(UW-W press release, 01/29/2021)– Rebekah Schumacher, a native of Whitewater, WI, and graduate of Whitewater High School, will compete for the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater women’s basketball team during the 2021 season, which begins next week.

Schumacher, a senior at UW-Whitewater, is majoring in elementary education.

The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater women’s basketball team, the defending Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference champion, begins its eight-game regular season this Wednesday at UW-Stevens Point.

The Warhawks, who are set to embark on their shortest regular season slate in 50 years, claimed the regular season league title for the second time in three years in 2019-20. The team finished the campaign with a 23-4 record, including a 13-1 mark in regular season conference play, and reached the NCAA Tournament for the 12th time in the last 13 years.

Head coach Keri Carollo returns for her 19th season. Since taking the reins of the program prior to the 2002-03 season, Carollo has led the Warhawks to six WIAC regular season championships, two conference tournament titles and 12 trips to the NCAA Tournament, including Final Four appearances in 2008, 2013 and 2014.

Four seniors lead UW-Whitewater into this unconventional season.

Senior center Johanna Taylor (Wauwatosa, Wis./East) led the WIAC and ranked among the top 35 in the nation with 62 blocks in 2019-20, the fourth-most in one season in program history. She garnered first team all-conference and WIAC All-Defensive Team accolades, averaging 8.8 points and 6.9 rebounds per game while shooting a league-best 54.7 percent from the floor.

Guard Emily Schumacher (Waukesha, Wis./Waukesha South) returns to the floor after a season-ending injury limited her 2019-20 campaign to nine games. She was a first team All-WIAC selection in 2018-19, when she averaged 12.0 points per game and made 58 three-pointers, second-most in the league.

Guard Rebekah Schumacher (Whitewater, Wis./Whitewater) averaged 6.0 points and 3.4 rebounds in 27 games last season, including 17 as a starter. She ranked 11th in the WIAC with 15 blocked shots.

Guard Adriana Wood (Racine, Wis./Horlick) is also coming off an injury-shortened season, appearing in 13 games in 2019-20. She was named to the WIAC All-Sportsmanship Team.

Juniors Veronica Kieres (Chicago, Ill./Resurrection), Courtney Oomens (Lake Geneva, Wis./Badger) and Yssa Sto. Domingo (Streamwood, Ill./St. Edward) return after playing key roles in last year’s rotation.

Kieres, who started all 27 games, averaged 7.8 points and 4.7 rebounds per outing and tallied 36 steals. Sto. Domingo earned WIAC All-Defensive Team honors, leading the team with 43 steals and finishing with 3.9 points and 2.9 rebounds per game.

Oomens bolstered a deep frontcourt with 5.5 points and 3.6 rebounds per contest to go along with 15 blocks.

Sophomore forwards Aleah Grundahl (DeForest, Wis./DeForest) and Abby Belschner (Grafton, Wis./Cedarburg) enjoyed strong rookie campaigns in 2019-20.

Grundahl was named WIAC Newcomer of the Year and honorable mention All-WIAC, finishing the year with 10.1 points and 5.2 rebounds per game. She shot 48.8 percent from the floor and ranked second in the conference with 66 offensive rebounds (2.44 per game).

Belschner appeared in 26 games off the bench and shot 50.5 percent on her way to 4.5 points and 3.5 rebounds per game with 26 blocks.

Guards Lunden Alexander (Dolton, Ill./Thornwood) and Kailey Ketz (Clayton, Wis./Clayton) and forwards Abi Baumgartner (Mokena, Ill./Lincoln-Way Central) and Erika Simmons (Blair, Wis./Melrose-Mindoro) round out the sophomore class. All four appeared in at least nine games a year ago.

Newcomers to the program include freshmen Erin Adams (Darien, Ill./Hinsdale South), Lydia Coatney (Sabula, Iowa/Eastland), Avery King (Lincolnshire, Ill./Stevenson), Kendall Roquet (Middleton, Wis./Middleton), Maggie Trautsch (Sun Prairie, Wis./DeForest) and Savannah Youngstrom (South St. Paul, Minn./South St. Paul).

The Warhawks’ schedule includes games played on Wednesday and Friday nights in February against consecutive WIAC opponents – UW-Stevens Point (Feb. 3/5), UW-Oshkosh (Feb. 10/12), UW-Platteville (Feb. 17/19) and UW-Stout (Feb. 24/26). UW-W will play at home on the 5th, 10th, 19th and 26th, and will be on the road for games on the 3rd, 12th, 17th and 24th.

Fans will not be permitted to attend games in person due to campus event protocols. All home games will air live on UWW-TV, which is available on channel 100.1 on campus, channel 989 for Spectrum customers in the area and online. All road games will also be streamed online, and links to the broadcasts will be posted on the UW-Whitewater women’s basketball schedule page when available.

The WIAC Championship is slated for the week of March 1. All eight conference teams will qualify for the tournament, which will determine the league’s automatic qualifier for the NCAA Tournament.

For more than 150 years, UW-Whitewater has provided students with the education and training to begin their careers with a solid foundation behind them. The UW-Whitewater is committed to the development of the individual, the growth of personal and professional integrity and respect for diversity and global perspectives. These are met by providing academic and co-curricular programs that emphasize the pursuit of knowledge and understanding and a commitment to service within a safe and secure environment.