Women's Basketball Preview: Stout tips off at Eau Claire tourney

THIS WEEK'S GAMES: The Blue Devils (0-0, 0-0 WIAC) will open their season Friday, Nov. 17 at the UW-Eau Claire Tip-Off Tournament and will meet the University of Dubuque (0-0, 0-0 IIAC) at 6 p.m. Stout will face UW-Superior (0-0, 0-0 UMAC) Saturday, Nov. 18 at 3 p.m.
 
MARK THOMAS INTERVIEWS: Throughout the season, Pete Knutson of Sports Radio 1400 AM will speak with head women's basketball coach Mark Thomas about the season. Listed are each of the interviews throughout the season.  Listen to Interviews

CAREER STATS: Be sure to scroll to the bottom of this page to check out the UW-Stout career highs for points, rebounds and assists of each Blue Devil player.


A LOOK AT UW-STOUT:

• The Blue Devils have nine returners, with four starters back for the 2017-18 season. Stout has one senior, five juniors, five sophomores and 12 freshman.
• Kyncaide Diedrich and Bailey Diersen averaged more than 10 points per contest. Diedrich led the Blue Devils with 13.4 points, finishing fifth in the conference. Diersen averaged 10.9 points, finishing 13th in the league in scoring.
• Diedrich finished first in the league in assists, averaging 3.8. Diedrich was an All-WIAC honorable mention pick.
• The Blue Devils' lone senior, Anna Brown, started 24 games last season, averaging 8.5 points and 3.8 rebounds.
• The Blue Devils were picked to finish seventh in a preseason poll conducted by WIAC coaches and sports information directors.
• An injury kept Shannan Watkins off the court after nine games. Watkins averaged 10.9 points and is expected to return to the Blue Devil lineup second semester as she completes an internship.
• Speaking of internships, Haley Seifert returns to the Blue Devils after completing an internship last season. The point guard saw action in 26 games in the 2015-16 season.
• 2016-17 Statistics

CLIMBING THE LADDER:

• Diedrich's 334 points last season puts her 17th on the UW-Stout single season scoring list.

CONFERENCE STANDINGS:

• The Blue Devils are projected to finish seventh in the WIAC according to a WIAC preseason poll by conference coaches and sports information directors.

STOUT LAST TIME OUT:

• UW-Stout finished last season at 7-18 overall, 3-11 in the WIAC and just missed qualifying to the WIAC Tournament. After a 70-50 win over UW-Whitewater, the Blue Devils dropped their final four games of the season..
• Story and Box Score

 

SCOUTING THE UNIVERSITY OF DUBUQUE

• The Spartans are coached by long-time UW-Stout assistant coach Mark Noll, but Noll is in his 11th year at Dubuque. The Spartans finished the 2016-17 season at 9-16 overall, 5-11 in the IIAC. Abbey Meyer is the leading returning scorer, averaging 9.1 points per game.
• Statistics

LAST TIME STOUT AND DUBUQUE MET

• UW-Stout outscored the University of Dubuque, 12-0 over the final six minutes of the third period to take a 56-39 lead at the end of the third quarter at Dewey Mintz Court in Johnson Fieldhouse, Dec. 10, 2016.
• Carolyn Feddema scored 11 points In the first half and finished with a team-high and career-high 14 points. Stout had four players in double figures, led by Feddema  Watkins contributied 12, and Anna Brown and Bailey Diersen each finished with 11 points.
• The Spartans' Emily Brinker scored a game-high 21 points and made it a double-double with 12 rebounds. Cece Pope had 11 rebounds.
• The Blue Devils dominated the boards, pulling down 55 caroms, by far a season-best, to the Spartans' 38. Feddema, Brown and Goldsmith each had nine rebounds, career-bests for both Feddema and Brown.
• Game Story and Statistics

SCOUTING UW-SUPERIOR

• Superior will look for their third title and a return to the top spot in the UMAC again this season under first-year head coach Zach Otto-Fisher; the 'Jackets were unanimously selected as No. 1 in the 2017-18 UMAC Preseason Coaches' Poll.
• Last season, the Yellowjackets won 14 of their 16 conference match ups by 10 or more points – their only two wins with a margin less than 10 came against runner-up University of Minnesota Morris and third-place finisher University of Northwestern. Their dominance continued into the postseason as they cruised to a second-straight NCAA appearance before falling to Final Four finisher University of St. Thomas in the opening round.
• The Yellowjackets should be in good shape for a three-peat welcoming back five players named to one of the three All-UMAC teams including two-time UMAC Player of the Year Hailey Kontny (Superior, Wis./Superior). On a well-balanced offense, Kontny has been a standout and go-to player for Wisconsin-Superior. Last season, she averaged 14.0 ppg in conference play and shot 41.1 percent from the field. She is joined by first team performer Hannah Norlin (Litchfield, Minn./Litchfield) who is the Yellowjackets' presence down low and was second in shooting (50.3 percent). Justine Larson (Stanchfield, Minn./Cambridge-Isanti) and Rookie of the Year Eva Reinertsen (Duluth, Minn./Homeschooled) also return to add to the Yellowjackets' loaded talent pool that could carry them to another title.
• Last season, Superior found itself among the top teams in the country in key areas, ranking No. 12 in the NCAA in rebound margin (+10.7), in the top-20 in points per game (74.7), and top-40 in turnover margin (+5.0).
• The Yellowjackets are scheduled to host Augsburg University, Wednesday, Nov. 15
• Statistics

LAST TIME STOUT AND SUPERIOR MET

• UW-Superior outscored UW-Stout 15-3 to open the third quarter and the Yellowjackets went on to 68-63 win over the Blue Devils Dec. 6, 2016, at Johnson Fieldhouse.
• Game Story and Statistics

AWARDS AND HONORS: Kyncaide Diedrich and Jenna Goldsmith both earned All-WIAC honorable mention honors...Kyncaide Diedrich was the UW-Stout/DigiCopy Athlete of the Week, Jan. 3...Shannan Watkins was the UW-Stout/DigiCopy Athlete of the Week, Dec. 12...Jenna Goldsmith was the WIAC athlete of the week, Dec. 6, after scoring a career-high 28 points in a 94-90 shootout loss to Northland College, Nov. 29...Kyncaide Diedrich selected to St. Benedict all-tournament team, Nov. 20...Jenna Goldsmith was an all-WIAC honorable mention selection and now assistant coach Kyleigh Hebert was a first team all-WIAC pick...Jenna Goldsmith was selected as the UW-Stout/Northwestern Mutual Athlete of the Week, Dec. 1, Jan. 4 and again Feb. 8....Jenna Goldsmith was a first team all-conference selection in 2014-15.

TEAM CAPTAINS: Team captains for the 2017-18 season are Anna Brown, Kyncaide Diedrich and Bailey Diersen.

THE COACHES:
UW-STOUT:

• Mark Thomas (465-328) is in his 31st year as the coach of the Blue Devils and when he coaches his first game in the 2017-18 season, he will have begun his 31st season, becoming the longest tenured head coach in Blue Devil history. Terry Petrie coached the Blue Devil baseball team for 30 seasons
• Thomas has led his teams to 10 national playoff berths, nine times in the NCAA. A six-time WIAC coach of the year, the Blue Devils have won five conference titles and four conference tournament championships under Thomas' tutelage. His teams have twice been to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA tournament.
• Thomas is the first WIAC coach to have reached 400 career wins. Thomas also has the most wins of any Stout basketball coach, either men's or women's. Dwain Mintz coached the men's basketball program for 27 years and compiled a 385-280 record. .
• Thomas will surpass former baseball coach Terry Petrie as the longest tenured coach at UW-Stout. Petrie was the baseball head coach for 30 seasons.

UNIVERSITY OF DUBUQUE:

• Mark Noll begins his 11th season at the University of Dubuque. Noll, a native of Colfax, Wis. is a 2000 graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Stout in Menomonie, Wis., where he also served as the assistant women's basketball coach for seven seasons. Noll has 18 years of coaching experience at all levels including collegiate, AAU and youth levels.

UW-SUPERIOR:

• Zach Otto-Fisher is in his first season as an assistant coach with the Yellowjacket women's basketball team in 2016-17. He comes to UW-Superior after spending the last three seasons as the head girls basketball coach at Glencoe-Silver Lake High School in Minnesota.

THE ROAD TO 400 WINS: Mark Thomas' first collegiate win came the second game of his first season when his Blue Devils, which had won only two games over the previous two years, defeated Mt. Senario, 73-44, in November, 1987. The wins came more often after that. Thomas got his 50th win, Feb. 28, 1991, 71-60, over Cardinal Stritch. The 100th win came Jan. 10, 1994, an 80-59 win over UM-Morris. No. 200 came at UW-River Falls, a 78-74 victory on Jan. 5, 2000. Thomas' 300th win came in overtime, a 76-68 decision over UW-Stevens Point, Jan. 29, 2005. Thomas' 400th win came at UW-Stevens Point, a 90-76 decision, Feb. 3, 2010.

STOUT IN THE WIAC TOURNAMENT: Overall, UW-Stout is 19-10 in the WIAC Championship tournament. Stout is 11-3 in the first round, 4-7 in the semi-finals and 4-0 in the finals. The Pointers hold a 3-2 lead when the teams have met in the tournament. The Pointers have won the last two tournament meetings, an 82-74 win in 2009-10 and a 76-64 win during the 2008-09 season. | WIAC Tournament History

CONFERENCES: UW-Stout is a member of the eight-team Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) along with UW-Eau Claire. UW-Oshkosh, UW-La Crosse, UW-Stevens Point, UW- Platteville, UW-River Falls, and UW-Whitewater.

UP NEXT: The Blue Devils are at Ripon College, Tuesday, Nov. 21, then will make their first appearance at home when they host St. Catherine, Sunday, Nov. 26.

UW-Stout 2016-17 Season Highs (Updated November 12, 2017)

Points: 28, Jenna Goldsmith vs. Northland College, Nov. 29, 2016
3-Pointers Made: 4, Kyncaide Diedrich vs. UW-River Falls, Jan. 25, 2017
Rebounds: 12, Jenna Goldsmith vs. Augsburg, Nov. 15, 2016
Assists: 9,  (2x) Kyncaide Diedrich vs. UW-Platteville, Jan. 28, 2017; Kyncaide Diedrich vs. UW-Eau Claire, Jan. 18, 2017
Steals: 5, (3x) Bailey Diersen vs. UW-Platteville, Jan. 28, 20017; Anna Brown vs. UW-Platteville, Jan. 28, 20017; Kyncaide Diedrich vs. UW-River Falls, Jan. 25, 2017
Blocks: 5, Jenna Goldsmith vs. UW-Oshkosh, Feb. 18, 2017
Double-Doubles: Kyncaide Diedrich (16 ts, 10 rb) vs. UW-Whitewater, Feb. 4, 2017; Jenna Goldsmith (14 pts, 10 rbs) vs. UW-River Falls, Jan. 25, 2017;  Kyncaide Diedrich (17 pts, 10 rbs) vs. UW-Platteville, Jan. 4, 2017;

UW-Stout 2016-17 Team Season Highs (Updated November 12, 2017)

Points: 90 vs. Northland College, Nov. 29, 2016
Points in First Half: 46 vs. Augsburg, Nov. 15, 2016
Points in Second Half: 53 vs. Northland College, Nov. 29, 2016
Points in First Quarter: 24 vs. University of Dubuque, Dec. 10, 2016
Points in Second Quarter: 29 (2x) vs. UW-Platteville, Jan. 4, 2017; Carleton College, Dec. 30, 2016
Points in Third Quarter: 26 vs. St. Kate's, Nov. 27, 2016
Points in Fourth Quarter: 28 vs. Northland College, Nov. 29, 2016
Field Goals Made: 30 vs. Northland College, Nov. 29, 2016; vs. Augsburg, Nov. 15, 2016
Field Goal Percentage: .484 vs. Augsburg, Nov. 15, 2016;  .482 vs. UW-Eau Claire, Feb. 1, 2017
3-Pointers Made: 10 vs. UW-Eau Claire, Feb. 1, 2017
Free Throws Made: 26 vs. Gustavus Adolphus, Dec. 13, 2016
Free Throw Percentage: .941 vs. UW-Platteville, Jan. 4, 2017
Rebounds: 55 vs. University of Dubuque, Dec. 10, 2016
Assists: 22 vs. UW-Eau Claire, Jan. 18, 2017
Turnovers: 29 vs. UW-Oshkosh, Jan. 7, 2017
Blocked Shots: 8 vs. Gustavus Adolphus, Dec. 13, 2016
Steals: 15 vs. UW-Platteville, Jan. 28, 2017

UW-Stout Collegiate Career Highs (Updated November 13, 2017)

Liz Oswald - #1
Points: x
Rebounds: x
Assists: x

Lizzy Olsem - #2
Points: x
Rebounds: x
Assists: x

Becky Fesenmaier- #4
Points: 7 vs. UW-Platteville, Jan. 4, 2017;
Rebounds: 4 (2x) vs. UW-Stevens Point, Feb. 11, 2017; vs. UW-Platteville, Jan. 28, 2017;
Assists: 3 vs. UW-River Falls, Jan. 25, 2017

Kyncaide Diedrich - #5
Points: 22 (2x) vs. Carleton College, Dec. 30, 2016; vs. Hamline, Nov. 22, 2016
Rebounds: 10 (2x) vs. UW-Whitewater, Feb. 4, 2017: vs. UW-Platteville, Jan. 4, 2017;
Assists: 9 (2x) vs. UW-Platteville, Jan. 28, 2017; vs. UW-Eau Claire, Jan. 18, 2017;

Haley Seifert - #10
Points: x
Rebounds: x
Assists: x

Shannan Watkins - #11
Points: 21 vs. UW-Superior, Dec. 6, 2016
Rebounds: 7 (2x) vs. UW-Superior, Dec. 6, 2016; vs. St. Mary's, Nov. 19, 2016
Assists: 7 vs. Hamline, Nov. 22, 2016

Katie Sukanen - #13
Points: x
Rebounds: x
Assists: x

Carsyn Osterman - #14
Points: x
Rebounds: x
Assists: x

Bailey Diersen - #20
Points: 20 vs. St. Catherine, Nov. 27, 2016
Rebounds: 7 (2x) vs. UW-Eau Claire, Jan. 13, 2016; vs. Gustavus Adolphus, Nov. 20, 2015
Assists: 5 (2x) vs. UW-Whitewater, Feb. 4, 2017: vs. UW-Eau Claire, Feb. 1, 2017

Brianna Banks - #22
Points: x
Rebounds: x
Assists: x

Wynia Mintz - #24
Points: x
Rebounds: x
Assists: x

Kara Griswold - #25
Points: x
Rebounds: x
Assists: x

Carolyn Feddema - #30
Points: 14 vs. University of Dubuque, Dec. 10, 2016
Rebounds: 9 (3x) vs. UW-La Crosse, Feb. 15, 2017); vs. UW-Platteville, Jan. 4, 2017; vs. University of Dubuque, Dec. 10, 2016
Assists: 2 vs. UW-Platteville, Jan. 4, 2017;

Shayna Hohlfelder - #31
Points: x
Rebounds: 1 vs. UW-Whitewater, Feb. 4, 2017:
Assists: x

Anna Brown - #32
Points: 18 vs. Gustavus Adolphus, Dec. 13, 2016:
Rebounds: 9 vs. University of Dubuque, Dec. 10, 2016
Assists: 2 vs. UW-Superior, Dec. 6, 2016

Claire Thorn - #33
Points: x
Rebounds: x
Assists: x

Keysha Hazelton - #34
Points: x
Rebounds: x
Assists: x

Courtney Oleson - #35
Points: 2 vs. UW-Whitewater, Feb. 4, 2017:
Rebounds: x
Assists: x

Amber Fabeck - #41
Points: x
Rebounds: x
Assists: x

Alexa Gravunder - #42
Points: x
Rebounds: x
Assists: x

Ayesha Paskert - #43
Points: x
Rebounds: x
Assists: x

Emily Jacques - #44
Points: 9 vs. UW-Whitewater, Feb. 4, 2017:
Rebounds: 8 vs. UW-Oshkosh, Jan. 7, 2017
Assists: 2 vs. Carleton College, Dec. 30, 2016

Emme Osmonson - #45
Points: x
Rebounds: x
Assists: x