UW-Whitewater Women’s Basketball Tops UW-Eau Claire for Third WIAC Tournament Title to Punch Ticket to NCAA Tournament
The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater defeated UW-Eau Claire 71-62 Sunday to claim the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Tournament title for the third time in program history and secure the league’s automatic bid into the NCAA tournament. The Warhawks swept the league titles this season for the second time in program history (2018) after claiming a share of the regular season title.
The 2022 national runner-up will return to the NCAA Division III Tournament for the 21st time in program history and seventh consecutive season. The complete tournament field including host sites will be announced during the 2023 NCAA Selection show scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Monday, February 27 on NCAA.com.
Sunday’s championship in Kachel Gym was an afternoon thriller. With 7:46 on the clock in the first quarter, Kacie Carollo (Whitewater, Wis./Whitewater) knocked a three-pointer to give UWW a 5-2 lead. The Warhawks never trailed the rest of the way. A minute later Yssa Sto. Domingo (Streamwood, Ill./St. Edward) hit from deep. Maggie Trautsch (Sun Prairie, Wis./DeForest) continued to the barrage from long range to make it 11-6 five minutes in. Trautsch hit the final bucket of the first, knocking down another from beyond the arc to send UWW into the second quarter with an 18-13 lead.
The teams were even through the second, each registering 13 points, to maintain the three-point gap at the break.
A huge third quarter gave the Warhawks a cushion as UWW outscored the Blugolds 20-9 in the period. With 3:20 left, Carollo sparked a massive run powering up for a layup and knocking it down despite being fouled on the play. After adding the free throw, Carollo turned defense into offense swiping a steal and going the distance for a layin.
Abi Baumgartner (Mokena, Ill./Lincoln-Way Central) drained a jumper off to keep the run going. Following a UWEC free throw, Sto. Domingo hit another triple with 47 seconds left in the third. UWW drew another charge call on the defensive end, their fourth of the game to give the Warhawks a final possession in the period. As the third came to a close, Baumgartner hauled in an offensive board and found Trautsch for a baseline jumper to cap a 12-1 UWW run that opened up a 51-37 lead heading into the final 10 minutes of play.
Back-to-back buckets for the Warhawks, a jumper from Carollo and another three-pointer by Sto. Domingo gave UWW its largest lead of the game, 17, with 4:48 to play. The Blugolds responded with a run that cut the gap to single digits, 66-57, with 1:31 remaining but the cushion held for the Warhawk win.
Carollo led all scorers with 24, including 16 in the second half. The sophomore guard drew 10 Blugold fouls in the game knocking down 9-12 from the free throw line. She added 12 rebounds for the double-double. Trautsch dropped in 14 with a pair of assists.
Baumgartner posted 12 points and nine rebounds in more than 35 minutes of action. Defensively, Baumgartner drew two of the teams four charges called against UWEC. Sto. Domingo was a perfect 3-3 from three-point range for nine points adding pair of assists and two steals.
Purple reigned on Championship Sunday as the Warhawk men’s basketball team defeated UW-Oshkosh on the road to claim their fifth tournament title and earn their spot in the NCAA Tournament for the 22nd time in program history.
Photo courtesy of Olivia Zinanni
Angela Kelm Assistant
Athletic Director for Sports Information
