The UW-Whitewater women’s basketball team made a statement in the WIAC Tournament, overcoming familiar foes and adversity to claim the conference tournament title. As the tournament’s No. 3 seed, the Warhawks navigated a challenging path, defeating UW-River Falls, UW-Stout, and finally, top-seeded UW-Oshkosh to secure the title and an automatic bid in the NCAA Tournament.
The Warhawks kicked off their tournament run with a 66-52 victory over No. 6 seed UW-River Falls at Kachel Gymnasium. Senior Maggie Trautsch led the way for the Warhawks with 18 points on 6-12 shooting.
“I go into every game wanting to win and do whatever I can to help my team,” Trautsch said. “It’s just another game — go out there, do our thing, and take care of business.”
Sophomore Bri McCurdy also had a fantastic game. Scoring a career high 17 points and sinking five of her eight three-point attempts. McCurdy also held River Falls’ leading scorer to just nine points on 3-9 shooting.
Despite a slow start that saw the Falcons taking an early 7-3 lead, Whitewater responded with a commanding 16-0 run to end the first quarter, holding River Falls scoreless for nearly six minutes. By halftime, the Warhawks led 31-22.
Defensively, UW-Whitewater stifled the Falcons’ perimeter attack, limiting them to just three three-pointers while knocking down nine of their own. The great defensive effort from the Warhawks led to a 66-52 victory.
“It’s really hard to play a team for the third time, and last time we beat them big,” head coach Keri Carollo said. “It’s a tricky game where if you’re not focused, confident, and executing, it can get you. Our defense held it together because our offense was bumbling, and we didn’t take care of the ball well. Proud of our defensive effort. I thought Bri [McCurdy] had a great game on both ends of the floor. She guarded their best player, an all-conference player, and shut her down.”
Senior Kacie Carollo also etched her name into the WIAC record books, becoming the conference’s all-time leader in three-pointers made with her 231st career make.
As the Warhawks celebrated their hard-fought victory, they knew there was little time to celebrate. With just a day to recover before facing their next opponent, the team had to shift their focus to the challenges ahead.
“We only have one day’s rest between every game,” Katie Hildebrandt said. “Stout and Oshkosh have been resting for a few now, but we just take our last two games against both of them and learn from them. Take the good things we did tonight and apply that tomorrow at practice and for the rest of the tournament.”
Facing No. 2 seed Stout on the road, the Warhawks knew they had a tough challenge ahead. Stout had beaten the Warhawks twice in the regular season, but Whitewater turned the tables with a gutsy 69-63 win to advance to the WIAC Championship game.
The first half was a back-and-forth affair, with Stout holding a slight edge in free throws and fouls drawn. Despite the foul trouble, Whitewater clung to a 31-30 lead at halftime, largely thanks to Kacie Carollo’s dominant first half, where she scored 20 points and added nine rebounds.
However, foul issues loomed large in the second half, but the Warhawks didn’t let this affect them. A crucial 7-0 run late in the third quarter pushed their lead to 48-41 going into the final quarter. However, the Blue Devils clawed back, tying the game at 57 with under three minutes to play. That’s when Whitewater’s experience shined. Carollo and Hildebrandt came up with clutch baskets, and McCurdy iced the game with four free throws in the final seconds of play.
With the WIAC title now in their grasp, the Warhawks remained focused on what had brought them success all season: staying true to their identity and taking things one step at a time.
“We’ve got some unfinished business for sure. One game at a time,” Trautsch said.
In a thrilling WIAC Championship showdown, the Warhawks faced top-seeded Oshkosh. Having lost both regular-season matchups to the Titans in overtime games, Whitewater was determined to flip the script. They did that, holding on for a dramatic 64-61 win to capture the WIAC crown.
The Warhawks came out firing, building a commanding 38-25 lead at halftime. However, the Titans mounted a furious comeback in the second half, fueled by sophomore guard Sammi Beyer, who scored 16 of her game-high 27 points in the second half.
Whitewater’s defense stepped up in the final minutes, making crucial stops to protect their lead. Carollo recorded her second straight double-double, finishing with 20 points and 11 rebounds. Hildebrandt added 18 points and five rebounds, while Mia Gillis chipped in 12 points of her own.
With the win, the Warhawks secured an automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Tournament, where they will look to carry their momentum on the national stage. The selection show airs Monday, March 3, with the first round of the tournament beginning Friday, March 7.
“The approach doesn’t change,” coach Carollo said. “We don’t overthink things. We take it one game at a time. These girls understand the moment, and they’ve been playing their best basketball.”
