NEWS RELEASE
Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
Matt Stanek * Sports Information Director * 780 Regent Street * Madison, WI 53715 * Phone: (608) 265-6406 * www.uwsa.edu/wiac/

 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Wednesday, February 28, 2001

Madison, Wis.--Eleven players have been named to the 2000-01 WIAC All-Conference Women's Basketball First Team, which was recently selected by the conference coaches. Eau Claire's Vanessa Schley was named Player of the Year, while River Falls Head Coach Cindy Hovet was named Coach of the Year.

Schley, an All-WIAC First Team selection last season, ranks third in the WIAC in scoring (15.5), fourth in field goal percentage (.508), ninth in rebounding (6.1), 11th in free throw percentage (.709) and 14th in blocked shots (.44/g). She set a school single-game scoring record with 36 points against Oshkosh on Jan. 17. In that same game, she also tied a conference record by making 16 free throws and also equaled the WIAC standard for free throw percentage at 1.000 by not missing any of her 16 attempts. Schley has led the Blugolds in scoring in 16 of 27 games this season.

Schley joins former Blugolds Arlene Meinholz (1995), Erika Schmidt (1997) and Jayme Anderson (2000) as players who have won the conference's Player of the Year honor.

Schley's teammate, Jessie Brantner, was also named to the All-WIAC First Team. She leads the WIAC in assist/turnover ratio (2.07) and ranks second in three-point field goals made (60), fifth in assists (3.44/g) and three-point field goal percentage (.387), eighth in free throw percentage (.744) and 12th in scoring (11.3). She was an All-WIAC First Team selection last season and received Honorable Mention honors in 1998-99.

The senior duo helped the Blugolds earn the WIAC's automatic berth in the NCAA Tournament with a victory over Platteville in the WIAC Tournament Championship. The Blugolds will make their tenth consecutive appearance in the NCAA tournament tonight when they host Lakeland. The Blugolds earned a share of the 2000-01 WIAC Championship after winning the title outright last season.

River Falls landed a conference-high three players on the First Team. Andrea Long makes her second consecutive appearance on the All-WIAC First Team. She leads the WIAC in scoring (16.6) and ranks fourth in rebounding (6.8), fifth in field goal percentage (.504), sixth in free throw percentage (.764) and 11th in blocked shots (.54/g).

Melissa McKernon ranks seventh in the WIAC in rebounding (6.2) and three-point field goals made (1.42/g), 11th in field goal percentage (.396), 12th in free throw percentage (.693) and 13th in scoring (12.5).

Mara Reif-Wenner ranks second in the WIAC in assist/turnover ratio (2.06), fourth in assists (3.73/g), sixth in steals (2.08/g), seventh in field goal percentage (.480) and eighth in rebounding (6.1).

Stevens Point's Carry Boehning and Kari Groshek helped the Pointers to their best record (20-6) since the 1986-87 season. Boehning ranks second in the WIAC in rebounding (7.0), seventh in scoring (13.7), eighth in field goal percentage (.470), 13th in free throw percentage (.693) and 15th in steals (1.35/g). She was an All-WIAC Honorable Mention selection last season and was named to the All-Defensive Team in 1998-99.

Groshek ranks second in the WIAC in scoring (15.8), third in blocked shots (1.23/g) and field goal percentage (.524) and fourth in rebounding (6.8).

Kristin Steckmesser helped Oshkosh to a share of the 2000-01 WIAC Championship, their third conference crown in four seasons. She ranks third in the WIAC in assists (3.92/g), fourth in three-point field goals made (1.64/g) and free throw percentage (.771), eighth in blocked shots (.60/g) and tenth in scoring (12.4) and steals (1.64/g). She was an All-WIAC Honorable Mention selection in 1998-99.

Stout's Amy Zelinger leads the WIAC in steals (3.24/g) and ranks sixth in blocked shots (.76/g), seventh in assists (3.16/g), eighth in scoring (13.0) and tenth in field goal percentage (.401).

Jill Murray helped La Crosse post its best conference record (7-9) since the 1988-89 season. She ranks fourth in the WIAC in scoring (15.2) and steals (2.56/g), sixth in field goal percentage (.495), ninth in free throw percentage (.742) and 13th in assists (2.52/g). Murray established new school single-game records with 36 points and 13 free throws made against Stevens Point on Dec. 13. She is the first Eagle to garner All-WIAC First Team honors since the 1995-96 season.

Laurie Buechel helped Platteville to a spot in the WIAC Tournament Championship. She ranks second in the WIAC in steals (3.07/g), fifth in scoring (14.4), tenth in three-point field goals made (1.26/g), 12th in field goal percentage (.379) and 15th in free throw percentage (.673). She was an All-WIAC Honorable Mention selection last season.

Named to the Honorable Mention team were: Eau Claire's Megan Murphy, Oshkosh's Amanda Dickerson, Melissa Schweitzer and Jamie Turtenwald, Stout's Tanya Halbach, Superior's Sheri Domitrovich and Whitewater's Brenda Brooks.

Named to the All-Defensive Team were: Eau Claire's Megan Murphy, Oshkosh's Jamie Turtenwald, River Falls' Mara Reif-Wenner, Stevens Point's Kari Groshek and Stout's Amy Zelinger.

River Falls Head Coach Cindy Hovet was selected the 2000-01 WIAC Coach of the Year by her peers. The first-year head coach guided the Falcons to an 18-8 overall record, their best mark since the 1988-89 season.

First Team
Name, School, Position, Height, Year, Hometown (High School)
Carry Boehning, Stevens Point, Forward, 6-0, Jr., Auburndale
Jessie Brantner, Eau Claire, Guard, 5-4, Sr., Durand
Laurie Buechel, Platteville, Guard, 5-6, Sr., Chilton (New Holstein)
Kari Groshek, Stevens Point, Center, 6-0, Jr., Rosholt
Andrea Long, River Falls, Center, 6-0, Jr., Menomonie
Melissa McKernon, River Falls, Center, 5-10, Jr., Owatonna, Minn.
Jill Murray, La Crosse, Forward, 5-11, Jr., Stevens Point (SPASH)
Mara Reif-Wenner, River Falls, Guard, 5-5, Sr., St. Cloud, Minn. (Tech)
Vanessa Schley, Eau Claire, Forward, 5-11, Sr., Gilman
Kristin Steckmesser, Oshkosh, Guard, 5-9, Jr., Two Rivers
Amy Zelinger, Stout, Guard, 5-9, Jr., Racine (Park)

Honorable Mention
Brenda Brooks, Whitewater, Guard, 5-7, Sr., Manitowoc (Lincoln)
Amanda Dickerson, Oshkosh, Forward, 6-0, Jr., Marquette (Markesan)
Sheri Domitrovich, Superior, Forward, 5-8, Sr., Ontonagon, Mich.
Tanya Halbach, Stout, Guard, 5-8, So., Janesville (Craig)
Megan Murphy, Eau Claire, Forward, 5-10, Sr., La Crosse (Aquinas)
Melissa Schweitzer, Oshkosh, Guard, 6-0, So., Amherst
Jamie Turtenwald, Oshkosh, Guard, 5-6, Jr., West Allis (Hale)

All-Defensive Team
Megan Murphy, Eau Claire, Forward, 5-10, Sr., La Crosse (Aquinas)
Jamie Turtenwald, Oshkosh, Guard, 5-6, Jr., West Allis (Hale)
Mara Reif-Wenner, River Falls, Guard, 5-5, Sr., St. Cloud, Minn. (Tech)
Kari Groshek, Stevens Point, Center, 6-0, Jr., Rosholt
Amy Zelinger, Stout, Guard, 5-9, Jr., Racine (Park)

Player of the Year: Vanessa Schley of UW-Eau Claire
Judy Kruckman Scholar-Athlete: Megan Murphy of UW-Eau Claire
Coach of the Year: Cindy Hovet of UW-River Falls

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