Pioneers Tabbed For Fourth In WIAC Preseason Poll

PLATTEVILLE, Wis. – The University of Wisconsin-Platteville women's basketball team was picked to finish fourth in the 2024-25 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Preseason Poll it was announced on Friday afternoon.

The Pioneers went 14-12 last season and hosted the opening round of the WIAC Tournament for the first time since 2015 behind a 7-7 mark in conference play.

Defending regular season champion UW-Oshkosh was picked to repeat as champions in the poll. UW-Stout, who claimed the WIAC Tournament crown, was tabbed for second, while UW-Whitewater rounded out the top three. UW-La Crosse, UW-River Falls, UW-Eau Claire, and UW-Stevens Point rounded out the poll following the fourth-place Pioneers.

Head coach Kelly McNiff returns for her sixth season at the helm and brings back an experienced group of players with 15 letterwinners and four starters. McNiff's group has steadily improved over the past couple season, with last season's 14 overall wins and seven conference victories the most for the program since the 2014-15 season.

Headlining the group of returners will be junior Ella Mackiewicz, who earned All-WIAC and D3hoops.com All-Region honors following a strong sophomore campaign. Mackiewicz averaged 15.7 points per game, fourth-most in the conference, and shot an efficient 50.2 percent from the floor. The 2023-24 WIAC Newcomer of the Year finished second on the team with 5.3 rebounds per game and added 1.5 assists, 1.3 steals, and 1.0 blocks per game.

Following the departure of Sarah Mueller and her 13.2 points per game, the Pioneers will look to senior Brynlee Nelson and junior Madalyn Reichmann to step into larger scoring roles. Nelson was third on the team with 9.2 points per game across a team-high 28.9 minutes, while Reichmann added 9.0 points per game while connecting on a team leading 33 three-point attempts. Senior Barb Kling also returns after starting all 26 games last season, but a preseason injury will sideline her for the year.

Last season's top rotation players in seniors Macey Banasik and Brianna Prieve join the group of key returners after each played over 13 minutes per game off the bench a year ago. Banasik posted 1.7 points and 1.5 rebounds across 15.1 minutes per game, with Prieve tallying a career-high 3.0 points and 2.1 rebounds in 13.0 minutes per contest.

The Pioneers open the 2024-25 season at home on Wednesday, November 13 at 7 p.m. against Augustana (Ill.). UW-Platteville then hits the road for much of the remaining non-conference slate, with separate tournaments at Cornell, UW-Oshkosh, and Wartburg scattered around a home game against Dubuque (Tuesday, November 19) and roads contests against MSOE and Millikin.

Conference play begins on Saturday, January 4 at 3 p.m. at home against UW-Stevens Point. The Pioneers will celebrate Alumni Day on Saturday, January 18 against UW-River Falls and Senior Day the following Saturday January 25 against UW-Stout. The final two regular season home games will feature a pair of cause games for the team, including Breast Cancer Awareness (Wednesday, February 12 against UW-Eau Claire) and Sarcoma Awareness (Wednesday, February 19 against UW-Whitewater).