Today is Sunday, April 13, 2025
Photo by Dane Sheehan
Scranton, PA — A phenomenal season for the UW-Whitewater women’s basketball team came to a close in the Sweet 16 following a 62-56 loss to UW-Stout.
The Warhawks cap the 2024-25 campaign with a 24-7 record. UWW won the WIAC Tournament title for the fourth time in program history to punch their ticket to the NCAA Tournament for the 23rd time in program history. The Sweet 16 appearance is the fourth straight for UW-Whitewater and seventh under Head Coach Keri Carollo.
Friday’s game against UW-Stout marked just the second time two WIAC schools met in the Sweet 16, but it was the fourth time this season that the Warhawks and Blue Devils clashed. This game was like all of the others between the storied programs – a battle until the end.
The contest was close throughout setting up a down-to-the-wire fourth quarter. The Blue Devils pushed to a seven-point lead, 50-43, at the 6:12 mark, but the Warhawks responded. Defense turned to offense as Mia Gillis (Mundelein, Ill./Carmel Catholic) came up with a big block and defensive board. On the offensive end, Bri McCurdy (St. Croix Falls, Wis./St. Croix Falls) found Maggie Trautsch (Sun Prairie, Wis./DeForest) for an in-rhythm three-pointer that cut the margin to four.
After a layup for UW-Stout, it was McCurdy’s turn to knock one down from deep, this time it was Kacie Carollo (Whitewater, Wis./Whitewater) on the dish, to cut the gap to 52-49. Carollo pulled down the defensive board, pushed the pace and was fouled. Her two free throws narrowed the margin to one, 52-51, with 4:33 on the clock.
Carollo hauled in another defensive board to put UWW back on the offensive. As the shot clock ticked down, Gillis found McCurdy who drove to the lane for a floater as the buzzer sounded. The shot hit the glass and went in with the officials immediately heading to the monitor. The play on the court stood, the jumper was good and the Warhawks claimed the lead, 53-52, for the first time since the first quarter with 3:29 remaining.
A flurry of action under the Blue Devils’ hoop on their next possession led to a layup as UW-Stout reclaimed the advantage with 2:11 on the clock.
Neither team was able to capitalize offensively for over a minute forcing UWW to foul as the clock neared the 30-second mark. The Blue Devils made a pair from the charity stripe to widen the gap to 56-53.
UW-Whitewater called timeout and advanced the ball to their bench side but couldn’t knock down the triple forcing the squad to foul immediately.
Stout made both once again to make it a five-point, 58-53, game with 24 left. The Warhawks called timeout and advanced the ball. This time Carollo drilled the three to pull UWW within two with under 20 seconds to play.
UW-Stout hit four more free throws down the stretch to seal the game.
Carollo led the Warhawks with one more double-double in her final game for UWW. The senior registered 23 points, 13 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 steals. She set the program record for points in a season and ends the season averaging 20.5 per game – another UW-Whitewater record. Katie Hildebrandt (McFarland, Wis./McFarland) added a double-double with 11 points and 11 rebounds with 4 blocks. Trautsch also registered double digits in the scoring column with 10.
Carollo amassed one of the greatest careers in Warhawk history with 1828 points, 902 rebounds, 371 assists, 226 steals and 58 blocks. Prior to the game Friday, Carollo was named a finalist for the Jostens Trophy – a full release will be announced Saturday.
The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater wrestling team will be represented by four Warhawks at the 2025 NCAA Division III Wrestling Championship in Providence, Rhode Island this week.
Championship Information:
Date: March 14-15, 2025
Host: Johnson & Wales University
Location: Amica Mutual Pavilion (AMP) in Providence, Rhode Island
Schedule (all times Eastern): Friday Sessions – 10am & 6 pm; Saturday Sessions – 10 am & 7 pm
Live Coverage: Track Wrestling Hub
The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater women’s basketball team will head to Pennsylvania for Sweet 16 action hosted by Scranton University this week. The Warhawks are set to face league-foe UW-Stout on Friday.
SECTIONAL INFORMATION
Dates: March 14-15, 2025
Host: Scranton University in Scranton, PA
Venue: John Long Center, 1030 Ridge Row, Scranton, PA
Watch Live on NCAA Champs Pass
Follow Live via Scranton’s Live Stats Page
Tickets: Cash only on day of game; No advance sales available (doors will open one hour before the first game)
SECTIONAL SCHEDULE
Friday – Sweet 16 Game One: UW-Whitewater (24-6) vs. UW-Stout (21-7), 4:30 PM CT
Friday – Sweet 16 Game Two: Johns Hopkins (24-4) vs. Scranton (28-1), 7 PM CT
Saturday – Elite 8: Winner of Game One vs. Winner of Game Two, 7 PM CT
HOW WE GOT HERE
The Warhawks won the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Tournament title for the fourth time in program history to claim the league’s automatic bid into the NCAA Division III Tournament. UW-Whitewater is amid their 23rd national tournament appearance in program history and ninth consecutive NCAA Tournament run. UWW hosted the first and second rounds of the NCAA Tournament defeating Principia 75-53 in the opener. The Warhawks punched their ticket to the Sweet 16 with a thrilling 50-49 win over UW-La Crosse in round two.
HISTORY vs. SECTIONAL TEAMS
This is the fourth meeting between these two WIAC squads this season. The Blue Devils won the two regular season meetings, 80-67 and 76-65. The Warhawks took the WIAC semifinal matchup played on the road 69-63. UWW leads the all-time series against UW-Stout 32-19.
This is the second meeting between two WIAC institutions in the Sweet 16 in NCAA championship history. In 2014, the Warhawks defeated UW-Oshkosh 69-57 to advance to the Elite 8.
An Elite 8 game between the Warhawks and Johns Hopkins or Scranton would be the first meeting between the two teams.
SWEET 16 HISTORY
The Warhawks are in the Sweet 16 for the fourth consecutive season and seventh under Head Coach Keri Carollo. The most recent Sweet 16 win for UWW was a 72-61 win over Hope College last season.
This is UW-Stout’s fourth Sweet 16 appearance (2024, 2006, 2005) in program history. The Blue Devils are 0-3 heading into Friday’s contest.
COACH CAROLLO IN THE POSTSEASON
Coach Carollo has led UW-Whitewater to the NCAA Tournament 16 times in her 23 seasons at the helm for the Warhawks. Under her leadership, UWW is 31-15 in the postseason with six Sweet 16 appearances, five trips to the Elite 8, four Final Fours, a pair of third-place finishes (2008, 2014) and two national runners-up (2013, 2022). Overall, Coach Carollo is 463-178 – a win percentage of 72.2 – in her tenure at UW-Whitewater. She holds the most wins among active coaches in the WIAC.
RECORDS, MILESTONES, HONORS
The Warhawks set a number of records, reached a few milestones and added multiple honors throughout the 2024-25 campaign so far. Senior guard Kacie Carollo (Whitewater, Wis./Whitewater), the league’s Player of the Year this season and All-Defensive Team pick, broke the conference record for career three’s. She broke the UWW record for career rebounds (a record that had stood for 41 years) and three-pointers in a season. In her final game in Kachel Gym last week, Carollo set one more record in a fitting way — wearing jersey #13, she registered 13 points and 13 rebounds to break the program record for career double-doubles. Carollo, also named the WIAC Judy Kruckman Scholar Athlete for Women’s Basketball, is just two points away from breaking the single season scoring record at UW-Whitewater.
Joining Carollo on the All-WIAC teams were seniors Katie Hildebrandt (McFarland, Wis./McFarland) (Honorable Mention) and Olivia Zuege (Green Bay, Wis./Preble) (All-Sportsmanship).
Senior Maggie Trautsch (Sun Prairie, Wis./DeForest) hit a major milestone this season, scoring her 1,000th point to become the 20th Warhawk in program history to reach the mark.
La Crosse, Wis. — The UW-Whitewater gymnastics team finished third at the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Championships/National Collegiate Gymnastics Association West Regional Saturday. Head Coach Jennifer Regan was named the WIAC Coach of the Year for the third time in her career.
UW-Whitewater posted a total of 192.850 – the eighth-highest team total in program history – to secure bronze in the nine-team field. The top two from each regional automatically qualify for the NCGA Championships with additional at-large bids determined on season average. The Warhawks consistency this season solidified their position as the top recipient for an at-large. The national championship is slated for March 22 in St. Peter, Minnesota. More information will be posted when available.
The Warhawks opened the meet on the balance beam. Chloe Hammond (Ankeny, Iowa/Ankeny) registered the top score on the apparatus, 9.675, to tie for eighth. Sofia Spadafora (Windsor, Ontario, Canada/Saint Thomas of Villanova) (9.575), Tegan Haberstock (Alberta, Canada/National Sport School) (9.575), Kelsey Kollhoff (Miamisburg, Ohio/Miamisburg) (9.425) and Kristen Swiebocki (Naperville, Ill./Neuqua Valley) (9.375) made up UWW’s scoring five in the event.
UWW added a top 20 mark in the program record book with a total of 48.550 on the floor exercise. Kollhoff paced the Warhawks with a 9.775 to share fourth and claim All-WIAC honors. Hammond registered a 9.750 followed by 9.7s from Carleigh Moore (Oregon, Wis./Oregon) and Ariana Goodwin (Elgin, Ill./The Einstein Academy). Elaine Copeland (Arlington, Texas/University Prep) and Zoe Jenks-Recker (Cottage Grove, Wis./Monona Grove) each scored 9.625 in the event.
Ava Pesch (Waterford, Wis./Waterford Union) led UW-Whitewater on the vault. She claimed a share of second with a score of 9.8 to secure All-WIAC honors and spark the team from the leadoff position. That mark is the fourth-highest vault score in program history. Copeland registered a 9.75 to tie for eighth while Hammond and Alayna Fern (Gainesville, Fla./Gainesville) added 9.7s in the event. Moore rounded out the scoring five on the apparatus with a 9.5. UW-Whitewater totaled 48.450 on the vault – ranked sixth in the program record book.
The Warhawks capped the meet on the uneven bars. UWW’s total of 48.225 is a top 20 mark in the Warhawk record book. Hayden Gough (Dallas, Texas/Dallas International School) and Kollhoff led the way with matching 9.7s to tie for fourth and claim All-WIAC recognition. Pesch and Paige Magel (Cary, Ill./Prairie Ridge) shared eighth with bars routines scoring 9.65. Goodwin rounded out the crew with a 9.525.
Prior to the second session of the regional, the WIAC announced major award winners and recognized athletes that had earned Athlete of the Week honors throughout the course of the season. Coach Regan was honored as the Coach of the Year, the fifth time a UWW coach has earned the award in program history. Pesch was recognized as UW-Whitewater’s representative on the WIAC All-Sportsmanship Team.
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