TOPEKA, Kan. -- A four-game road trip gets underway for Washburn women's basketball on Wednesday, Jan. 7 against Missouri Western at 5:30 p.m. in St. Joseph, Mo.
 

OPENING TIP

• Washburn will head on the road for the first time in conference play taking on Missouri Western. 
• The Ichabods travel to St. Joseph, Mo. to face the Griffons at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 7.
• 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.   
• Missouri Western enters the matchup at 4-9 on the year and 0-4 inside the MIAA after falling 87-56 on the road to No. 6 Fort Hays State last time out on Jan. 3. 

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 has shooting splits of 41.9% from the floor, 32.3% from deep and 71.0% at the free throw line to score 65.8 ppg. 
• They grab 36.7 rpg with 14.4 apg to 16.2 turnovers per contest. Defensively they average 9.2 spg with 2.9 bpg.  
• On the year opponents are averaging 55.6 ppg while shooting 35.9% from the floor and 25.5% from behind the 3-point line.  
• Washburn is 6-1 on the year inside the new Lee Arena, 3-1 in neutral court games and 1-1 in road contests.  
• Washburn connected from deep a season-high 12 times against Emporia State to extend its streak with a made 3-pointer to 141 games.  

THE BLUE BUNCH

• Yiibari Nwidadah is second on the team in scoring at 12.6 ppg in just 21.4 mpg on the season. She has started in all 12 games she has played in and leads the team grabbing 6.8 rpg while also shooting 57.4% from the floor, tops on the team as well. She swats away a team-high 0.9 bpg and has scored in double figures in seven games with two double-doubles. She is 1st in the MIAA and 18th nationally in field goal percentage. The senior is 11th in the conference in bpg and rpg.
• Payton Sterk is leading the team in scoring at 13.2 ppg on 38.2% overall and 36.0% from deep. She has starting every game playing 31.0 mpg, most on the team while also coming away with 1.7 spg, second most on the team. She has drilled a team-high 27 triples and has scored 14+ points in seven games this season. The senior ranks 3rd in the MIAA in three-point percentage and is 6th in the conference and 64th nationally in total triples.
• Gabi Giovannetti has started all 13 games for Washburn scoring 12.1 ppg on 44.3% shooting in 27.5 mpg of action. She is shooting a team-high 43.1% from deep and is second on the team with 25 3-pointers. She also brings down 4.2 rpg and is making 1.8 spg, tops on the team. The Shawnee, Kan. native is 6th in the MIAA in steals and three-pointers per game.
• Britany Kogbara sits fourth on the team in scoring at 8.7 ppg in just 16.5 mpg of action playing in every game with one start. She is shooting 56.0% from the floor, second best on the team, while grabbing 3.5 rpg. Her five games scoring double figures off the bench lead the team. 
• Madelyn Amekporfor has started every game playing 25.8 mpg and scoring 6.3 ppg while shooting 38.0% from the floor. She is adding 3.2 rpg along with swiping 1.1 spg and swatting away 0.8 bpg, second most on the team. 
• Brooke Gomez has played in every game while making 11 starts and is logging 18.2 mpg. She scores 3.1 ppg on 39.5% shooting and is dishing out a team-high 3.3 apg along with grabbing 2.6 rpg. She ranks 6th in the MIAA in assists per game and 7th in assist to turnover ratio.
• Aniah Wayne has come off the bench in every game playing 17.3 mpg. She is scoring 4.7 ppg on 34.4% shooting from the floor. The senior also chips in 2.2 rpg and 1.2 apg. 
• Kellyn Hunter has played in ten games while making two starts for the Ichabods and is logging 18.2 mpg. She is coming away with 1.2 spg, third most on the team, dishing out 2.7 apg and grabs 2.9 rpg. 
• Nia McKenzie has played 13.4 mpg off the bench in every game. She is scoring 2.4 ppg on 46.2% shooting with 2.8 rpg.
• Kennadi Jackson has come off the bench in 11 games playing 5.1 mpg and scoring 0.8 ppg.
• Kylin Shipman has appeared in ten games for the Ichabods logging 9.2 mpg and scoring 0.4 ppg. 
• Willow Gideon has played in seven games logging 4.3 mpg. She is scoring 1.0 ppg.
• Lauren Luebbert has come off the bench in eight contests, playing 5.1 mpg and scoring 0.8 ppg.
• Cloie Jansky has appeared in seven games off the bench logging 3.0 mpg and scoring 1.1 ppg. 

STAT STACKING

• Washburn 44th in the nation at protecting the three-point line holding opponents to a 25.5% clip from beyond the arc, best in the MIAA. 
• Holding opponents to 55.6 ppg overall the Ichabods are 25th nationally and first in the MIAA in scoring defense. 
• With opponents shooting 35.9% overall, Washburn is 3rd in the conference and 44th in the nation in field goal percentage defense.
• Outscoring opponents by 10.2 ppg, the Ichabods have the 59th best scoring margin in the nation and 4th among MIAA teams.
• Shooting 32.3% from beyond the arc, Washburn is 73rd in the nation in three-point percentage and 5th in the MIAA. 
• Dishing out 14.4 apg the Ichabods are 71st in the nation and 4th in the conference when it comes to sharing the ball. 

ADVANCED STATS

• Washburn has a team offensive rating of 92.8 and defensive rating of 78.3 based on averages per 100 possessions. 
• Yiibari Nwidadah leads the team among qualified players in rebounding percentage at 18.3%. 
• Britany Kogbara is second on the team grabbing 12.1% of rebounds when on the floor, second highest on the team. 
• Brooke Gomez has the highest assist percentage on the team at 32.7% of assists while on the floor. 
• Kellyn Hunter has the second highest mark at 25.2%. 
• Yiibari Nwidadah has the highest true shooting percentage on the team at 60.7% when adding in free throw percentage and 3-pointers. 
• Britany Kogbara is second on the team at 57.4%. 

MILESTONE MARKERS

• With 260 career offensive rebounds Yiibari Nwidadah is 3rd in program history at creating extra opportunities. In overall rebounding she is 9th with 705 career boards. 
• Her career field goal percentage of .580 is the 2nd best in program history. In scoring she ranks 13th among all Ichabods with 1,143 career points. 
• Nwidadah is also 11th in program history with 69 career blocked shots. 
• Gabi Giovannetti is 8th in program history with 137 career 3-pointers made. She is tied for 19th among all Ichabods with 54 blocked shots. 
• Payton Sterk currently sits 18th in program history with 89 3-pointers made in just 44 career games with Washburn. Her career percentage from deep of 37.4% is 7th in program history.
• With 54 career blocked shots Madelyn Amekporfor is tied for 20th 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 52-49 record with Washburn and is 129-127 mark  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

Washburn 86, Emporia State 59  (January 3, 2026)
TOPEKA, Kan. -- Washburn rung in the new year with a second straight win by more than 25 points as they took down Emporia State 86-59 on Saturday afternoon. The Ichabods will head on the road for the first time in conference play next, taking on Missouri Western at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 7.  

The Ichabods (10-3, 3-1 MIAA) got off to quick start scoring the first seven points after Yiibari Nwidadah got a layup to go at the 7:09 mark. The Lady Hornets (7-6, 1-3 MIAA) were held in check through nearly the first four minutes before getting on the board. Washburn responded by scoring the next 11 points, leading 18-2 after two straight triples by Payton Sterk. She connected again from distance to end the first quarter leading 23-6 after holding Emporia State to 1-11 shooting from the floor.  

The hot shooting for the Ichabods continued to start the second quarter as they pushed the lead to 20 points after another set of back-to-back triples by Sterk. Washburn shot 6-11 from deep in the quarter and finished the first half with 11 connections from behind the arc on 17 attempts. They scored 26 points in the second quarter to lead 49-26 heading into halftime.  

Out of the break Nwidadah scored the first six for Washburn pushing the lead up to 25. The Lady Hornets were able to cut into the deficit and get it down to 18. A pair of buckets inside by Nwidadah in the final minutes brought the lead back over 20 with the Ichabods shooting 9-12 from the floor in the quarter to lead 73-49 after three.  

A 5-0 run for Washburn early in the fourth gave them a 33-point advantage, the largest of the game after a triple by Gabi Giovannetti and layup by Nwidadah. They held Emporia State without a field goal in the quarter until the final 30 seconds of the game to win going away 86-59.  

A quick start offensively gave the Ichabods their most efficient game of the year shooting 33-65 (50.8%) from the floor and 12-20 (60.0%) from deep. On the other end the Lady Hornets shot just 29.6% overall while going 7-21 from deep.  

Washburn held a 39-34 advantage on the boards while out-assisting the Lady Hornets 24-11. Points in the paint went big in favor of the Ichabods, 36-16,  along with winning the turnover battle 16-10.  

Payton Sterk led the team in scoring with 21 points on 8-14 shooting overall and 5-7 from deep while also adding four assists. Yiibari Nwidadah had a double-double with 20 points on 7-11 shooting along with 12 rebounds. Gabi Giovannetti added nine points on 3-4 shooting with seven rebounds, a steal and block. Aniah Wayne also had nine points off the bench.  

Gracie Gilpin had 13 to pace Emporia State, Kaitlyn Sanders had 12.  

ABOUT THE MISSOURI WESTERN GRIFFONS

• Missouri Western fell to 4-9 on the year and 0-4 in the MIAA after losing 87-56 to No. 6 Fort Hays State on the road last time out on Jan. 3. 
• The Griffons have gone 2-1 inside of MWSU Fieldhouse, 1-5 on the road and are 1-3 in neutral court games.
• Last season Missouri Western went 20-10 overall and 14-5 inside the MIAA, advancing to the quarterfinals of the NCAA Central Region Championship Tournament.
• On the year the Griffons average 71.1 ppg with shooting splits of 41.2% from the floor, 33.6% from deep and 67.2% at the line. They also grab 39.2 rpg with 13.5 apg. Opponents are scoring 71.8 ppg on 39.9% shooting. 
• Missouri Western is 1st in the MIAA and 8th in the nation in 3-pointers per game at 8.7. They are 3rd in the conference in steals per game and 6th in scoring offense.
• Mia Morel has started every game for the Griffons leading the team in scoring at 13.0 ppg. She is adding 3.6 apg and 3.1 rpg in 31.4 mpg. She is 5th in the MIAA in apg and 6th in three-point attempts.
• Ana Olivera Dias has played and started in 12 games scoring 12.6 ppg on 41.1% shooting from the field. She grabs 3.3 rpg and is leading the team with 4.2 apg and 2.1 spg. In the conference she ranks 3rd in spg. 
• Starting in all 13 games Nakiya Harris is scoring 11.8 ppg on 46.9% shooting and 40.9% from deep. She leads the team grabbing 8.8 rpg and is swiping 1.4 spg as well. She ranks 3rd in the MIAA in rpg.
• Sydney Lewis is adding 6.3 ppg on a team-high 64.9% shooting across all 13 games. She grabs 5.9 rpg in 16.2 mpg.
• Lindsey Kelderman chips in 7.5 ppg on 42.9% shooting overall. Her 43.1% from deep is tops on the team along with her 25 makes from deep. She is 6th in the MIAA in 3's per game.

HEAD COACH LUKE SCHEIDEKER

• Is in his first season as the head coach at Missouri Western where he has a 4-9 record. 
• Joined the Griffons from Wabash Valley College in Mount Carmel, Illinois, where he amassed a career record of 231-22 (.913 winning percentage) from 2016-18 and again from 2020-2025.
• The 2024 WBCA Two-Year National Coach of the Year, has received numerous accolades, including six NJCAA Region 24 Coach of the Year awards and six Midwest District Coach of the Year honors at WVC.
• Before his second run at WVC, Scheidecker was on staff at Indiana State (2018-20), serving as Recruiting Coordinator
• Scheidecker also served as the Director of Men's Basketball Operations at Southeast Missouri State (2011-12), where he obtained his Bachelor's Degree. Scheidecker completed his Master's in education at Southern Illinois in 2014.

LAST TIME VERSUS MISSOURI WESTERN

Missouri Western 62, Washburn 56  (January 25, 2025)
ST. JOSEPH, Mo. -- Washburn went back and forth with Missouri Western for 40 minutes on Saturday afternoon but came up short, falling __ on the road. The Ichabods return home next week hosting Fort Hays State at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 30.  

To begin the game Washburn (11-9, 5-5 MIAA) was stingy on defense as they held the Griffons (12-6, 7-3 MIAA) without a field goal until the 4:12 mark of the first quarter. In that time they built a 9-1 lead after a driving layup by Payton Sterk. Missouri Western began hitting from outside, knocking down four 3-pointers in the first quarter to erase the Ichabod lead. A 3-pointer by Sterk in the final seconds of the quarter made it a one-point game after the first.  

Missouri Western pushed its lead to four points early in the second before a 5-0 Washburn run was capped by a 3-pointer by Gabi Giovannetti to go back in front 19-18 with 7:28 left. From there on in the quarter the Griffon offense heated up, shooting 8-13 (61.5%) in the quarter, pushing the lead up to nine points with 1:34 to go before the half. Washburn kept pace by getting to the free throw line, shooting 10-13 from the charity stripe in the quarter. They finished the half on a 6-0 run in the final 69 seconds capped off by a 3-pointer at the buzzer by Brooke Gomez to make it 37-34 going to the break.  

Coming out of the half neither team put points on the board in the first two minutes. After a layup from Madelyn Amekporfor with 6:59 to go Washburn was unable to score until the 2:08 mark on a pair of free throws by Gabi Giovannetti. After a hot-shooting second quarter it was the defense for the Ichabods that kept the game close, holding the home team to 4-18 (22.2%) shooting in the quarter. Washburn closed the quarter trailing by just three after Aniah Wayne hit a floater in the final seconds.  

Twice in the opening minutes of the final quarter the Ichabods pulled within one point on a pair of jumpers from Sterk. After a third Sterk jumper with 5:02 left the Washburn offense went cold and the Griffons were able to go on a 9-0 run over the next 4:02 on three made triples. In the final minute of the game Sterk got two 3-pointers of her own to fall but it was not enough as Missouri Western held on for a 62-56 win.  

Washburn ended the game shooting 18-56 (32.1%) from the floor and was14-26 in its opportunities at the line. The Griffons shot similar numbers, going 20-65 (30.8%) from the floor but connected on 11 3-pointers compared to six for the Ichabods.  

The rebounding battle went in Washburn's favor 52-37, but Missouri Western made up for the differential by winning the turnover battle 24-13. The reserves for the Griffons added 30 points while the Ichabod bench scored 13 for the game.  

Payton Sterk led Washburn with 21 points on 8-16 shooting. Gabi Giovannetti had 12 points with four rebounds. Madelyn Amekporfor led the Ichabods on the glass with 10 rebounds.  

Matilda Soderlund had 21 points with five 3-pointers off the bench to lead Missouri Western. Alyssa Bonilla had 19 points with six assists and was 9-12 at the line.  

SERIES WITH MISSOURI WESTERN

• Washburn has a 58-48 lead in the all-time series between the two teams. 
• The Ichabods are 24-30 against Missouri Western in St. Joseph. 
• The series began on Jan. 17, 1976 with a 74-70 win for Washburn on the road. 
• The two teams split the season series last year with each team winning their home game. 
• Washburn averages 64.35 ppg all-time against the Griffons.

WASHBURN HISTORY

• Washburn women's basketball is 1,023-510-1 (.667) 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 stays on the road facing Northwest Missouri State at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 10 in Maryville, Mo.
• Senior night for the Ichabods will be in the regular season finale on Feb. 28 against Missouri Southern at 3 p.m.
• The MIAA Basketball Championship Tournament will be held in Kansas City, Mo. at the Municipal Auditorium from March 3-8.