WIAC Announces 2024 Girls Basketball All-Conference Teams; Includes Baierl(Platteville, Columbus Catholic); Mueller(Platteville, Pacelli)
University of Wisconsin-Whitewater’s Aleah Grundahl was selected the Kwik Trip Player of the Year to headline the individuals chosen to the 2024 All-Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Women’s Basketball Team by the league coaches. In addition, UW-La Crosse’s Katie Waukau was tabbed the Kwik Trip Newcomer of the Year and UW-Oshkosh’s Brad Fischer was recognized as the Kwik Trip Coach of the Year.
Grundahl secured Player of the Year accolades for the third consecutive year, becoming the first individual in conference history to accomplish the feat. A four-time All-WIAC first team selection, she leads the conference with 20.2 points per game, while ranking third with 55 steals and sixth with 6.2 rebounds per contest and a .520 field goal percentage. Grundahl has scored at least 20 points in 14 games and established the school single-game scoring record with 39 points against UW-La Crosse on Feb. 10. She owns the WIAC all-time scoring mark with 1,864 points.
Waukau ranks third in the conference with a .366 three-point field goal percentage and 53 three-point field goals made. She was fifth on the team with 7.5 points per contest and had a season-high 15 points against UW-Stevens Point on Feb. 3. A newcomer is defined as a student-athlete who used her first season of participation in women’s basketball this season. Transfers are not eligible unless they didn’t participate in women’s basketball at their previous institution.
Repeat selections on the first team from a season ago included: UW-Oshkosh’s Kayce Vaile; UW-River Falls’ Macy Nilsen; UW-Stout’s Amanda Geisen and Raegan Sorensen; and UW-Whitewater’s Kacie Carollo. Nilsen was also a first team selection in 2022, while Sorensen was the Newcomer of the Year.
A five-member All-Defensive Team was chosen with repeat selections from the 2023 campaign including Sorensen, Carollo and UW-Eau Claire’s Kylie Mogen.
Fischer claimed the coaching award for the fourth time in his career (2013, 2017, 2019). He has led the Titans to the WIAC regular-season title for the 15th time in program history and a spot in the NCAA Division III tournament. UW-Oshkosh owns a 22-5 record and has recorded at least 20 victories in 11 of the last 12 seasons.
An All-Sportsmanship Team was chosen for individuals that displayed exemplary sportsmanship throughout the season. It included one member from each school.
2024 All-WIAC Women’s Basketball Team
Name, School, Year, Position, Hometown (High School)
First Team
Kacie Carollo, Whitewater, Junior, Guard, Whitewater, Wis. (Whitewater)
Amanda Giesen, Stout, Senior, Forward, New Prague, Minn. (New Prague)
Aleah Grundahl, Whitewater, Senior, Forward, DeForest, Wis. (DeForest)
Ella Mackiewicz, Platteville, Sophomore, Guard, Shawnee, Kan. (Mission Northwest)
Lauryn Milne, La Crosse, Junior, Guard, Lodi, Wis. (Lodi)
Macy Nilsen, River Falls, Senior, Guard, Edina, Minn. (Edina)
Kennedy Osterman, Oshkosh, Senior, Guard, Pewaukee, Wis. (Pewaukee)
Raegan Sorensen, Stout, Junior, Guard, Centuria, Wis. (Unity)
Kylie Strop, Eau Claire, Junior, Guard, River Falls, Wis. (River Falls)
Kayce Vaile, Oshkosh, Senior, Forward, Greendale, Wis. (Greendale)
Honorable Mention
Bridget Froehlke, Oshkosh, Junior, Guard, Wrightstown, Wis. (Wrightstown)
Gabby Gawlitta, Stevens Point, Junior, Forward, Franklin, Wis. (Franklin)
Katie Hildebrandt, Whitewater, Junior, Forward, McFarland, Wis. (McFarland)
Kailee Meeker, La Crosse, Junior, Guard, Waunakee, Wis. (Waunakee)
Kylie Mogen, Eau Claire, Senior, Guard/Forward, Menomonie, Wis. (Menomonie)
Sarah Mueller, Platteville, Senior, Forward, Stevens Point, Wis. (Pacelli)
Anna Mutch, Stout, Senior, Guard, Apple Valley, Minn. (Apple Valley)
Alexa Thomson, Stevens Point, Junior, Guard/Forward, De Pere, Wis. (West)
Lexi Wagner, Stout, Grad. Student, Guard, Galesville, Wis. (Galesville-Ettrick-Trempealeau)
All-Defensive Team
Kacie Carollo, Whitewater, Junior, Guard, Whitewater, Wis. (Whitewater)
Sarah Hardwick, Oshkosh, Sophomore, Forward, Green Bay, Wis. (Notre Dame Academy)
Kylie Mogen, Eau Claire, Senior, Guard/Forward, Menomonie, Wis. (Menomonie)
Kennedy Osterman, Oshkosh, Senior, Guard, Pewaukee, Wis. (Pewaukee)
Raegan Sorensen, Stout, Junior, Guard, Centuria, Wis. (Unity)
All-Sportsmanship Team
Lunden Alexander, Whitewater, Senior, Guard, Dolton, Ill. (Thornwood)
Lauren Arenz, Stout, Senior, Guard, Onalaska, Wis. (Onalaska)
Addison Baierl, Platteville, Senior, Guard/Forward, Marshfield, Wis. (Columbus Catholic)
Abbie Campion, Stevens Point, Senior, Guard, Janesville, Wis. (Milton)
Katelyn Karch, River Falls, Senior, Guard, Appleton, Wis. (Kimberly)
Brianna Nelson, Eau Claire, Senior, Guard, Augusta, Wis. (Eleva-Strum)
Paige Schumann, La Crosse, Senior, Guard, Beaver Dam, Wis. (Beaver Dam)
Mackenzie Tlachac, Oshkosh, Senior, Forward, Kewaunee, Wis. (Kewaunee)
Kwik Trip Player of the Year: Aleah Grundahl of Whitewater
Kwik Trip Newcomer of the Year: Katie Waukau of La Crosse
Kwik Trip Coach of the Year: Brad Fischer of Oshkosh
Judy Kruckman Scholar-Athlete: Aleah Grundahl of Whitewater
UW-WHITEWATER’S GRUNDAHL NAMED JUDY KRUCKMAN WOMEN’S BASKETBALL SCHOLAR-ATHLETE
University of Wisconsin-Whitewater’s Aleah Grundahl has been named the recipient of the 2024 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Judy Kruckman Women’s Basketball Scholar-Athlete Award.
A senior from DeForest, Wis. (DeForest), Grundahl sustains a 3.506 grade point average and is majoring in elementary education with a minor in adaptive education. She is a three-time member of the WIAC Scholastic Honor Roll and been recognized on UW-Whitewater’s Dean’s List and Honor Roll numerous semesters. She is also a recipient of UW-Whitewater’s Chancellor’s Scholar honor.
Grundahl secured WIAC Player of the Year distinction this season for the third consecutive year to become the first individual in conference history to accomplish the feat. She is a four-time All-WIAC first team selection and received Newcomer of the Year distinction in 2020. A two-time D3hoops.com (2022-Second, 2023-Third) and Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) All-American (2022-Honorable Mention, 2023-First), she has helped the Warhawks earn NCAA tournament bids four times, including a national championship appearance in 2022 followed by a Sweet 16 showing in 2023. Grundahl was chosen the D3hoops.com Region 9 Player of the Year in 2023, as well as a participant in the WBCA All-Star Game and the UW-Whitewater Athlete of the Year. In 2022-23, her uniform was hanging in the Ring of Honor at the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame. Grundahl set the program’s single-game scoring record with 39 points against UW-La Crosse on Feb. 10, 2024, and owns the WIAC all-time scoring mark with 1,864 points.
Grundahl has been a member of UW-Whitewater Student-Athlete Advisory Committee for four years and has volunteered at Fairhaven Senior Services. She has served as an administrative assistant for UW-Whitewater Recreation Sports, as well as a student teacher and substitute teacher.
Also nominated for this year’s scholar-athlete award were: UW-La Crosse’s Paige Schumann (Sr., Beaver Dam, Wis./Beaver Dam); UW-River Falls’ Kameri Meredith (Sr., Elk Mound, Wis./Colfax); UW-Stevens Point’s Josie Nies (Sr., Platteville, Wis./Platteville); and UW-Stout’s Amanda Giesen (Sr., New Prague, Minn./New Prague).
The WIAC Scholar-Athlete Award is named after Judy Kruckman who served as Assistant Commissioner for the WIAC from 1996-98. Prior to this appointment, she was Commissioner of the Wisconsin Women’s Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WWIAC) from October, 1984 – September, 1996. Kruckman was the women’s athletics director at UW-Eau Claire from 1974-84, and one of the original representatives to the WWIAC when it formed in 1971. She was inducted into the WIAC Hall of Fame in 2012.
In order to be nominated for the scholar-athlete award, a student-athlete must have a minimum 3.50 grade point average. In addition, she must be in her last year of competition, or on schedule to graduate this academic year, and have competed for a minimum of two years. The award is based on academic achievements, athletics accomplishments and involvement in other campus activities, organizations and community service projects.
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Author: David Keech
David Keech is a retired teacher and works as a sportswriter, sports official and as an educational consultant. He has reported on amateur sports since 2011, known as 'KeechDaVoice.' David can be reached at [email protected]
