TOPEKA, Kan. -- Washburn women's basketball plays one more game before returning home as they face Rogers State at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 21 in Claremore, Okla. for the regular season road finale. 
 

OPENING TIP

• Washburn plays its final regular season road game of the season taking on Rogers State. 
• The Ichabods take on the Hillcats for the first time this season at 1:30 p.m. inside the Claremore Expo Center on Saturday, Feb. 21 in Claremore, Okla.
• Washburn improved to 18-7 overall and 11-5 in conference play with a 63-48 win over Central Oklahoma on the road on Thursday. They clinched a spot in the MIAA Tournament earlier in the wekk.
• 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.   

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 41.3% from the floor, 31.3% from deep and 70.6% at the free throw line to score 65.3 ppg. 
• They grab 36.8 rpg with 13.1 apg to 16.6 turnovers per contest. Defensively they average 9.1 spg with 2.7 bpg.  
• On the year opponents are averaging 57.3 ppg while shooting 37.4% from the floor and 28.6% from behind the 3-point line.  
• Washburn is 10-1 on the year inside the new Lee Arena, 3-1 in neutral court games and 5-5 in road contests.  
• Washburn knocked down four triples against Central Oklahoma to extend its streak with a made 3-pointer to 152 games. 
• Rogers State lost a fourth straight game as they fell to 9-16 overall and 6-10 inside the MIAA in a 67-45 decision at home to Central Missouri.

THE BLUE BUNCH

• Yiibari Nwidadah leads the team scoring 12.0 ppg in just 22.9 mpg on the season. She has started in all 24 games she has played in and leads the team grabbing 7.2 rpg while also shooting a team-high 57.4% from the floor. She has scored in double figures in 15 games with five double-doubles. She is 4th in the MIAA in offensive rebounding per game and 9th among conference players in rpg.
• Payton Sterk is second on the team in scoring at 11.4 ppg on 35.8% overall and 33.1% from deep. She has started every game playing 31.4 mpg, most on the team while also coming away with 1.4 spg, second most on the team. She has drilled a team-high 39 triples and has scored 14+ points in ten games this season. The senior ranks 13th in the MIAA in 3-pointers.
• Gabi Giovannetti has started all 25 games for Washburn scoring 10.7 ppg on 42.1% shooting in 28.5 mpg of action. She is shooting a team-high 35.1% from deep and is second on the team with 34 3-pointers. She also brings down 3.9 rpg and is swiping a team-high 1.8 spg. The Shawnee, Kan. native is 7th in the MIAA in steals.
• Britany Kogbara sits fourth on the team in scoring at 7.6 ppg in just 16.6 mpg of action playing in every game with one start. She is shooting 55.3% from the floor, second best on the team, while grabbing 4.1 rpg. Her nine games scoring double figures off the bench lead the team and she is 11th in the MIAA in bpg. 
• Madelyn Amekporfor has started every game playing 23.5 mpg and scoring 6.0 ppg while shooting 36.2% from the floor. She is grabbing 2.9 rpg along with swiping 1.3 spg.She has eight games with multiple steals.
• Brooke Gomez has played in every game while making 23 starts and is logging 18.6 mpg. She scores 4.5 ppg on 46.2% shooting and is dishing out a team-high 2.6 apg along with grabbing 2.7 rpg.
• Aniah Wayne has come off the bench in every game playing 20.5 mpg. She is scoring 6.8 ppg on 37.6% shooting from the floor and 34.5% from deep. The senior also chips in 2.2 rpg and 0.7 spg.
• Kellyn Hunter has played in 22 games while making two starts for the Ichabods and is logging 17.3 mpg. She scores 3.5 ppg while grabbing 2.8 rpg and making 1.0 spg. 
• Nia McKenzie has played 13.0 mpg off the bench in every game. She is scoring 1.6 ppg along with grabbing 2.8 rpg.
• Kennadi Jackson has come off the bench in 19 games playing 6.8 mpg and scoring 1.3 ppg.
• Willow Gideon has played in nine games logging 3.8 mpg. She is scoring 0.9 ppg.
• Kylin Shipman has appeared in 13 games for the Ichabods of the bench logging 7.9 mpg.
• Lauren Luebbert has come off the bench in 11 contests, playing 5.5 mpg and scoring 0.5 ppg.
• Cloie Jansky has appeared in eight games off the bench logging 2.9 mpg and scoring 1.3 ppg. 

STAT STACKING

• Holding opponents to 57.3 ppg overall Washburn is 38th nationally and first in the MIAA in scoring defense. 
• Forcing 18.20 turnovers per game the Ichabods lead the conference and are 99th nationally at creating giveaways.
• With opponents shooting 37.4% from the floor, Washburn is 4th in the conference and 69th in the nation in field goal percentage defense.
• Outscoring opponents by 8.0 ppg, the Ichabods have the 70th best scoring margin in the nation and 3rd among MIAA teams.
• With a +3.9 rebounding margin Washburn is 6th among conference teams and 70th in the nation. 
• The Ichabods are 3rd in the conference and 98th in the nation holding opponents to 28.6% shooting from beyond the arc.

ADVANCED STATS

• Washburn has a team offensive rating of 92.4 and defensive rating of 81.1 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 14.4% of rebounds when on the floor, second highest on the team. 
• Brooke Gomez has the highest assist percentage on the team at 27.5% of assists while on the floor. 
• Kellyn Hunter has the second highest mark at 20.7%. 
• Yiibari Nwidadah has the highest true shooting percentage on the team at 59.9% when adding in free throw percentage and 3-pointers. 
• Britany Kogbara is second on the team at 56.3%. 

MILESTONE MARKERS

• With 288 career offensive rebounds Yiibari Nwidadah is 3rd in program history at creating extra opportunities. In overall rebounding she is 5th with 795 career boards. 
• Her career field goal percentage of .579 is the 2nd best in program history. In scoring she ranks 13th among all Ichabods with 1,279 career points. 
• Nwidadah is also 11th in program history with 70 career blocked shots. 
• Gabi Giovannetti is 6th in program history with 146 career 3-pointers made. She is 17th among all Ichabods with 60 blocked shots. 
• She ranks 30th in program history with 959 career points. 
• Payton Sterk currently sits 17th in program history with 101 3-pointers made in just 56 career games with Washburn. Her career percentage from deep of 35.9% is tied for 15th in program history.
• Sterk's career free throw percentage of 86.3% is the best for any Ichabod. 
• With 59 career blocked shots Madelyn Amekporfor is tied for 18th in program history at coming away with rejections. 
• Aniah Wayne has made 99 3-pointers in her Ichabod career putting her 18th 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 60-53 record with Washburn and is 137-131 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 63, Central Oklahoma 48 (February 19, 2026)
EDMOND, Okla. -- Washburn picked up its eighth win in the last ten tries and third in a row on Thursday evening with a thorough 63-48 win over Central Oklahoma on the road. The Ichabods play on the road for the final time in the regular season at Rogers State on Saturday with a 1:30 tip-off.  

After a quick start by the Bronchos (9-16, 4-12 MIAA) that saw them in front 8-7. Washburn (18-7, 11-5 MIAA) took control in the last five minutes of the opening quarter. They finished on a 7-2 run with paint scoring leading an efficient offensive attack shooting 58.3% in the quarter to build a 18-12 lead.  

A pair of quick buckets by Brooke Gomez and Yiibari Nwidadah pushed the lead to double figures at the 8:23 mark in the quarter and forced a timeout by Central Oklahoma. Scoring was scarce for both teams in the second quarter after the opening minutes, as the Ichabods held the home squad to 3-11 shooting in the frame. They led by as many as 12 but went into the break leading 31-22.  

The Bronchos came out of halftime firing, cutting the lead down to four at 34-30 with 5:12 remaining in the game. Washburn responded with five in a row, all courtesy of Britany Kogbara. Shortly after a jumper by Kellyn Hunter pushed the lead back to double figures. Ten points is where the lead stood going into the fourth leading 45-35. 

Nwidadah got a pair of buckets early on but the Bronchos cut away at the lead chipping it down to seven. This time the Ichabods responded with a 10-0 run capped off by 3-pointers for Kennadi Jackson and Gabi Giovannetti, giving them their largest lead of the game with 4:48 to go. The lead never dipped below 13 points from that point as Washburn held on to win 63-48.  

The Ichabods finished shooting 43.6% for the game and 4-12 from beyond the arc, they held the Bronchos to 31.4% shooting and just 2-13 from three-point land.  

Washburn had a 36-31 advantage on the glass and dished out 12 assists to just seven for UCO. Paint scoring, points off turnovers and bench scoring all went in favor of the road squad by at least seven points as well.  

In another balanced offensive effort, Yiibari Nwidadah led the way with 14 points on 6-8 shooting while grabbing five boards. Britany Kogbara had 13 points with seven rebounds off the bench. Gabi Giovannetti added 11 points and swatted three blocks.  

Bobbie Fouquet led Central Oklahoma with 12 points, Jerney Bennett had 10 with eight blocks.  

ABOUT THE ROGERS STATE HILLCATS

• Rogers State fell to 9-16 on the year and 6-10 in MIAA play losing 67-45 to Central Missouri at home on Thursday.
• The Hillcats are 6-6 playing inside the Claremore Expo Center, 3-9 in road games and 0-1 in neutral court contests on the year. 
• Last season Rogers State went 8-20 overall and 2-17 inside the MIAA, missing out on the conference tournament.
• On the year the Hillcats average 60.0 ppg with shooting splits of 37.4% from the floor, 27.2% from deep and 68.3% at the line. They also grab 36.3 rpg with 14.5 apg. Opponents are scoring 66.1 ppg on 37.9% shooting. 
• Rogers State is 2nd in the MIAA and 38th nationally with a 1.01 assist to turnover ratio. They are 3rd in the conference and 61st in the nation in assist per game while ranking 5th in the MIAA in bench scoring.
• Samantha Shanks is leading the team scoring 9.4 ppg on 40.7% shooting while starting in 23 games and playing in 24. She grabs a team-high 6.6 rpg and swips 1.5 spg, a team best. 
• Ataya Casaus has played in all 25 games while starting in 24. She is second on the team scoring 9.1 ppg while logging 29.1 mpg. She grabs 2.7 rpg and makes 2.5 apg.
• Kate Melton is scoring 6.8 ppg while starting all 25 games and logging a team-high 29.9 mpg. She dishes out a team-high 3.8 apg and is 2nd in the conference in assist to turnover ratio.
• Jaiana Wiggins leads the team with 1.1 bpg in 20.4 mpg. She chips in 4.5 ppg on 38.6% shooting from the floor while grabbing 3.3 rpg. She is 7th in the conference in bpg.
• Ella Hafer adds 8.5 ppg in just 18.3 mpg. She is shooting 45.0% from the floor and 42.1% from deep while grabbing 3.7 rpg.

HEAD COACH HEATHER DAVIS

• Is in her third season as the head coach of the Rogers State Hillcats where she has a 27-54 record.
• Davis arrived on College Hill from Southwestern Oklahoma State where she served as the top assistant coach for one year.
• Prior to her stint in Weatherford, Davis spent eight years as an assistant at Central Oklahoma under UCO Hall of Fame Coach Guy Hardaker.
• She started her college career at Division I Kansas City and played two years there before moving onto to Central Oklahoma.

LAST TIME VERSUS rogers state

Washburn 64, Rogers State 52 (February 22, 2025)
TOPEKA, Kan. -- Washburn closed out its time in Lee Arena for the 2024-25 season with a 64-52 win over Rogers State on Saturday afternoon, marking its third straight victory. The Ichabods will head on the road for the final week of the regular season beginning with Pittsburg State at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 26.  

The Hillcats (7-19, 1-16 MIAA) jumped out to a quick 5-2 lead but the next nine points were all scored by Washburn (16-11, 10-7 MIAA), going in front 11-5 at the 6:07 mark after Gabi Giovannetti got a jumper to fall. The Ichabod offense worked efficiently in the first, shooting 8-15 to lead 20-13 after one.  

Washburn pushed the lead into double digits after a free throw by Giovannetti early in the second. Both teams traded baskets the rest of the way as the Ichabod offense cooled off from the first quarter. Rogers State cut the lead down to just five points at the 3:22 mark and once again with just over a minute left in the half. Brooke Gomez ended the frame with a driving layup to make it 31-24 after 20 minutes.  

Two straight baskets by Payton Sterk, the second a steal and score, began a 6-0 run that put the Ichabods in front by 14 at the 5:24 mark in the third. Washburn got to the line, shooting eight free throws in the quarter and making six to keep the lead in double digits into the final two minutes. The Hillcats went on a 4-0 run in the final 35 seconds of the half to pull within eight at 48-40 going into the fourth.  

After Rogers State got the first basket in the final frame the Ichabods responded with a 6-0 run beginning with a layup by Sterk. Washburn was held scoreless for the next 3:43 as the Hillcats pulled within six points. It took only 78 seconds for the Ichabods to get the six points back with Sterk and Nwidadah each accounting for three to lead by 12 with 2:25 to play. That is what the deficit would be at the final buzzer with Sterk and Emajin McCollum sinking free throws down the stretch, securing the 64-52 win.  

Washburn shot 43.1% (22-51) for the game and was 15-24 at the free throw line, generating 13 more attempts than the visitors. Rogers State shot 22-55 (40.0%) overall, but was just 2-17 from beyond the arc, with both makes coming in the first half.  

Rebounding went in favor of the Ichabods 37-29, while both teams were able to turn the other over as Washburn had 20 giveaways and the Hillcats 18. Both teams were even in paint scoring, with 32 each, while the Ichabods had 11 second chance points and allowed just five.  

Payton Sterk led the way with her second straight 20-point game, scoring 24 on 8-16 shooting with three steals. Brooke Gomez scored eight points and grabbed a career and game-high 11 rebounds while also giving out five assists. Yiibari Nwidadah scored 11 points and grabbed six boards.  

Alyza Aikins scored 13 to lead Rogers State while Jaiana Wiggins added 11 with three blocks.  

SERIES WITH ROGERS STATE

• Washburn leads the all-time series between the two teams 7-3.
• The Ichabods 3-2 against Rogers State in Claremore.
• The series began on Feb. 15, 2020 with a 80-53 win for Washburn on the road.
• In the last meeting between the two teams Washburn won 64-52 over the Hillcats last season on Feb. 22, 2025.
• Washburn averages 62.80 ppg all-time against Rogers State. 

WASHBURN HISTORY

• Washburn women's basketball is 1,031-514-1 (.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 returns home for the final week of the regular season hosting Pittsburg State at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 25.
• 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.