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2006-07 Women's Basketball Press Releases

NEWCASTLE'S PAIGE POLLARD AND TYLER JUNIOR COLLEGE STANDOUT LAQUISHA COOK JOIN WSC WOMEN'S BASKETBALL PROGRAM

April 11-----Wayne State College head women’s basketball coach Ryun Williams announced today that Paige Pollard of Newcastle High School and Laquisha (luh-kee-shuh) Cook of Tyler Junior College in Texas have signed letters of intent to attend Wayne State College and play basketball for the Wildcats in the 2007-08 school year. Today is the first day of the NCAA late signing period and the two standouts will join Jodie Boss from Columbus, Nebraska; Alyssa Fischbach of Northwestern High School in South Dakota, Mara Hjelle (jelly) from Mahtomedi, Minnesota and Julie Ann Wagner from Sioux Falls Roosevelt High School in South Dakota as members of the 2007 WSC recruiting class.
Pollard is a multi-sport standout at Newcastle High School who will compete in women’s basketball and outdoor track and field at Wayne State College. The 5-9 forward averaged 16.0 points and 9.4 rebounds per game for the Raiders this past season to earn Class D-2 First Team All-State honors while helping Newcastle reach the Class D-2 semi-finals. Pollard helped Newcastle to a Class D-2 State Championship as a junior while also helping the Raiders reach the state volleyball tournament. Also a standout track athlete, Pollard placed in four events as a junior at the 2006 Class D State Track Meet, finishing second in the 800 meter run (2:21.25), third in the 300 meter low hurdles (46.89) and fifth in the 100 meter high hurdles (16.29) along with running a leg on the fourth place 1600 meter relay for the Raiders.
“It is always great to sign the best student-athlete in Northeast Nebraska and we are very excited to have Paige join our program,” stated Coach Williams. “When you talk about the combination of speed and athleticism, Paige Pollard is that player. Her versatility will be a tremendous advantage for us.”
Cook, from Houston, Texas, will have two years of eligibility with the Wildcats after playing two years at Tyler Junior College in Tyler, Texas. The 5-9 wing player was a two-time honorable mention All-Region XIV selection after averaging 11.0 points and 3.7 rebounds per game this past season. Cook helped Tyler Junior College to a 28-8 mark this past season and a berth in the National Junior College Division I Tournament in Salina, Kansas where the team went 2-2 at nationals. A graduate of Spring High School in Houston, Texas, Cook was an All-District selection and Texas All-Star while being named Defensive Player of the Year.
“We are very excited to have signed a student-athlete like Laquisha Cook,” said Coach Williams. “She is an exceptional athlete and has extreme versatility to her game. We anticipate Laquisha being an impact player on both ends of the floor. She can score in a variety of ways and will be fun to coach.”
Wayne State finished the 2006-07 season with a 19-10 mark, finishing fourth in the Northern Sun Conference with an 11-7 league mark. Wayne State College is an NCAA Division II school located in Wayne, Nebraska and competes in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference.

COLD SHOOTING HURTS 'CATS IN 83-74 LOSS TO CONCORDIA-ST. PAUL IN SEMI-FINALS OF NSIC RED BARON WOMEN'S BASKETBALL CLASSIC

March 3-----Cold shooting (30 percent) hurt Wayne State College Saturday afternoon in the semi-finals of the NSIC Red Baron Women’s Basketball Classic in St. Paul, Minnesota as the Wildcats fell to top-seed Concordia-St. Paul 83-74. The host Golden Bears advance to Sunday afternoon’s title game with a 20-9 mark while defending NSIC Tournament champion Wayne State finishes the season at 19-10.
Despite making just 21 of 70 shots on the day, Wayne State was in the game until a late run by the Golden Bears distanced themselves from the Wildcats. Although Concordia-St. Paul led nearly the entire first half, Wayne State battled back from several eight point deficits and forced seven ties to only trail 33-30 at the intermission. Early in the second half, Concordia-St. Paul head coach Paul Fessler was ejected from the game after getting called for two technical fouls with 15:21 remaining in the game. WSC senior forward Erin McCormick made six straight free throws (four technical shots and two regular free throws) to give the Wildcats a 43-42 lead. However, CSP scored the next seven points to go back in front 49-43 with 13:51 remaining. A three-pointer by WSC freshman guard Teresa Case pulled the ‘Cats within three, 49-46 at the 12:57 mark. Later in the game, the Wildcats got as close as four points, 66-62 with 5:25 left, after a pair of Lauren Gustafson free throws. But Concordia-St. Paul pulled away from Wayne State down the stretch and recorded the 83-74 win over the Wildcats.
NSIC Player of the Year Amanda Behnke scored 21 points to lead Concordia-St. Paul, followed by Candace Olstad with 20 points and 11 rebounds. Katie LaViolette added 13 points and 13 assists for the Golden Bears, who shot 44.4 percent from the field on 28 of 63. CSP was 21 of 26 from the free throw line.
Erin McCormick and Teresa Case each accounted for 19 points to lead Wayne State in scoring. McCormick sank a blistering 15 of 17 shots from the free throw line, but struggled from the field making just 2 of 21 shots. Case was 7 of 12 and 3 of 6 from the three point line. WSC hit just 4 of 20 shots from the three point line, but the Wildcats, the top-ranked free throw shooting team in NCAA Division II, sank 28 of 35 free throws.
Concordia-St. Paul out-rebounded Wayne State 50-40 thanks to 12 boards by Candace Olstad. McCormick, Andrea Schoepf and Case each hauled in eight rebounds for Wayne State.

ERIN MCCORMICK NAMED FIRST TEAM ALL-NSIC; LAUREN GUSTAFSON AND KYLEE MCGILL ALSO HONORED BY LEAGUE COACHES

March 1-----Three members of the Wayne State College women’s basketball team have been named to the 2006-07 Northern Sun Conference Women’s Basketball All-Conference team announced by the league office this afternoon. Senior forward Erin McCormick was selected to the First Team, senior guard Lauren Gustafson was named to the Third Team while sophomore forward Kylee McGill earned honorable mention honors.
McCormick, a 5-11 senior forward from Grant, Nebraska was a Second Team All-NSIC selection last season for the Wildcats. She is the team’s leading scorer this season at 16.3 points per game, which ranks third in the NSIC. McCormick leads the NSIC in free throw percentage (.877) and is third in steals at 1.75 steals per game. In conference only games this season, McCormick was the top scorer in the NSIC at 16.5 points a game. She ranks 9th on the all-time WSC scoring list with 1,245 points.
Gustafson, a 5-8 senior guard from Omaha, Nebraska (Westside HS), was the third leading scorer for Wayne State this season at 10.9 points a game. She ranked fourth in the NSIC in assists (4.63) and ranked third in three point field goal percentage (.459). Gustafson ranks second on the all-time assists list at Wayne State College with 413. For the season, Gustafson is shooting 48 percent from the field and 69 percent from the free throw line and averages a team-high 33.4 minutes per game.
McGill, a 6-1 sophomore forward from Little River, Kansas, averages 10.4 points and a team-high 7.8 rebounds per game, which ranks third in the NSIC. McGill has seven double-doubles this season for the Wildcats, ranking third in the NSIC in that category. She also ranks second in defensive rebounds (5.86), third in field goal percentage (.532), fourth in steals (1.64) and ninth in blocked shots (0.82).
Wayne State is 19-9 on the season and will face top-seeded Concordia-St. Paul Saturday at 4:00 p.m. in the semi-finals of the NSIC Red Baron Women’s Basketball Classic in St. Paul, Minnesota.

WAYNE STATE NEEDS LATE RALLY TO TOP WINONA STATE 77-70 IN FIRST ROUND OF NSIC RED BARON WOMEN'S BASKETBALL CLASSIC

February 28-------Wayne State College needed a late second half rally to top Winona State 77-70 in the first round of the NSIC Red Baron Women’s Basketball Classic played Wednesday night at Rice Auditorium in Wayne. The Wildcats notched their eighth straight win and improved to 19-9 overall while Winona State ends the season at 15-12.
With the exception of one tie in the first half, Wayne State controlled the first 20 minutes of play as the Wildcats built a 13-point lead, 37-24 with 1:54 in the first half. But Winona State scored the final four points of the half to cut the WSC lead to nine at 37-28. The Warriors scored the first 11 points of the second half and took their first lead of the game at 39-37 with 17:21 remaining in the game. Winona State eventually built a nine point lead at 54-45 following a three pointer by Jamie Majerowicz with 12:40 left in the game. Wayne State then went on a 9-0 run to tie the score at 54-54 following a three pointer by Kylee McGill with 9:52 remaining. Winona State’s final lead was at 59-58 with 7:06 remaining after a layup by Majerowicz. The Wildcats regained the lead for good at 60-59 on a jumper by Erin McCormick. Moments later, McCormick hit three straight jumpers to put WSC ahead by six, 68-62 with 3:49 left. Winona State pulled within two at 72-70 with 34 seconds remaining following a jumper by Majerowicz, but McCormick hit 4 of 4 free throws and Andrea Schoepf canned one of two free throws down the stretch to boost the Wildcats in the 77-70 win.
Erin McCormick led Wayne State in scoring with 24 points, scoring 14 of her points in the final 6:04 of the game. She also led WSC in rebounding with 10 caroms. Lauren Gustafson added 17 points, followed by Kylee McGill with 14 points and Teresa Case with 11. The Wildcats shot 50.8 percent from the field, making 30 of 59 shots. WSC was just 4 of 13 from the three point line and 13 of 17 at the free throw stripe.
Jamie Majerowicz poured in a game-high 30 points to lead Winona State, making 11 of 14 shots from the field, including 5 of 6 from the three point line. Amanda Reimer added 17 points. The Warriors shot 49 percent from the field on 27 of 55 shooting. Winona State was 7 of 17 from the three point line and 9 of 15 at the charity stripe.
Winona State held a slim 33-30 advantage in rebounding over the Wildcats. McCormick led all rebounders with 10 boards for Wayne State and Winona State’s top rebounder was Molly Anderson with nine caroms.
Wayne State advances to the NSIC Red Baron Basketball Classic semi-finals on Saturday at 4:00 p.m. as the Wildcats face top-seeded Concordia-St. Paul in St. Paul, Minnesota.

WAYNE STATE TO HOST WINONA STATE IN FIRST ROUND OF NSIC RED BARON WOMEN'S BASKETBALL CLASSIC

February 26------Wayne State will host Winona State in the first round of the NSIC Women’s Red Baron Basketball Classic Wednesday evening, February 28 at Rice Auditorium in Wayne with tip off slated for 7:00 p.m. The Wildcats earned the fourth seed by winning their last seven games in a row and will take a 18-9 overall mark (11-7 NSIC) into the first round game against the Warriors, who are 15-11 overall and 11-7 in the NSIC. Wayne State and Winona State split in the regular season with the Warriors winning in Wayne on January 5 while the Wildcats recorded a 65-42 win at Winona State on February 10. The winner will advance to the semi-finals and finals of the NSIC Red Baron Women’s Basketball Classic on Saturday and Sunday, March 3 and 4 with semi-final games slated for 2 and 4 p.m. on Saturday and the championship game on Sunday at 4 p.m. at the highest remaining seed left in the tournament. The winner of the NSIC Women’s Red Baron Basketball Classic earns an automatic berth into the NCAA North Central Regional March 9-12.

Ticket policies and prices have been announced by the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference for Wednesday evening's first round game of the 2007 NSIC Red Baron Women's Basketball Classic between fourth-seeded Wayne State and fifth-seed Winona State at Rice Auditorium in Wayne. Tickets for Wednesday's 7:00 p.m. game will cost $8.00 for adult general admission, $6.00 for seniors and $2.00 for students while children under five will be admitted free. No complimentary passes will be permitted as all spectators will be required to purchse a ticket, including season ticket holders. Tickets for the game can be purchased at the Rice Auditorium ticket booth prior to the game.

NSIC Women’s Red Baron Basketball Classic First Round Pairings—Wed., February 28

#8 seed SW Minnesota State (7-20, 4-14) at #1 seed Conc.-St. Paul (18-9, 15-3) 6:00 p.m.
#5 seed Winona State (15-11, 11-7) at #4 seed Wayne State (18-9. 11-7) 7:00 p.m.
#7 seed Upper Iowa (9-18, 5-13) at #2 seed MSU Moorhead (19-8, 13-5) 7:00 p.m.
#6 seed Bemidji State (14-13, 9-9) at #3 seed Northern State (19-8, 12-6) 6:00 p.m.

Highest remaining seed will host semi-finals and finals on Saturday and Sunday, March 3 and 4.

ERIN MCCORMICK SWEEPS PLAYER OF THE WEEK HONORS

February 26------Erin McCormick of Wayne State College has been named the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference and Nebraska NCAA Division II Women’s Basketball Player of the Week following her performances in two home wins for the Wildcats over the weekend. It’s the first time that McCormick has been named the NSIC player of the week this season while earning Nebraska NCAA Division II honors for the fourth time this season.
The 5-11 senior forward from Grant, Nebraska averaged 24.0 points, 8.5 rebounds, 3.0 steals and 1.5 assists in wins over the top two teams in the NSIC as Wayne State extended their win streak to seven games with wins over NSIC regular season champion Concordia-St. Paul and second place MSU Moorhead. McCormick scored 24 points, grabbed 10 rebounds and had five steals while making 12 of 14 free throws in a 90-78 win over Concordia-St. Paul Friday evening and then had another 24-point night, thanks to 16 of 17 free throw shooting, in Saturday’s 74-62 win over MSU Moorhead. For the weekend, McCormick was 10 of 23 from the field (.434) and 28 of 31 at the free throw line (.903).
Wayne State is 18-9 overall and 11-7 in the NSIC entering Wednesday night’s first round home game in the NSIC Red Baron Women’s Basketball Classic against Winona State. Tip off is slated for 7:00 p.m. at Rice Auditorium in Wayne.

WAYNE STATE WINS SEVENTH STRAIGHT GAME, 74-62 OVER MSU MOORHEAD---WILDCATS CLINCH FIRST ROUND HOME NSIC PLAYOFF GAME

February 24-----Wayne State College secured a home first round game in the NSIC Red Baron Women’s Basketball Classic with a 74-62 win over MSU Moorhead Saturday evening. The win was the seventh straight for the Wildcats, now 18-9 overall and 11-7 in the NSIC while MSU Moorhead finishes the regular season in second place in the NSIC at 13-5 and 19-8 overall.
Wayne State held the lead for most of the first half, leading by as many as eight points, (16-8 with 12:19 left in the first half) before taking a 32-28 lead at the intermission. MSU Moorhead stayed with the Wildcats early in the second half and held a 45-44 lead with 12:25 remaining in the game. A pair of free throws by Erin McCormick put the Wildcats in front for good at 46-45 and WSC never trailed again. MSU Moorhead was within four points at 66-62 with 2:14 remaining, but WSC scored the final eight points of the game to pull away for the 74-62 win.
Senior forward Erin McCormick led WSC in scoring with a game-high 24 points, including 16 of 17 at the free throw line. Lauren Gustafson and Amanda Covington each accounted for 14 points while Kylee McGill finished with 10 points and 11 rebounds for her seventh double-double of the season. The Wildcats shot just 39 percent from the field on 19 of 48 shots, but hit 33 of 39 free throws (84 percent) in the win.
Lindsey Anderson was the lone double figure scorer for MSU Moorhead with 17 points. The Dragons shot 32 percent from the field on 21 of 64 shots. MSUM was 17 of 26 from the free throw line.
The Dragons won the rebounding battle over Wayne State 47-35. Meghan Rettke and Jessica Fesenmaier had eight boards apiece for MSU Moorhead while McGill’s 11 boards led Wayne State.
Wayne State earned the fourth seed for the upcoming NSIC Red Baron Women’s Basketball Classic and will host Winona State in a first round game Wednesday evening at 7:00 p.m. at Rice Auditorium in Wayne.

WILDCATS MANHANDLE CONCORDIA-ST. PAUL 90-78 FOR SIXTH STRAIGHT WIN

February 23-----Wayne State College handily defeated Concordia University-St. Paul 90-78 Friday evening in Northern Sun Conference women’s basketball played in Wayne at Rice Auditorium, snapping the Golden Bears’ 10-game win streak. The Wildcats have now won six straight games and improved to 17-9 overall and 10-7 in the NSIC while dropping CSP to 17-9 overall and 14-3 in the NSIC.
With the exception of one tie early in the game, 2-2, Wayne State led the entire game. The Wildcats raced out to a 25-6 lead with 13:21 left in the first half. However, the Golden Bears slowly chipped away at the large margin and trailed by just one point at halftime, 39-38. With Wayne State holding a 44-42 lead with 15:48 left in the game, the Wildcats scored the next nine points to go in front 53-42 at the 14:12 mark. Concordia-St. Paul never got closer than nine points the rest of the night as WSC eventually built a 26 point lead, 82-56 with 6:38 remaining, before settling for the 90-78 win.
Senior forward Erin McCormick recorded her second double-double of the season, accounting for 24 points and 10 rebounds. She moved into 11th place on the WSC all-time scoring list with 1,197 points, passing Deb Nygren’s mark of 1,184 points from 1982-86. Kylee McGill produced 18 points, followed by Andrea Schoepf with 14 and Amanda Covington 13. The Wildcats shot 49 percent from the field, making 28 of 57 shots. WSC was 30 of 35 from the free throw line and 4 of 14 from the three point stripe.
Concordia-St. Paul was paced by Kelly Lund’s 26 points. Mary Schroeder and Kali Olstad had 11 points apiece while Candace Olstad and Katie LaViolette chipped in with 10 points each. The Golden Bears shot 44.8 percent on the night (26 of 58) and was 18 of 23 at the free throw line.
WSC held a slight 33-32 edge in rebounding over Concordia-St. Paul. McCormick’s 10 rebounds led the Wildcats followed by McGill’s eight caroms. LaViolette accounted for nine rebounds to lead the Golden Bears.
Wayne State will play their regular season finale at home Saturday evening against MSU Moorhead on Senior Night at Rice Auditorium with tip off set for 6:00 p.m.

ANDREA SCHOEPF GARNERS NEBRASKA NCAA DIVISION II PLAYER OF THE WEEK HONORS

February 19------Andrea Schoepf of Wayne State College has been named the Nebraska NCAA Division II Women’s Basketball Player of the Week following her performance in Saturday’s home win over Southwest Minnesota State.
The 5-9 junior guard from South Sioux City, Nebraska scored a team-high 20 points to lead the Wildcats to their fifth straight win, 72-59 over SMSU. The win moved WSC into a tie for fourth place and a possible first round home game in next week’s NSIC Red Baron Women’s Basketball Classic. Schoepf canned 8 of 14 shots from the field, including 4 of 8 from the three point line, and also had five rebounds and two assists in the win. For the season, Schoepf is averaging 12.1 points a game for the Wildcats.
Wayne State is 16-9 overall and 9-7 in the Northern Sun Conference entering this weekend’s home games against NSIC-leading Concordia-St. Paul Friday night and second place MSU Moorhead on Saturday night.

WAYNE STATE NOTCHES FIFTH STRAIGHT WIN, 72-59 OVER SMSU

February 17------Wayne State College recorded its fifth straight win Saturday evening, defeating Southwest Minnesota State 72-59 in Northern Sun Conference women’s basketball at Rice Auditorium in Wayne. With the win, the Wildcats move into a fourth place tie in the NSIC at 9-7 in the league and 16-9 overall. SMSU falls to 6-19 overall and 3-13 in the Northern Sun Conference.
Wayne State jumped out to an early 10-5 lead with 15:43 left in the first half. The Wildcats led by as many as 17 points in the first half, 34-17 with 4:51 left in the half, and took a 39-25 lead at halftime. The Wildcats maintained their double digit lead the entire second half and went on to the 72-59 win.
Andrea Schoepf poured in 20 points on 8 of 14 shooting from the field to lead Wayne State in scoring. Erin McCormick followed with 16 points, Lauren Gustafson finished with 11 points and six assists and Kylee McGill added 10 points and six rebounds for the Wildcats. WSC shot 43 percent from the field, making 26 of 60 shots. The ‘Cats were 8 of 22 from the three point line and 12 of 15 at the charity stripe.
Sara Leidall led the way for Southwest Minnesota State with a game-high 26 points and 12 rebounds. Kady Telschow added 8 points and 11 rebounds. The Mustangs were 24 of 69 from the field for 34.8 percent. SMSU hit 4 of 15 three point shots and 7 of 15 free throws.
SMSU won the rebounding battle over the Wildcats 49-38. Leidall’s 12 rebounds led all players for SMSU while McGill and McCormick grabbed six boards each for Wayne State. WSC had 16 assists and just 10 turnovers in the game.
Wayne State will play at home again next weekend, hosting NSIC-leading Concordia-St. Paul Friday night and second place MSU Moorhead on Saturday evening.

WILDCATS CRUISE TO FOURTH STRAIGHT WIN, 65-42 AT WINONA STATE

February 10-----Balanced scoring and 52 percent field goal shooting lifted Wayne State in a 65-42 win at Winona State in Northern Sun Conference women’s basketball played Saturday evening in Winona, Minnesota. The win by the Wildcats avenged an earlier loss to Winona State, 69-65 in Wayne on January 5, and was the fourth straight win for Wayne State.
The Wildcats set the tone early in the game, taking a 12-2 lead with 14:04 remaining in the first half. Winona State got as close as four points, 13-9 with 10:36 to go in the first half, but the Wildcats never let the host Warriors get any closer as WSC built a 35-25 lead at halftime and continued to pull away from Winona State in the second half, building a lead as big as 28 points, 63-35, before settling for the 65-42 win.
Junior backup center Amanda Covington led a balanced scoring attack for Wayne State with 17 points on 7 of 9 shooting from the field. Sophomore forward Kylee McGill added 12 points and seven rebounds while senior guard Lauren Gustafson nearly recorded a triple double with 10 points, eight rebounds and eight assists. The ‘Cats made 27 of 51 shots from the field for 52.9 percent. WSC was just 4 of 15 from the three point line and 7 of 9 at the charity stripe.
Winona State’s lone double figure scorer was Amanda Reimer, who recorded 16 points and 10 rebounds, to lead the Warriors. The Warriors shot just 27 percent from the field on 16 of 59 shooting. WSU was 3 of 14 from the three point line and 7 of 10 at the free throw line.
Wayne State won the rebounding battle over Winona State 40-29. Gustafson’s eight caroms led Wayne State while Reimers’ 10 boards paced Winona State.
Wayne State will play their final three games of the conference schedule at home, starting next Saturday night when the Wildcats welcome Southwest Minnesota State to Rice Auditorium for a 6:00 p.m. matchup.

MCCORMICK HITS GAME WINNING SHOT TO LIFT 'CATS

February 9----- Senior forward Erin McCormick sank a jumper with two seconds remaining in regulation to lift Wayne State past Upper Iowa 64-63 in NSIC women’s college basketball action on Friday evening in Fayette, Iowa. The Wildcats improved to 14-9 overall and 7-7 in league play, while dropping the Peacocks to 7-15 overall and 3-10 in the NSIC.

Wayne State took an early 10-4 lead in the first half after senior guard Lauren Gustafson made a lay up with 12:59 remaining. Upper Iowa responded and took the lead 22-21 with 5:51 to go in the first half when Ashley Martin hit a three pointer. The Wildcats scored the final four points of the first half to take a 32-29 advantage into the locker room.

The Wildcats built a nine point lead early in the second half, 47-38 with 14:23 left in the game, but the Peacocks went on a 10-3 run to close the gap to just one point, 54-53 with 7:29 left in the game. With 2:28 remaining, UIU’s Andrea Downs connected on a lay up to give the Peacock’s their first lead of the second half 61-60. Andrea Schoepf sank two free throws for the ‘Cats with 2:17 remaining to regain the lead 62-61. Downs then sank another jumper to give Upper Iowa the lead 63-62 with just over one minute to play. After a Wildcat missed shot, the Peacocks used all 30 seconds on the shot clock but came up empty with 0:11 seconds remaining in the game. That set up the game winning shot as Gustafson hit McCormick who connected on a jumper with 0:02 seconds left to win the game.

McCormick led a balanced scoring attack for Wayne State with 14 points. Gustafson was 8 of 8 from the free throw line for 13 points. Andrea Schoepf and Kylee McGill rounded out the double figure scoring for the ‘Cats with 11 and 10 points, respectively. McGill was one rebound short of a double-double with a game-high nine.

Amanda Fass had a team-high 13 points for the Peacocks. Paige DeVine and Downs each scored 12 points apiece. Fass led UIU in rebounding grabbing seven boards.

The Peacocks out-rebounded the ‘Cats 35-25 and shot well from the field (.520 to .364). However, Wayne State connected on 19 of 20 free throws (.950) compared to Upper Iowa’s 6 of 9.

Wayne State is back in action on Saturday evening against Winona State. Tip off is at 6:00 p.m. in Winona, Minnesota.

GUSTAFSON CLAIMS NEBRASKA NCAA DIV. II WOMEN'S BASKETBALL PLAYER OF THE WEEK HONOR

February 6------Lauren Gustafson of Wayne State College has been named the Nebraska NCAA Division II Women’s Basketball Player of the Week following her performances in two Wildcat wins over the weekend.
The 5-8 senior guard from Omaha, Nebraska (Westside HS) averaged 16.5 points, 4.0 assists and 2.5 rebounds per game in wins over the University of Mary and #18 Northern State. Gustafson had 19 points and six assists in a 78-74 win over Mary on Friday night and had a team-high 14 points on 5 of 7 shooting from the field in a 63-60 win over the 18th-ranked Wolves on Saturday night. For the weekend, Gustafson hit 10 of 13 shots from the field (76%), 3 of 5 shots from the three point line and 10 of 13 shots at the free throw line while playing 78 of 80 possible minutes in the two games.
Wayne State is 13-9 overall and 6-7 in the Northern Sun Conference entering this weekend’s road trip at Upper Iowa Friday evening and Winona State Saturday evening.

WAYNE STATE HOLDS OFF #18 NORTHERN STATE 63-60

February 3-------Wayne State held off 18th-ranked Northern State 63-60 Saturday evening in Northern Sun Conference women’s basketball at Rice Auditorium in Wayne. The Wildcats improved to 13-9 overall and 6-7 in league play while dropping the Wolves to 16-6 overall and 9-4 in the NSIC.
With the exception of just over one minute in the first half, Wayne State led the entire game but had to hold off two Northern State rallies in the second half to earn the hard-fought win. Following Northern State’s only lead of the game at 10-9 with 14:11 left in the first half, WSC went on a 8-0 run to take a 17-10 lead with 9:40 left in the first half. NSU scored the next six points to pull within one at 17-16 with 6:16 to go in the half, but WSC finished the first half strong as the Wildcats took a 28-21 lead at halftime.
The Wildcats built a 10 point lead early in the second half, 35-25 with 15:15 left in the game, but the Wolves made another at WSC and got within one point, 49-48, with 6:11 remaining following a three-pointer by Allison Johnson. WSC then increased the lead back to nine points, 61-52 with 2:11 to go, following a three point play by senior forward Erin McCormick. Northern State’s Miranda Boepple made a three pointer with five seconds to go to make the final score 63-60.
Senior guard Lauren Gustafson led a balanced scoring attack for Wayne State with 14 points. Erin McCormick finished with 13 points and freshman guard Teresa Case added 10. The Wildcats shot 38.2 percent from the field, making 21 of 55 shots. The ‘Cats were 6 of 19 from the three point line and 15 of 19 at the charity stripe.
Northern State’s Noelle Hall accounted for 16 points and 16 rebounds to lead the Wolves. Miranda Boepple added 12 points and Allison Johnson finished with 11. NSU shot 38.5 percent from the field on 20 of 52. The Wolves were 6 of 14 from the three point line and 14 of 22 at the free throw stripe.
The Wolves held a commanding 47-27 advantage in rebounding over Wayne State thanks to 16 caroms by Hall. Wayne State’s top rebounder was Andrea Schoepf with seven.
Wayne State will play their final NSIC road trip of the season next weekend, visiting Upper Iowa Friday night and Winona State Saturday night.

SECOND HALF RALLY BOOSTS WAYNE STATE IN WIN OVER UNIVERSITY OF MARY

February 2-------Wayne State rallied from a seven-point halftime deficit to top the University of Mary 78-74 in Northern Sun Conference women’s basketball played Friday evening at Rice Auditorium in Wayne. The Wildcats outscored the Marauders 48-37 in the second half to pick up the win. WSC is now 12-9 overall and 5-7 in the NSIC while dropping Mary to 10-11 overall and 6-6 in the NSIC.
With Wayne State holding a 28-27 lead with 4:39 left in the first half, the visiting Marauders closed out the half on a 10-2 run to grab a 37-30 halftime advantage. Wayne State opened the second half with a strong run, scoring the first 10 points of the half in 3:00 minutes to grab a 40-37 lead. The ‘Cats built an eight point lead, 58-50, with 8:28 to go following a layup by Andrea Schoepf. However, Mary stormed back with a 15-2 run over the next 3:30 and was up by five points, 65-60, with 4:40 to go. Wayne State seniors Lauren Gustafson and Erin McCormick then rallied the ‘Cats to put WSC in front 70-67 with 2:19 remaining. A pair of three-point plays by Gustafson and back-to-back jumpers by McCormick fueled the Wildcat rally. Another McCormick jumper, followed by two free throws from Kylee McGill and four charity tosses by McCormick down the stretch preserved Wayne State’s 78-74 win over the Marauders.
McCormick scored 15 of her game-high 23 points in the second half to lead Wayne State in scoring. Gustafson finished with 19 points to go with six assists. Sophomore forward Kylee McGill recorded her sixth double-double of the season with 17 points and 13 rebounds while Andrea Schoepf also reached double figures with 11 points.
The Wildcats shot 50 percent from the field on 26 of 52, including 63 percent in the second half (17 of 27). WSC was 6 of 17 from the three point line and 20 of 24 at the free throw line.
Mary’s top scorer was Corrie Villegas with 21 points, 18 coming in the first half. Kayla Rogers accounted for 17 points with Nicci Landdeck, Ashley Fridley and Lisa Guss scoring 10 points apiece. The Marauders shot 49 percent from the field on 26 of 53. UM was 10 of 18 from behind the arc and 12 of 19 at the charity stripe.
Mary out-rebounded Wayne State 33-26. Fridley’s eight boards led the Marauders while McGill’s 13 caroms paced the Wildcats.
Wayne State will be at home again Saturday evening, hosting 18th-ranked Northern State in a 6:00 p.m. game at Rice Auditorium. The Wolves were upset at Southwest Minnesota State Friday evening 53-48, dropping Northern State from first to third place in the NSIC standings.

NSIC GAMES NOW AVAILABLE VIA LIVE INTERNET BROADCAST

January 30 ----- The Northern Sun Intercollegiate Converence along with Penn Atlantic have joined forces to air live internet broadcast of NSIC men's and women's conference basketball games. The pay-per-view broadcasts, featuring live audio and video, will cost $6.50 per game or a men's or women's package can be purchased for only $65.00. To view the games go to www.northernsun.tv and register with an online account.

Penn Atlantic, Inc., based out of Charleston, S.C., is a communications and media company focused on creating, aggregating and delivering information and entertainment to a broad range of audiences across the world. The primary focus of Penn Atlantic's product line is to facilitate live internet video streaming of athletic events to broadband pay-per-view viewers, which are comprised of sports fans, alumni, students and other individuals who have access to broadband connections... www.pennatlantic.com

Penn Atlantic broadcasts, delivered at 539 kbps, are of the highest quality in collegiate athletics. As evidence of this, the Company was contracted by the NCAA and CBA Sports to exclusively deliver selected Division II and Division III Championship games via the Internet.

The NSIC and Penn Atlantic will also work together next fall to broadcast NSIC football games.

BEMIDJI STATE RALLIES FROM 17 POINT FIRST HALF DEFICIT TO TOP WAYNE STATE 80-73

January 27------Bemidji State rallied from a 17-point first half deficit to defeat Wayne State 80-73 in Northern Sun Conference women’s basketball played Saturday evening in Bemidji, Minnesota. The host Beavers improved to 11-8 overall and 7-4 in the league while dropping Wayne State to 11-9 overall and 4-7 in the NSIC.
Wayne State opened the game with a scoring explosion, leading 31-14 with 7:49 left in the first half. However, the host Beavers stormed back with a 29-6 run to close the first half to make up the deficit and grab a 43-37 lead at halftime. WSC pulled within one point at 47-46 following an Erin McCormick basket with 14:55 remaining in the game, but the Beavers went on a 16-7 run over the next 6:20 to take a 10 point lead at 63-53. Wayne State made one last run at the Beavers, getting within two points on three occasions. A jumper by McCormick with 3:34 to go cut the Beaver lead to 69-67, but a basket by Bemidji State’s Heidi Matzke and two free throws by Beaver guard Amy Lawson put BSU ahead 73-67 with 2:28 remaining and the ‘Cats could get no closer than four points the rest of the game.
WSC senior forward Erin McCormick led the Wildcats in scoring with 16 points. Sophomore forward Kylee McGill added 15 while Amanda Covington accounted for 11. The Wildcats shot 25 of 57 from the field for 43.9 percent, including 5 of 16 from the three point line. WSC was 18 of 19 at the charity stripe.
Bemidji State had four players in double figures led by Amy Lawson’s 17 points. Nancy McConkey finished with 16 points, Kate Bremmer scored 15 and Stephanie Peterson chipped in 12 points and 11 rebounds for her NSIC leading 11th double-double of the season.
BSU hit 29 of 61 shots for 47.5 percent from the field. The Beavers were 6 of 14 from the three point line and 16 of 18 at the free throw stripe. The Beavers won the rebounding battle over Wayne State 36-31. Peterson’s 11 caroms led Bemidji State while McCormick grabbed nine boards to lead Wayne State.
After completing a five-game road trip in conference play, Wayne State returns home next weekend to the friendly confines of Rice Auditorium where the Wildcats play five of their next seven games. WSC will host the University of Mary Friday evening at 6:00 p.m. and 22nd-ranked Northern State on Saturday evening at 6:00 p.m.

WILDCATS CRUISE TO 84-44 WIN AT MINNESOTA, CROOKSTON

January 26-----Five players scored in double figures as Wayne State cruised to a 84-44 win Friday evening in Northern Sun Conference women’s basketball played at Lysaker Gymnasium in Crookston, Minnesota. The Wildcats improved to 11-8 overall and 4-6 in the NSIC while UMC fell to 0-19 overall and 0-10 in league play.
The host Golden Eagles hung with the Wildcats early, grabbing a 15-10 lead over WSC with 14:09 left in the first half. WSC scored the next six points to grab a 16-15 lead and never trailed again. The Wildcats ended the first half with a 41-27 lead and then opened the second half with a 22-0 run to go in front 63-27 and put the game out of reach.
Senior guard Lauren Gustafson led Wayne State in scoring with 19 points, making all six shots from the field, including four three pointers. The Omaha Westside graduate was 3 of 4 from the free throw stripe to reach her game-high 19 points. Also reaching double figures for Wayne State were Erin McCormick with 16 points, Jennifer Yee scored a career-high 12 on four three pointers, Andrea Schoepf added 11 and Kylee McGill finished with 10.
The Wildcats shot 51.7 percent from the field, making 30 of 58 shots. WSC was 11 of 25 from the three point line and 13 of 16 at the free throw stripe. WSC won the rebounding battle over the Golden Eagles 36-290 thanks to seven rebounds from McCormick.
Minnesota, Crookston’s top scorer was Kelsey Van Ackeren with 13 points and seven rebounds. UMC shot 17 of 47 from the field for 36.2 percent. The Golden Eagles were 3 of 13 from the three point line and 7 of 17 at the free throw stripe.
WSC finished with 21 assists to just 13 turnovers while UMC had 15 assists and 23 turnovers in the game.
Wayne State will conclude their five-game NSIC road trip with a 6:00 p.m. contest Saturday evening at Bemidji State.

CONCORDIA-ST. PAUL HANDLES WAYNE STATE 79-68

January 20-----Candace Olstad and Kelly Lund accounted for 19 points each to pace Concordia-St. Paul in a 79-68 win over Wayne State in Northern Sun Conference women’s basketball played Saturday evening in St. Paul, Minnesota. With the win, the host Golden Bears improve to 10-8 overall and 7-2 in league play while Wayne State falls to 10-8 overall and 3-6 in the NSIC.
WSC opened the game with an early 5-0 lead, but CSP scored the next 12 points to go up 12-5 with 15:10 left in the first half. The Wildcats never got closer than five points the rest of the first half or the game as the Golden Bears led 36-23 at halftime and led by as many as 22 points in the second half before WSC cut the lead to 11 in the final minute.
Junior guard Andrea Schoepf scored 15 points to lead Wayne State in scoring. Senior guard Lauren Gustafson added 13 points with Erin McCormick and Amanda Covington scoring 12 points each. Freshman guard Teresa Case also reached double figures with 10 points. The Wildcats shot 41 percent from the field, making 25 of 61 shots. WSC was 7 of 18 from the three point line and 11 of 19 at the charity stripe.
Concordia-St. Paul had four players in double figures, led by Olstad and Lund with 19 points apiece. Amanda Behnke added 14 points while Katie LaViolette finished with 12 points and 10 assists. The Golden Bears made 27 of 61 shots from the field for 44.3 percent. CSP made 6 of 19 three point attempts and 19 of 24 charity tosses.
Concordia-St. Paul held a 44-36 edge in rebounding over the Wildcats. Amanda Behnke grabbed nine boards to lead the Golden Bears while Erin McCormick had eight caroms to lead Wayne State.
Wayne State is on the road again next weekend to conclude a five-game Northern Sun Conference road trip with visits to Minnesota-Crookston Friday night and Bemidji State Saturday night.

LEAGUE-LEADING MSU MOORHEAD TOPS WAYNE STATE 73-67

January 19------League-leading MSU Moorhead won their seventh straight game Friday evening, defeating Wayne State 73-67 in Northern Sun Conference women’s basketball played in Moorhead, Minnesota. The host Dragons improved to 13-4 overall and 7-1 in the league while Wayne State slipped to 10-7 overall and 3-5 in the NSIC.
The Wildcats started slow, trailing 7-0 in the first 2:45 of the game. But WSC stormed back and tied the game at 10-10 at the 14:40 mark of the first half. The Wildcats and Dragons battled back and forth and after six ties in the first half, WSC held a 35-33 lead at halftime.
MSU Moorhead used steady field goal shooting to slowly pull away from WSC midway through the second half, taking a 66-57 lead over the Wildcats with 7:08 left in the game. The Wildcats scored the next six points to pull within three points, 66-63, following a jumper by WSC senior forward Erin McCormick with 4:13 remaining. However, MSU Moorhead’s Shelly Soule drained a three pointer with 3:28 left to go back up by six points, 69-63. MSUM then made four straight free throws down the stretch to hold off the Wildcats for the 73-67 win.
Sophomore guard Katie Walden scored 14 points to lead the host Dragons in scoring followed by Jessica Fesenmaier with 10 points. MSU Moorhead shot 52.8 percent for the game, making 28 of 53 shots from the field. The Dragons were 3 of 11 from the three point line and 14 of 26 at the charity stripe.
Wayne State had four players in double figures as freshman guard Kati Jo Christensen, Erin McCormick and Lauren Gustafson scored 12 points apiece while freshman guard Teresa Case contributed 10 points, all coming in the first half. The Wildcats hit just 39 percent from the field on 23 of 59 shooting. WSC was 7 of 20 from the three point line and 14 of 19 at the free throw line.
MSU Moorhead won the rebounding battle 38-26 as Meghan Rettke grabbed seven boards to lead the Dragons while Wayne State’s top rebounder was Kylee McGill with seven. MSU Moorhead had 22 turnovers compared to 17 for Wayne State.
Wayne State is on the road again Saturday evening when the Wildcats visit Concordia-St. Paul in a 6 p.m. contest.

MCCORMICK COLLECTS THIRD STRAIGHT NEBRASKA DIV. II PLAYER OF THE WEEK HONORS

January 16-------Erin McCormick of Wayne State College has been named the Nebraska NCAA Division II Women’s Basketball Player of the Week for the third straight week dating back to December 18th.
The 5-11 senior forward from Grant, Nebraska scored a game-high 25 points, including six straight free throws in the final minute, to lead the Wildcats in a 65-60 win at Southwest Minnesota State last Saturday evening. McCormick made 7 of 17 shots from the field and 11 of 12 at the free throw line to go with her seven rebounds in the win. For the season, McCormick leads the Wildcats in scoring at 15.8 points per game, tied for fourth in the NSIC. She leads the league in free throw percentage (.862 – 81 of 94) and is tied for third in steals at 1.88 spg. In her last seven games, McCormick is averaging 18.9 points and 6.4 rebounds a game, shooting 48.9 percent from the field and 88 percent at the free throw stripe. She has scored 21 points or more in four of her last seven games.
Wayne State is 10-6 overall and 3-4 in the Northern Sun Conference and the Wildcats will play at league-leading MSU Moorhead Friday night and at Concordia-St. Paul Saturday night.

BIG SECOND HALVES BY MCCORMICK AND GUSTAFSON LIFT WSC IN 65-60 WIN AT SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA STATE

January 13------Big second halves by seniors Erin McCormick and Lauren Gustafson boosted Wayne State in a 65-60 Northern Sun Conference road win at Southwest Minnesota State in Marshall, Minnesota. McCormick scored 20 of her game-high 25 points in the second half, including six straight free throws in the final minute, while Gustafson poured in all 12 of her points in the second half to pace the Wildcats in the win.
Both teams struggled in the first half as SMSU held a 23-21 lead. WSC shot just 32 percent (9 of 28) from the field and had 10 turnovers while SMSU was 10 of 27 from the field (37 percent) and had 13 turnovers. In the second half, the Wildcats used a late run to finally pull away from the Mustangs and record the Northern Sun Conference road win. With SMSU leading 44-43 with 7:44 left in the game, WSC senior guard Lauren Gustafson scored five straight points (two free throws and a three pointer) to put the Wildcats in front for good at 48-44. An Andrea Schoepf three pointer, followed by a layin from Kylee McGill and four straight points from Erin McCormick (two free throws and a jumper), put WSC ahead by nine, 57-48, with 2:55 left, to cap a 14-4 run by Wayne State to take control of the game. SMSU got as close as three points, 63-60 with :12 seconds left, following a three pointer by Megan Wittkop. But McCormick drained two free throws with seven seconds left to seal the 65-60 win.
McCormick led all scorers with her 25 points to go with seven rebounds to lead Wayne State in scoring. She was 11 of 12 from the free throw line and 7 of 17 from the field for WSC. Gustafson scored all 12 of her points in the second half along with eight assists. Kylee McGill also reached double figures with 10 points and seven rebounds. WSC shot 22 of 53 from the field for 41.5 percent and hit 19 of 22 free throws. The ‘Cats were just 2 of 9 from the three point line.
For Southwest Minnesota State, now 4-12 overall and 1-6 in the NSIC, Abby Oakland was the lone player in double figures with 14 points. Betsy Tasca was the top rebounder for SMSU with 11. The Mustangs made 24 of 56 shots for 43 percent and hit 11 of 19 free throws.
SMSU won the rebounding battle over WSC 40-30 thanks to Tasca’s 11 rebounds while McCormick and McGill led WSC rebounders with seven apiece.
Wayne State, 10-6 overall and 3-4 in the NSIC, is on the road again next weekend, visiting MSU Moorhead Friday night and Concordia-St. Paul Saturday night.

MCCORMICK NAMED NEBRASKA NCAA DIVISION II PLAYER OF THE WEEK

January 8------Erin McCormick of Wayne State College has been named the Nebraska NCAA Division II Women’s Basketball Player of the Week following her performances in two Wayne State games over the weekend. It’s the second straight week that McCormick has received the honor.
The 5-11 senior forward from Grant, Nebraska became the 13th player in school history to surpass the 1,000 point mark over the weekend in helping the Wildcats split a pair of NSIC home games against Winona State and Upper Iowa. McCormick poured in a career-high 27 points in Saturday night’s 64-52 win over Upper Iowa to move past the 1,000 point mark. She was 9 of 15 from the field and 9 of 10 from the free throw line. For the weekend, McCormick averaged 17 points and 8.0 rebounds per game. McCormick now has 1,018 points in her Wildcat career.
Wayne State is 9-6 overall and 2-4 in the Northern Sun Conference and the Wildcats will play at Southwest Minnesota State on Saturday night at 6:00 p.m.

MCCORMICK'S MILESTONE NIGHT LIFTS WSC OVER UPPER IOWA 64-52

January 6------Wayne State senior forward Erin McCormick poured in a career-high 27 points and became the 13th player in school history to pass the 1,000 point mark to lead the Wildcats in a 64-52 win over Upper Iowa in Northern Sun Conference women’s basketball played Saturday evening in Wayne. The win also marked the 150th win for Wayne State head coach Ryun Williams.
Wayne State built an early 15-3 lead and never looked back in the win as the Wildcats snapped a three-game conference losing streak. Upper Iowa got as close as five points, 21-16 with 8:53 left in the first half, but the Wildcats finished the first half with a 34-25 halftime lead. Wayne State maintained a double digit lead for most of the second half and went on to win 64-52.
McCormick was the only player to reach double figures for either team. The 5-11 senior forward from Grant made 9 of 15 shots from the field and 9 of 10 free throws to record her career-high 27 points, giving her 1,018 for her career. The Wildcats shot just 33 percent from the field, making 21 of 62 shots. The ‘Cats were just 4 of 16 from the three point line and 18 of 24 from the charity stripe.
Upper Iowa’s top scorers were Katie Reihmann and Amanda Faas with nine points each. The Peacocks were held to just 31 percent shooting by a stingy Wildcat defense on 17 of 54. UIU was 7 of 19 from the three point line and 11 of 14 at the free throw line. Upper Iowa falls to 6-7 overall and 2-3 in the NSIC.
Wayne State won the rebounding battle over Upper Iowa 42-38. McCormick and Amanda Covington each hauled in seven boards for the Wildcats while Chelsea Petersen grabbed 11 boards for the Peacocks.
Wayne State, 9-6 overall and 2-4 in the NSIC, will visit Southwest Minnesota State on Saturday, January 13th at 6:00 p.m.

WINONA STATE EDGES WAYNE STATE 69-65

January 5-------Winona State senior center Leslie Ross scored six of her game-high 23 points in the final 31 seconds to help the visiting Warriors top Wayne State 69-65 in Northern Sun Conference women’s basketball played Friday evening in Wayne. Winona State improved to 7-5 overall and 3-1 in the league while Wayne State slipped to 8-6 overall and 1-4 in the NSIC.
Wayne State built a seven point lead in the first half at 28-21 with 3:19 left, but Winona State trimmed the lead to just three points at halftime 32-29. In the second half, Winona State rallied to take an eight point lead, 56-48 with 9:24 remaining, following a three pointer by Anna Wurtz. The Wildcats then reeled off eight straight points and tied the score at 56-56 following a Kylee McGill layup with 6:42 remaining. After Winona State took a four-point lead, 63-59, the Wildcats came back to knot the score at 63-63 with 1:29 remaining after a three pointer by Andrea Schoepf. The Warriors converted a WSC turnover into a layup by Ross with :31 seconds left to go up 65-63. Ross then blocked a shot by WSC freshman guard Teresa Case and was fouled, converting two free throws to give the Warriors a 67-63 lead with :15 left. After WSC’s Lauren Gustafson made a layin with :10 left to cut the Warrior lead to two at 67-65, Ross was fouled and made a pair of free throws with nine seconds left to seal Winona State’s 69-65 win.
Ross finished the game with 23 points and eight rebounds to lead Winona State, followed by Amanda Reimer’s 20 points and eight rebounds. WSU shot 21 of 48 from the field for 43.8 percent and out-rebounded the Wildcats 36-29.
Wayne State had three players in double figures, led by Andrea Schoepf’s 16 points and five assists. Kylee McGill notched her fifth double-double of the season with 13 points and 12 rebounds while Amanda Covington also reached double figures with 13 points. The Wildcats made 24 of 57 shots from the field for 42.1 percent. The ‘Cats were just 4 of 12 from the three point line. McGill’s 12 caroms topped all WSC rebounders.
Wayne State will look to bounce back in conference play Saturday evening when the Wildcats host Upper Iowa in a 6:00 p.m. game at Rice Auditorium. The Peacocks are coming off a 70-63 win at Southwest Minnesota State Friday evening.

BIG SECOND HALF LIFTS WAYNE STATE PAST CHADRON STATE 89-59

December 30-----Wayne State College outscored Chadron State 52-23 in the second half to pull away for a 89-59 win in non-conference women’s basketball played Saturday afternoon at Rice Auditorium in Wayne. The Wildcats improved to 8-5 with the win, while the visiting Eagles fell to 0-10.
Chadron State stayed close with the Wildcats in the first half as WSC held a one-point lead at halftime 37-36. After Chadron State tied the score at 37-37 early in the second half, Wayne State put together a big run to pull away from the Eagles. With WSC holding a 47-42 lead with 15:46 left in the game, the Wildcats reeled off 22 straight points to build a commanding 69-42 lead with 9:15 left in the game to put the contest out of reach.
Five players reached double figures for Wayne State, led by senior guard Lauren Gustafson with 17 points and six assists. Freshman guard Teresa Case contributed 14 points, followed by Erin McCormick with 13, Andrea Schoepf scored 12 and Kylee McGill finished with 10 points and 11 rebounds.
WSC shot 46.8 percent from the field, making 29 of 62 shots. The ‘Cats were 9 of 24 from the three point line and 22 of 28 at the charity stripe.
Chadron State was paced by freshman Sunni Busch with a game-high 24 points, the only player in double figures for the Eagles. CSC shot 15 of 59 from the field for 25.4 percent, 7 of 22 from the three point line and 22 of 31 at the free throw line. Both teams had 42 rebounds. WSC’s top rebounder was McGill with 11 while Corissa Kesterson grabbed 10 caroms for Chadron State.
Wayne State will return to NSIC action next weekend after nearly a month layoff as the 8-5 Wildcats will host Winona State on Friday evening and Upper Iowa on Saturday evening. Both games are scheduled to begin at 6:00 p.m. in Rice Auditorium.

NEBRASKA-KEARNEY WOMEN OUTSCORE WAYNE STATE 99-88

December 21-----Nebraska-Kearney jumped out to an early 16-4 lead and never looked back in outscoring Wayne State 99-88 in non-conference women’s college basketball played in Wayne Thursday evening. The visiting Lopers moved to 9-2 with the win while dropping Wayne State to 7-5.
UNK set the tone early, jumping out to an early 16-4 lead with 14:03 in the first half. The Wildcats made a run at the Lopers and cut the lead to four points at 31-27 with 2:33 left in the first half following a layup by freshman guard Jennifer Yee. The Lopers then closed the first half on a 10-3 run to take a 41-30 lead at halftime. UNK continued their strong play in the second half, building a 62-41 lead with 13:28 left in the game. WSC got as close as nine points, 81-72 with 4:21 left in the game, following a three pointer by Andrea Schoepf, but the Lopers made 16 of 19 free throws in the final 4:21 to preserve the 99-88 win.
Freshman guard Teresa Case scored a career-high 21 points to lead Wayne State in scoring. Senior forward Erin McCormick added 19 points and a team-high 8 rebounds. Andrea Schoepf also reached double figures with 18 points. The Wildcats shot 47.1 percent from the field on 24 of 51 and was 34 of 41 at the free throw line.
Liz Fischer scored a game-high 26 points to lead Nebraska-Kearney. Jade Meads added 21 points, followed by Melissa Hinkley with 15 points, Amy Mathis had 12 and Jonni Mildenberger finished with 11 to round out the five players in double figures for the Lopers. UNK was 28 of 62 from the field for 45.2 percent and drained 36 of 42 free throws for 85.7 percent.
The game featured a combined 56 fouls and 83 free throws. UNK won the rebounding battle over Wayne State 42-26 as Hinkley grabbed nine caroms to lead UNK while McCormick finished with eight boards for Wayne State.
Wayne State is back in action on Saturday afternoon, December 30 when the Wildcats host Chadron State in a 1:00 p.m. game at Rice Auditorium.

MCCORMICK COLLECTS NEBRASKA NCAA DIVISION II PLAYER OF THE WEEK HONORS

December 19------Erin McCormick of Wayne State College has been named the Nebraska NCAA Division II Women’s Basketball Player of the Week following her performances in two Wayne State games over the weekend.
The 5-11 senior forward from Grant, Nebraska averaged 20.5 points per game as the Wildcats split games at South Dakota and at home against Mount Mercy College. McCormick poured in 21 points on 10 of 16 shooting in Saturday’s 71-55 loss at South Dakota, then scored 20 points on 8 of 11 shooting in Sunday’s 66-48 win over Mount Mercy College at Rice Auditorium.
For the weekend, McCormick shot 66 percent from the field (18 of 27) and averaged 3.5 rebounds and 3.5 steals per game for the Wildcats.
McCormick appears to be the next player to reach the 1,000 point mark in Wayne State College women’s basketball history. She currently has 952 career points and would become the 13th player in school history to score 1,000 points in a Wildcat uniform.
Wayne State is 7-4 on the season and will host Nebraska-Kearney on Thursday evening, December 21 with tip off set for 6:00 pm at Rice Auditorium in Wayne.

WAYNE STATE USES SECOND HALF RUN TO DEFEAT MOUNT MERCY COLLEGE

December 17---- Wayne State out-scored 25th-ranked (NAIA Div. II) Mount Mercy College 33-18 in the second half to defeat the Mustangs 66-48 in women’s college basketball on Sunday afternoon at Rice Auditorium. The win snapped the Wildcats three-game losing streak. The Wildcats improved to 7-4 overall, while the Mustangs fell to 5-4.
Mount Mercy College scored the first four points of the game to take an early 4-0 lead. Wayne State responded and took a 15-9 lead with 14:59 remaining in the first half after senior forward Erin McCormick hit a free throw to complete a three-point play. The Mustangs closed the gap to 17-15 with 11:25 remaining after senior Dani Anderson connected on a jump shot. The Wildcats were able to extend the lead to 10 points with 4:14 remaining at 31-21. The Mustangs finished the half on a 9-2 run for a halftime score of 33-30 in favor of WSC.
Mount Mercy College began the second half by connecting on their first two shots to take a 34-33 lead. Wayne State then went on a 15-1 run for the next seven minutes to go back ahead 48-35. The WSC lead never dipped below double figures the rest of the way as the final score ended up 66-48 for the Wildcats.
McCormick scored a game-high 20 points on 8 of 11 shooting to lead Wayne State. Kylee McGill, a sophomore forward from Little River, Kansas, also scored in double figures with 19 points and grabbed nine rebounds.
For Mount Mercy College, Anderson had a team-high 13 points. Senior guard Jenni Baker added 12 points including a team-high seven rebounds.
Wayne State shot 45.1 percent from the field, 23.8 percent from the three point line and 93.8 percent from the free throw line. The Wildcats held Mount Mercy College to just 39.5 percent from the field and the Mustangs were only 10 of 17 from the free throw line for 58.8 percent. MMC out-rebounded WSC in the game 33-26.
Wayne State is back in action on Thursday evening against Augustana College. Game time is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. at Rice Auditorium.

SOUTH DAKOTA USES BIG REBOUNDING ADVANTAGE IN 71-55 WIN OVER 'CATS

December 16------South Dakota used a commanding 47-25 advantage in rebounding to defeat Wayne State 71-55 in non-conference women’s college basketball Saturday evening at the Dakota Dome in Vermillion. The host Coyotes moved to 8-1 on the season with the win while Wayne State suffered their third straight loss and fell to 6-4 overall.
Wayne State opened the game by scoring the first six points, but USD went on a 13-0 run to go up 13-6 with 13:48 left in the first half. The Wildcats came back with a 13-2 run to go back in front 21-17 with 8:19 left in the first half following a layup by Kylee McGill. South Dakota then closed the half strong to take a 33-26 lead at halftime.
The Wildcats started the second half with an 8-0 run to regain the lead at 34-33 with 18:15 left in the game. USD then scored the next 10 points over the next 3:50 to take a 43-34 lead at the 14:25 mark. WSC would cut the lead to four points, 43-39 with 13:27 left following a three pointer by Lauren Gustafson, but that’s as close as the Wildcats would get as the Coyotes pulled away for the 71-55 win.
Bridget Yoerger paced the Coyotes with 17 points and 15 rebounds. Shannon Daly accounted for 14 points and five assists while Jeana Hoffman also reached double figures with 12 points. South Dakota shot 33 percent from the field on 22 of 66, including 8 of 24 from the three point line. The Coyotes were 19 of 22 from the free throw line.
For Wayne State, Erin McCormick poured in a game-high 21 points on 10 of 16 shooting. Kylee McGill added her third double-double of the season with 14 points and 10 rebounds. The Wildcats shot 50 percent from the field on 22 of 44, 5 of 14 from the three point line and 6 of 12 at the charity stripe.
South Dakota held a commanding 47-25 edge in rebounding over Wayne State thanks to Yoerger’s 15 caroms. The Coyotes had an astonishing 25 offensive rebounds in the game. Wayne State’s top rebounder was McGill with 10.
The Wildcats will try to snap their three-game losing streak at home Sunday afternoon against Mount Mercy College with tip off set for 3:00 p.m. at Rice Auditorium.

MARY BUILDS BIG LEAD, THEN HANGS ON FOR 67-66 WIN OVER WILDCATS

December 9-------The University of Mary built a 15-2 lead early in the game and held back a late rally by Wayne State for a 67-66 win over the Wildcats in Northern Sun Conference women’s basketball Saturday night in Bismarck, North Dakota.
The host Marauders jumped out quickly on the Wildcats, taking a 15-2 lead in the first 6:08 of the game. Mary’s biggest lead in the first half was 17 points, 32-15 with 4:57 left in the first half, but Wayne State cut the lead down to 10 at halftime, trailing 36-26.
In the second half, the Wildcats rallied from a 14-point deficit, 45-31 with 16:09 remaining, and pulled to within one point at 67-66 following a three pointer from Andrea Schoepf with 1:01 remaining. WSC got the ball back with seven seconds left after Kylee McGill grabbed a rebound off a missed free throw shot by Mary’s Corrie Villegas, but a missed jumper by Schoepf shortly before the buzzer allowed the host Marauders to escape with a one point win over the Wildcats.
Senior guard Lauren Gustafson led three double digit scorers for the Wildcats with 13 points. Erin McCormick added 12 points and Kylee McGill finished with 10. WSC shot 43.3 percent from the field on 26 of 60 shooting. The ‘Cats were 6 of 18 from the three point line and 8 of 8 at the free throw stripe.
Nikki Landbeck scored a game-high 21 points to lead the University of Mary, now 3-5 overall and 2-2 in the NSIC. Corrie Villegas added 17 points and Kayla Rogers scored 13 for Mary, who shot 56.5 percent from the field on 26 of 46, including 8 of 11 from the three point line, and 7 of 9 at the charity stripe.
Mary held a 29-24 edge in rebounding over the Wildcats. Landbeck grabbed a team-high eight boards for the Marauders while McGill had a game-high nine caroms for the Wildcats.
Wayne State, 6-3 overall and 1-3 in the NSIC, will play at the University of South Dakota Saturday night at 6:00 p.m. and host Mount Mercy College Sunday afternoon at 3:00 p.m.

WAYNE STATE SUFFERS SECOND LOSS OF SEASON IN 72-66 SETBACK TO #18 NORTHERN STATE

December 8---- The 18th-ranked Northern State women’s basketball team out-scored Wayne State 39-33 in the second half to pull away for a 72-66 win in an NSIC game played at Aberdeen, South Dakota, on Friday evening. The win improves the Wolves record to 7-1 overall and 3-0 in the NSIC, while the Wildcats fall to 6-2 and 1-2 in the league.
The first half saw 11 lead changes and five ties as both teams managed to have their largest leads of only four points. Wayne State shot only 33.3 percent from the field, while Northern State also struggled shooting 37.8 percent in the first half. The teams went into the locker room at a 33-33 tie.
Wayne State took two leads in the second half at the 16:42 and 15:31 mark, but did not lead the rest of the way. Northern State connected on five of eight shots in a 4:06 span from 15:31 to 11:25 and scored 12 unanswered points to take a 49-38 lead. The Wildcat scoreless streak ended after junior guard Andrea Schoepf knocked down a three-pointer to cut the lead to eight. The NSU lead stayed within the 10 point range for the next 7:34. Then the ‘Cats made a run down the stretch and cut the lead to three points with 0:29 seconds left in the game after junior center Amanda Covington converted on a layup. After the Wolves made one of two free throws on their end, Lauren Gustafson (Omaha, Neb.) made a layup to cut the lead to 68-66. NSU made the rest of their free throws and WSC failed to score again as the Wolves held on to a 72-66 win.
WSC was led by Schoepf who scored 18 points including making four of six from behind the arc. McCormick was also in double figures with 17 points. Sophomore forward Kylee McGill had a team-high seven rebounds.
NSU had four players in double figures and out-rebounded Wayne State 47-29. Carolin Becker scored 17 points and grabbed nine rebounds to lead the Wolves. Melissa Braaten also had a career-high 17 points including five three-pointers. Noelle Hall and Miranda Boepple added 16 and 10 points to round out the top scorers for Northern State.
For the game, WSC shot 35.2 percent from the field, 37.5 percent from the three point line and 84.6 percent from the charity stripe. NSU was 45.2 percent from the field, 36.8 percent from behind the arc and 52.9 percent from the free throw line.
The 6-2 Wildcats back in action on Saturday evening at Bismarck, North Dakota, to play the University of Mary in NSIC play. Game time is scheduled for 6:00 p.m.

WILDCATS OVERCOME SLOW START TO BEAT UC-COLORADO SPRINGS 64-45

December 3------24th-ranked Wayne State overcame a slow start and pulled away in the second half for a 64-45 women’s college basketball win over the University of Colorado-Colorado Springs Sunday afternoon at Rice Auditorium in Wayne.
The Wildcats, playing their third game in as many days, could not shake the visiting Mountain Lions until a big run in the second half put the game away. With the exception of a 2-0 deficit in the first 20 seconds, WSC held the lead the entire first half before settling for a 24-22 halftime lead. The ‘Cats were up by seven points several times before UCCS cut the lead to two at halftime.
In the second half, WSC used a 20-2 run over a 9:00 stretch to put the game out of reach. With UCCS leading 30-28 following a pair of free throws at the 16:38 mark, the Wildcats scored 20 of the next 22 points over the next 9:00 to take a commanding 48-32 lead with 7:32 left in the game. WSC had a 22-point lead at 61-39 with 2:11 left before settling for the 64-45 win. WSC finished the second half by outscoring UCCS 40-23 thanks to 63 percent field goal shooting.
Junior guard Andrea Schoepf poured in a game-high 19 points on 6 of 9 shooting from the field and a perfect 4 of 4 from the free throw line. Junior center Amanda Covington added 17 points and a team-high seven rebounds while Erin McCormick also reached double figures with 11 points.
After shooting just 28 percent in the first half (8 of 28), the Wildcats connected on 12 of 19 shots in the second half (63 percent) to finish the game 20 of 47 for 42.6 percent. WSC was 4 of 13 from the three point line and 20 of 28 at the free throw line.
UC-Colorado Springs, now 0-5 on the season, was led by Emily Jenkins and Dolly Fiedelman with nine points apiece. Tonya Tripp was the top rebounder for the Mountain Lions with 11 caroms. The Mountain Lions shot 31.5 percent from the field on 17 of 54. UCCS was 4 of 15 from the three point line and 7 of 12 from the charity stripe.
WSC forced UCCS into 25 turnovers while WSC had 16.
Wayne State will take a 6-1 record on the road this weekend in Northern Sun Conference play, visiting #22 Northern State Friday night and the University of Mary on Saturday night with both games starting at 6:00 p.m.

HOT SHOOTING, SCHOEPF'S 23 POINTS CARRY WSC IN 79-47 WIN OVER MINNESOTA CROOKSTON

December 2------Wayne State used 56 percent shooting to easily defeat Minnesota-Crookston 79-47 in Northern Sun Conference women’s basketball played Saturday evening in Wayne.
After going just 2 of 17 from the three point line in Friday evening’s 76-68 loss to Bemidji State, the Wildcats opened the game hitting 7 of 7 from behind the arc as WSC jumped out to a quick 21-3 lead with 14:51 left in the first half. Junior guard Andrea Schoepf hit three straight and four of the first seven three pointers for WSC while Lauren Gustafson hit a pair of three’s and Teresa Case made the other three pointer as WSC opened the game 7 for 7 from the three point line. The Wildcats built a 47-21 halftime lead and cruised in the second half to the 79-47 win over Minnesota-Crookston.
Schoepf, a junior guard from South Sioux City, was 6 of 8 from the three point line in the first half and scored 18 of her 23 points for the Wildcats in the first half to lead WSCS in scoring. She finished the night 8 of 10 from the field and 7 of 9 from the three point line. Senior guard Lauren Gustafson was the only other player in double figures for Wayne State with 12 points to go with a game-high eight assists.
WSC shot 56 percent from the field on 28 of 50. The ‘Cats were 13 of 27 from the three point line and 10 of 13 from the charity stripe.
Minnesota-Crookston, 0-6 overall and 0-2 in the NSIC, was led by Trissilyn Clayton, who scored a game-high 26 points for the Golden Eagles. UMC shot 18 of 52 from the field for 34 percent.
WSC won the rebounding battle over Minnesota-Crookston 39-22 as Kylee McGill and Teresa Case each grabbed nine boards for the Wildcats while UMC’s top rebounder was Doriane Davis with four.
Wayne State, 5-1 overall and 1-1 in the NSIC, will play a non-conference game against University of Colorado-Colorado Springs on Sunday afternoon at 3:00 p.m.

BIG SECOND HALF LIFTS BEMIDJI STATE TO 76-68 WIN OVER #24 WAYNE STATE IN NSIC OPENER

December 1------Bemidji State outscored Wayne State 47-33 in the second half to record a 76-68 win over the 24th-ranked Wildcats in the Northern Sun Conference women’s basketball opener for both teams played at Rice Auditorium in Wayne Friday evening.
Wayne State built a 21-10 lead in the first 10:30 of the game, but the visiting Beavers used a 15-2 scoring spurt over the next 4:43 to take their only lead of the first half, 29-27, with 2:57 left in the first half. The Wildcats then scored the final eight points of the first half to grab a 35-29 lead at halftime.
WSC maintained a six point lead early in the second half until the Beavers made a run midway through the second half that gave them momentum for the rest of the game. With WSC in front 45-39 at the 14:42 mark, Bemidji State scored the next nine points to take a 50-47 lead at the 11:21 mark following a pair of free throws from Kirsten Hengstler. Wayne State’s Andrea Schoepf hit a three pointer to tie the score at 50-50 with 10:28 left and a layup by Teresa Case knotted the score at 52-52 with 9:46 left. But that’s as close as WSC would get to the Beavers as Bemidji State built a 10-point lead at 70-60 with 1:32 left and made six of eight free throws in the final 1:30 to preserve the 76-68 win over Wayne State.
Wayne State was paced by senior forward Erin McCormick, who matched her career-high with 22 points to go with 10 rebounds. Junior forward Amanda Covington recorded a career-high 20 points with Andrea Schoepf also reaching double figures with 10 points.
The Wildcats shot 41.8 percent from the field on 28 of 67, but was just 2 of 17 from the three point line for 11 percent. WSC hit 10 of 11 shots from the free throw line for 91 percent.
Bemidji State junior guard Amy Lawson scored a game-high 29 points to pace the Beavers while junior center Stephanie Peterson contributed a double-double with 20 points and 17 rebounds to go with four blocks. Heidi Matzke also reached double digits for Bemidji State with 15 points as the Beavers improved to 2-3 overall and 1-0 in the NSIC.
BSU shot 45.5 percent from the field on 30 of 66 and was 2 of 15 from the three point line. The Beavers made 14 of 17 free throws for 82 percent.
Bemidji State held a commanding 47 to 32 advantage in rebounding over the Wildcats. Peterson’s 17 boards led Bemidji State while McCormick’s 10 rebounds paced Wayne State.
Wayne State, 4-1 overall and 0-1 in the NSIC, will look to bounce back Saturday evening when the Wildcats host Minnesota-Crookston at 6:00 p.m. in a Northern Sun Conference contest at Rice Auditorium in Wayne.

WILDCATS RANKED 24TH IN FIRST USA TODAY/ESPN DIVISION II TOP 25 COACHES POLL

November 28------The Wayne State College women’s basketball team is ranked 24th in the first regular season USA Today/ESPN Division II Top 25 Coaches poll released this afternoon. The 4-0 Wildcats are coming off a 91-68 win at Chadron State Monday evening and open defense of their Northern Sun Conference crown at home Friday evening against Bemidji State at 6:00 p.m. The Wildcats also host Minnesota-Crookston on Saturday at 6 p.m. and University of Colorado-Colorado Springs on Sunday at 3 p.m.

USA Today/ESPN Division II Top 25 Coaches’ Poll
(as of November 28, 2006)
Rank Institution (First Place Votes) Preseason Ranking Record Points

1. Emporia State University (Kan.) - 13 3 3-0 608
2. Washburn University (Kan.) 6 4-0 555
3. Grand Valley State University (Mich.) - 7 1 4-1 539
4. Henderson State University (Ark.) 7 5-0 530
5. University of North Dakota - 4 2 8-1 518
6. California State University, Chico 5 1-0 499
7. Glenville State College (W. Va.) 8 4-0 466
8. Saint Cloud State University (Minn.) 4 3-1 456
9. Southern Connecticut State University 12 3-0 421
10. Northern Kentucky University 15 2-0 350
11. West Texas A&M University 11 5-1 337
12. Delta State University (Miss.) 13 4-1 311
13. Florida Gulf Coast University 19 6-0 294
14. Wingate University (N.C.) 17 4-1 219
15. Western Washington University 16 3-1 217
16. Stonehill College (Mass.) NR 5-0 203
17. American International College (Mass.) 9 3-2 180
18. University Of California-San Diego 21 1-0 167
19. Seattle Pacific University 24 3-0 160
20. Fort Valley State University (Ga.) 22 3-1 154
21. Drury University (Mo.) 10 1-2 150
22. Northern State University (S.D.) NR 5-1 102
23. Clayton State University (Ga.) NR 4-0 92
24. Wayne State College (Neb.) NR 4-0 79
25. Missouri Western State NR 4-0 72

WAYNE STATE MOVES TO 4-0 WITH 91-68 WIN AT CHADRON STATE

November 27-------Four players scored in double figures to lead Wayne State in a 91-68 women’s college basketball win at Chadron State Monday evening. The Wildcats improved to 4-0 on the season while dropping Chadron State to 0-4.
Wayne State started strong, taking a 20-4 lead with 12:12 remaining in the first half. After Chadron State cut the lead to seven points at 22-15, WSC scored the next seven points to regain momentum and build a commanding 50-28 lead at halftime. The Wildcats maintained a sizeable lead in the second half with Chadron State getting as close as 19 points before WSC won the game by the final score of 91-68.
Senior forward Erin McCormick paced a balanced scoring attack for Wayne State with 21 points, one shy of her career high. She also pulled down seven rebounds. Senior guard Amanda Walker achieved a career-high in scoring with 15 points while Amanda Covington and Kati Jo Christensen each finished with 11 points.
Wayne State connected on 31 of 63 shots from the field for 49 percent. The ‘Cats were 7 of 22 from the three point line (31 percent) and 22 of 33 at the free throw line for 66 percent. WSC won the rebounding battle over the Eagles 41-35 thanks to a game-high 10 rebounds by Kylee McGill. The Wildcats had 23 assists to just 16 turnovers as Andrea Schoepf accounted for seven assists to pace the Wildcats.
For Chadron State, Tera Schmid scored 14 points, followed by Whitney Segelke with 13 and Samantha Arkulari with 12. The Eagles shot 40 percent from the field on 22 of 55 and had 18 turnovers in the game.
Wayne State will open defense of their Northern Sun Conference crown at home on Friday evening as the Wildcats host Bemidji State at 6:00 p.m.

SCHOEPF'S 22 POINTS LIFTS WILDCATS IN 79-53 WIN OVER YORK COLLEGE

November 20-----Andrea Schoepf scored 18 of her game-high 22 points in the first half to lead Wayne State in a 79-53 women’s college basketball win over York College at Rice Auditorium in Wayne Monday evening. The host Wildcats move to 3-0 on the season while York College falls to 4-3.
The game was close throughout most of the first half until the Wildcats used a late run to take a 44-31 lead at halftime. With WSC in front 22-18 with 8:34 left in the first half, the ‘Cats used four three pointers to key the late run with two by Schoepf and two by freshman Jennifer Yee to increase the lead to 44-31 at halftime.
WSC then opened the second half with a 14-0 run over the opening seven minutes to put the game away, taking a 58-31 lead before York finally scored in the second half.
Schoepf finished the game 9 of 12 shooting, including 4 of 7 from beyond the three point line, to account for her game-high 22 points. Sophomore forward Kylee McGill recorded her second double-double of the season with 12 points and 10 rebounds while Lauren Gustafson also scored 12 points for Wayne State.
The Wildcats shot 32 of 62 from the field for 51.6 percent, including 8 of 20 from the three point line. The ‘Cats were 7 of 11 from the free throw line and out-rebounded York 40-31 with McGill’s 10 caroms leading the way for WSC. Erin McCormick added seven rebounds.
For York College, freshman Kaylena Andersen had 20 points for the Panthers with Ashley Wellman adding 15 points and 11 rebounds. York was 20 of 58 from the floor (34.5%), 7 of 21 from the three point line and 6 of 9 at the charity stripe.
Wayne State will travel to Chadron State for its next game on Monday, November 27 with tip off set for 8:00 p.m.

HOT SECOND HALF SHOOTING CARRIES WSC IN 76-64 WIN AT COLORADO CHRISTIAN

November 18-----Four players scored in double figures, led by junior guard Andrea Schoepf’s 20 points, as Wayne State defeated Colorado Christian 76-64 in women’s college basketball played Saturday evening in Lakewood, Colorado at the Cougar Classic. WSC moves to 2-0 with the win while dropping the host Cougars to 0-2.
After trailing early in the game 11-5, the Wildcats put together 13 straight points to grab an 18-11 lead with 12:25 remaining in the first half. The Wildcats maintained the lead for the rest of the first half and held a 42-36 advantage at the intermission.
The Wildcats used a 19-4 run to open the second half, grabbing a commanding 61-40 lead with 11:50 left in the game. But the host Cougars mounted a comeback and cut the WSC lead down to eight points, 66-58, with 5:04 to go in the game. WSC pushed the lead back to double digits thanks to a pair of three pointers from freshman Kati Jo Christensen and the Wildcats went on to the 76-64 win.
Schoepf, a junior guard from South Sioux City, poured in a game-high 20 points on 9 of 14 shooting from the field to lead the Wildcats in scoring. Senior guard Lauren Gustafson accounted for 15 points while sophomore Kylee McGill finished with a double-double, recording 13 points and 13 rebounds. Christensen, a freshman guard, also finished with 13 points on 4 of 5 shooting from the three point line.
WSC shot 54.7 percent from the field for the game (29 of 53), including a sizzling 70 percent in the second half on 14 of 20. The ‘Cats were 11 of 22 from the three point line and 7 of 11 at the free throw line. WSC held a commanding 37-22 advantage in rebounding thanks to 13 caroms by McGill and 11 from senior forward Erin McCormick.
For Colorado Christian, Talmai Aguirre and Ashley Braasch had 14 points apiece. The Cougars shot 44 percent from the field on 25 of 56 and had 16 turnovers to 23 for Wayne State.
Wayne State, 2-0 on the season, will host York College Monday evening at 7:00 p.m. in the home opener for the Wildcats at Rice Auditorium in Wayne.

WILDCATS OPEN SEASON WITH 65-57 WIN OVER COLORADO MINES

November 17------Wayne State College opened the 2006-07 women’s basketball season Friday evening with a 65-57 win over Colorado Mines at the Cougar Classic played in Lakewood, Colorado.
After the two teams battled back and forth early on, WSC used a 10-0 run to grab a 15-8 lead over Colorado Mines with 11:30 left in the first half following a three point play by senior forward Erin McCormick. The Wildcats slowly increased their lead and held a 31-22 advantage at halftime. With WSC leading 56-46 with 6:06 left in the game, Colorado School of Mines made a run at the Wildcats and cut the lead to three points, 58-55, with 3:00 remaining. WSC used a pair of free throws by Amanda Walker and a basket by Amanda Covington to increase the lead to 62-55 with 2:00 left and the Wildcats were able to hang on for the 65-57 win.
The Wildcats had a balanced scoring attack in the win as four players reached double figures, led by senior forward Erin McCormick with 14 points. Junior guard Andrea Schoepf added 11 points followed by Lauren Gustafson and Kylee McGill with 10 points apiece.
WSC shot just 39 percent from the field on 18 of 46, including 5 of 18 from the three point line. WSC held a sizeable advantage at the foul line, converting 24 of 35 free throws compared to just 8 of 15 for Colorado Mines. The Wildcats forced CSM into 27 turnovers, 11 fewer than Wayne State.
Colorado Mines out-rebounded Wayne State 38-26 with freshman Kati Jo Christensen leading the Wildcats on the boards with five. Brecca Gaffney was the top scorer for Colorado Mines with 11 points, followed by Iva Tomova with nine points.
Wayne State will close out play in the Cougar Classic Saturday evening with a game against host Colorado Christian set for 7:00 p.m. Colorado Christian fell to Northern State 68-63 in the other game during Friday’s play.

WAYNE STATE ANNOUNCES FOUR RECRUITS IN NCAA EARLY SIGNING PERIOD

November 8-----Wayne State College head women’s basketball coach Ryun Williams has announced the signings of four recruits who will attend Wayne State College and play for the Wildcats next season. The players include Jodie Boss of Columbus, Nebraska; Alyssa Fischbach (Fish-back) of Mellette, South Dakota; Mara Hjelle (jelly) of White Bear Lake, Minnesota and Julie Ann Wagner of Sioux Falls, South Dakota. The four players have signed with Wayne State during the NCAA’s early signing period and will play basketball for Wayne State in the 2007-08 season.
“We are very excited about this recruiting class,” remarked Coach Williams. “All of these players have tremendous strengths on the basketball court and are outstanding students. We wanted to add more depth in the post as well as add some length and athleticism on the perimeter. With this class, we accomplished our recruiting needs and are excited about this group’s potential.”
Jodie Boss, a 6-2 center from Columbus High School, averaged 11.5 points and 7.5 rebounds per game as a junior last season for the Discoverers, helping her team qualify for the Class A State Tournament while earning All-City and All-Conference honors.
“Jodie is a definite difference maker on the defensive end,” said Williams. “Her size and length combined with her a