against the Mustangs. 

WASHBURN HISTORY

• Washburn women's basketball is 1,013-507-1 (.666) all-time and are in the 57th 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 head home to a renovated Lee Arena for the first time next weekend at the Washburn Classic where they will host Southwest Baptist at 7 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 21 and MSU Denver on Saturday at 4 p.m.
• MIAA play begins at home against Nebraska Kearney on Thursday, Dec. 4 at 5:30 p.m. in Lee Arena. 
• The MIAA Basketball Championship Tournament will be held in Kansas City, Mo. at the Municipal Auditorium from March 3-8.