Women's Basketball Preview Part 9: UW-Green Bay
Nov. 19, 2004
After a season that saw seven returnees see many minutes on the floor, the UW-Green Bay women's basketball team has depth and experience to aid the team in its quest to defend the Horizon League regular season title for the sixth straight time. The Phoenix roster features 15 players, the deepest team since head coach Kevin Borseth's arrival seven seasons ago.
UW-Green Bay features all five starters from its 23-8 team in 2003-04, including three starters that earned Horizon League honors last spring. The Phoenix also will have the services of redshirt senior Tiffany Mor, who returns after suffering a season-ending knee injury early last year. Added to the core of key contributors are a bounty of newcomers eager to help the Phoenix prove it is one of the elite teams in the country.
The Phoenix, which was noted in Street & Smith's "Best of the Rest" in the publication's preseason preview, is poised to be a team that will once again make a run for the 2005 NCAA tournament.
COACHES
In his seventh season as UW-Green Bay's head coach, Kevin Borseth and the Phoenix are set to be a top level team in the region. Last year, Borseth added to his long list of accolades when he was honored as the Horizon League's Coach of the Year for an unprecedented fifth time in six seasons.
Assisting Borseth is first year coach Autumn Rademacher, who arrives at UW-Green Bay following a successful stint as an assistant at Western Michigan. Rademacher brings a high level of energy to the Phoenix sidelines.
Kris Johnson begins her sixth season as a main cog in Borseth's coaching staff. Johnson continues to serve as a knowledgeable coach for UW-Green Bay.
In her first season as an assistant coach after a year as a student assistant is former Phoenix standout Sara Boyer. Boyer will utilize her success as a student-athlete to aid her alma mater in reaching new heights this season.
SENIORS
A very diverse senior class basketball-wise brings a wealth of experience for the Phoenix this season. Abby Scharlow was the glue that held the Phoenix together last team, as the gifted guard led the Phoenix in scoring with 16.5 ppg on her way to all-conference and academic all- region honors. The Street & Smith's preseason All-America honorable mention pick can have an impact in many areas for the Phoenix, from scoring to passing to defending, proven by her team high assist total and 2.1 steals per game.
Horizon League all- defensive team selection Mary Kulenkamp will be a key factor for the Phoenix once again this season. Kulenkamp posted one of the best years defensively in team history with 83 steals. Her all around ability was magnified last year when she became the first Phoenix player to register a triple-double with a 10-point, 12-rebound and 10-assist game against UIC Feb. 28.
Tricia Grassell returns for her senior season as the team's point guard, as the shooter averaged 7.7 ppg in her first season as a starter in 2003-04. The 5-6 guard was third on the team last year in both assists and steals and was one of the Horizon League's top free throw shooters at 75.3 percent.
After suffering a season-ending knee injury just four games into last season, senior forward Tiffany Mor is back for her final season with the Phoenix. One of the top post players in the league prior to her injury, Mor averaged 17.0 points and 6.5 rebounds a contest in four games last season. If she is healthy, Mor will be a big factor in UW-Green Bay's success.
JUNIORS
UW-Green Bay's junior class, a trio of players averaging over 6-2 in height, has the potential to be critical cogs in the team's success on the court this season.
Junior Amy Fieck proved that hard work pays off as the diligent forward was a key contributor for the Phoenix during Horizon League play. Fieck, who stepped into the starting lineup in place of injured then-senior Natalie Yudt, provided stingy defense for the Phoenix last season. Fieck will challenge for a starting role once again in 2004-05.
Also coming off a solid season is junior center Kari Witkowski. The tallest player in the history of the program, Witkowski came off the bench in 27 games last year, averaging 4.9 points and finishing second on the team with 13 blocked shots.
Marcy Dixon also returns as a member of the junior class. Dixon took the floor for 14 contests last year, and was a key factor in UW-Green Bay's home win over UW-Milwaukee in helping shut down one of the top post players in conference history.
SOPHOMORES
With the injuries that plagued the Phoenix in 2003-04, a pair of UW-Green Bay newcomers stepped up to the plate in helping the team advance through the Horizon League season and on to the NCAA tournament. Leading the way for the now sophomore class is local product Nicole Soulis, who became the fourth ever UW-Green Bay rookie to earn Horizon League Newcomer of the Year.
Soulis started 27 games for the Phoenix as a rookie, averaging 14.1 ppg for the all-time best single-season scoring output by a freshman in team history. Soulis also was a force defensively for UW-Green Bay, registering 50 blocked shots, good for the sixth best season total in Phoenix records.
As the top reserve guard for UW-Green Bay last season, Natalie Berglin brought plenty of excitement to the Phoenix Sports Center crowds with her energy on both offense and defense. Berglin, a 5-7 guard that averaged 5.0 points and tallied 26 three-pointers last year, will challenge for minutes once again with her dynamic play.
Also returning for the sophomores is 5-10 guard Amanda Popp. Despite a foot injury that kept her from action for two months of the season, Popp showed her offensive capabilities early in the year when she poured in 14 points in UW-Green Bay's win over Centenary in the Oneida Bingo & Casino Holiday Tournament at the Resch Center Nov. 28.
After sitting out the 2003-04 season due to NCAA transfer regulations, 5-9 guard Alex Webster will have three years of eligibility with the Phoenix, starting this season. Webster, a native of Crown Point, Ind., brings quickness and a nose for the basket to the Phoenix lineup this winter.
FRESHMEN
Three talented newcomers, as well as a redshirt freshman, make up UW-Green Bay's freshman class for 2004-05.
Erin Templin, an early signee for UW-Green Bay last fall, adds height and strength to the Phoenix frontcourt. The 6-1 Templin, a native of Richland Center, Wis., was an All-State performer for the Hornets and guided her prep squad to the WIAA Division 2 State tournament final as a senior.
Kayla Groh, a 5-7 guard from Elkhart Lake, turned heads with her 40-point performance in the 2004 WIAA Division 4 State semifinals as a senior at Elkhart Lake-Glenbeulah. A two-time honorable mention All-State selection, Groh's offensive abilities will be a great asset for UW-Green Bay.
From nearby Luxemburg, Wis., freshman forward Rachel Porath aims to be another local product to succeed for the Phoenix. As a senior at Luxemburg-Casco, Porath averaged 21.5 points and 9.0 rebounds and guided the Spartans to a 2004 Division 2 State title, defeating current teammateErin Templin's Richland Center squad in the title game.
With a year of practice experience under her belt, redshirt freshman Keris Timol is ready to provide depth for the Phoenix at both the guard and forward slots. The first ever Canadian to play for UW-Green Bay women's basketball, Timol nearly averaged a triple-double as a prep at Albert Campbell in Toronto.
SCHEDULE
True to its pattern of seasons past, the Phoenix has put together a high caliber non-conference schedule to aid in the team's preparation for the Horizon League season. UW-Green Bay could face five teams that saw postseason action in 2003-04, including hosting Final Four participant Minnesota.
The Phoenix will tip off the regular season on the road, facing Nell Fortner's Auburn squad in the first round of the Vermont Banknorth Tournament, hosted by the University of Vermont. Auburn advanced to the second round of the 2004 NCAA tournament, while possible Phoenix opponent, Louisville, was part of the WNIT field.
Prior to the team's home opener, the Phoenix will face WNIT participant Kent State in Ohio Monday, Nov. 22.
Fifteen home games are slated for UW-Green Bay in 2004-05, starting with Alcorn State Friday, Nov. 26 at the Phoenix Sports Center. The game with the Lady Braves starts a four-game homestand for the Phoenix, which will include Illinois, Marquette and Minnesota during a week-long span.
The Phoenix will face instate rival Wisconsin Saturday, Dec. 11 in Madison before returning home to take on UW-Parkside and Santa Clara prior the start of the Horizon League slate. UW-Green Bay will start the league season Thursday, Dec. 30 at UW-Milwaukee.
Ten games await the Phoenix in January, including six at home. Two of those contests, Jan. 3 against Wright State and Jan. 31 versus Butler, will be doubleheaders with the men at the Resch Center.
UW-Green Bay will wrap up the regular season with three of its final four games at home, including a Senior Day contest with UW-Milwaukee Thursday, Feb. 24 at the Phoenix Sports Center. The Phoenix will conclude the regular season at UIC Feb. 28.
The 2005 Horizon League Women's Basketball Championship will have the same structure this season as in 2004. First round games will be hosted by the top four seeded schools, with the semifinals and finals heading to the top remaining seed. Wright State, which was scheduled to host the 2005 championship, will retain the rights to host if it advances to the semifinal round. The same exemption, which applied to UW-Milwaukee in 2004, will apply to Youngstown State in 2006 before the tournament is in its pure format.
