Many high school basketball standouts in Wisconsin go on to big things at the college level and in the pros, and this is our spot to recognize those athletes each week and help you keep up with what is going down on some of your favorite players from the past. If you have alumni news, please send it to Colton Wilson by 6 p.m. on Tuesdays.
The women's college basketball season began earlier this week and just like on the mens side of things, Wisconsin high schools are represented throughout the country by former girls basketball standouts. At the Division 1 level alone, 95 alumni will be playing this season for 59 different programs.
Below are a few preseason storylines. A full list of alumni can be found at the bottom of this article.
Bailey Butler of Black Hawk
Four former standouts will suit up for the state school Badgers this year, highlighted by Monroe's Sydney Hilliard. As a junior, she averaged 12.8 points per game. She was an Honorable Mention All-Big Ten player during the 2020-21 season.
The three other Badgers include a true freshman, redshirt freshman and junior. Natalie Leuzinger is a grad of Black Hawk and enters her junior season without much playing time for the Badgers. Redshirt freshman Maty Wilke will get back on the court after tearing her ACL during her senior year at Beaver Dam. True freshman Lily Krahn joins the program after a great prep career at Prairie du Chien.
The Golden Eagles have two former high school standouts on the roster this season. Homestead grad Chloe Marotta has recorded over 600 points and rebounds in her career at Marquette and enters her last season after averaging 6.8 points, 7.3 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game.
Emily La Chapell is a freshman at Marquette and is coming off a Division 1 State Championship runner-up at Appleton East. She is East's all-time leading scorer with 1,885 points and was awarded the WSN Top Senior Wing award last year.
The Panthers program has six alumni suiting up this season. Emma Wittmershaus of Bangor has the most experience of the group, having scored eight points and hauled in five rebounds per game. Outside of Wittmershaus is five underclassmen vying for time for the Panthers. That list includes: Anna Lutz of Marshall, Grace Crowley of Homestead, Angie Cera of Mukwonago, Kamy Peppler of Hortonville and Jada Donaldson of Beaver Dam.
UW-Green Bay has been the biggest harborer of talent from the state over the past decade or longer and this year is no different. A whopping 13 former Badger State standouts will suit for the Phoenix. That's all but two of the full roster.
Seymour's Hailey Oskey is a returning First Team All-Horizon wing that averaged 12.5 points and 3.1 rebounds per game as a junior.
Two alumni were on the Horizon League All-Freshman Team. First is Maddy Schreiber of Kimberly, who averaged seven points and four rebounds per game. Second is Bailey Butler of Black Hawk who averaged 5.7 points, 3.1 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game. Butler was also named the Horizon League Freshman and Sixth Player of the Year.
Returning players to the Phoenix are: Cassie Schiltz of Luxemburg-Casco, Caelan Givens of Chippewa Falls, Callie Genke of Freedom, Kendall Renard of Green Bay Preble, Jasmine Kondrakiewicz of Pius XI Catholic, Sydney Levy of Appleton North, Julia Hartwig of Janesville Parker and Brooklyn Blackburn of Wauwatosa East.
Newcomers to the program include Brehna Evans of West De Pere and Natalie McNeal of Germantown. Evans is a transfer from Division 2 St. Cloud State where she scored over 1,000 points and was a two-time Northern Sun Defensive Player of the Year. McNeal transfers in from St. Louis where she averaged 9.4 points per game last season.
Sidney Cooks of Kenosha St. Joseph
Other than those mentioned above, here are a few of the top returning scorers and all-conference players.
Sidney Cooks found a home at Seton Hall after stints with Michigan State and Mississippi State. The Kenosha St. Joseph grad was a First Team All-Big East honoree after averaging 15.9 points and 7.9 rebounds per game. Cooks has scored 1,268 total points in her college career.
Lexi Donarski has piled up awards in her first two season at Iowa State. The former Miss Basketball in Wisconsin was a First Team All-Big 12 player for the second consecutive season as well as the conference's Defensive Player of the Year. During her freshman season, Donarski was the Big 12 Freshman of the Year. Through her two seasons, she's recorded 874 points, 208 rebounds and 121 assists, while being a defensive stalwart.
Shay Frederick transfers into Butler after a dominating few seasons at Valparaiso. The Hortonville grad scored 1,264 points at Valpo and was a two-time All-MVC athlete. She joins a Butler squad that welcomes in two other transfers this season that played high school ball in Wisconsin.
Caitlyn Harper accumulated a number of awards while playing at Cal Baptist before transferring to Purdue for this upcoming season. The Arrowhead grad was last season's Western Athletic Conference Player of the Year as well as the conference Tournament's MVP. Harper is a two-time All-WAC honoree and scored 1,286 points while at Cal Baptist.
Leilani Kapinus doesn't have the career numbers yet of those on this list entering just her second season of basketball. However, the Madison Memorial grad has made a huge impact already for Penn State. Kapinus averaged 9.6 points and 5.7 rebounds per game last season for the Nittany Lions en route to being named to the All-Freshman Team in the Big Ten.
Ariel Kirkwood is in her second season at Eastern Kentucky after transferring in from Morehead State in 2021. The Milwaukee Vincent standout has amassed 734 points, 571 rebounds and 178 blocks between the two programs. While at Morehead State, she was named the Ohio Valley Conference Defensive Player of the Year for the 2019-20 season.
Chelby Koker scored 2,444 points at Shoreland Lutheran and is the sixth highest scorer in the history of Wisconsin high school girls basketball. She's continued that ability to put the ball in the hoop at Northern Illinois. Koker averaged 17.8 points, 5.6 rebounds and 4.6 assists last year for the Huskies and earned Honorable Mention All-MAC, a year after being named to the Second Team. She's scored 1,036 points in her college career thus far.
Tishara Morehouse has been a scoring machine during her college career. The Milwaukee King alum is a two-time All-Atlantic Sun First Team honoree at Florida Gulf Coast. Before that she was a NJCAA All-American at Western Nebraska. Morehouse has scored 980 points at FGCU and added 1,118 while at Western Nebraska.
Jaddan Simmons enters her junior year at Arizona State having scored over 500 points already. The Green Bay Southwest alum has averaged over ten points per game during her two seasons for the Sun Devils and in the first game of this season, Simmons matched her career high with 22 points.
McKenna Warnock has had a solid career at Iowa and enters her senior year having scored 885 points, putting 1,000 in clear sight. The Monona Grove grad was a Second Team All-Big Ten player last year and was named to the All-Freshman Team during the 2019-20 campaign.
Shemera Williams of Milwaukee Academy of Science
The transfer portal has become and will continue to be a huge part of college sports nowadays. Though not as prevalent on the women's side compared to the men, a number of players are at a new school this season via the transfer portal. 17 players transferred into or out of Division 1 basketball from the state of Wisconsin over the offseason.
One transferred out to a Division 2 school and that is Lexi Wagner of G-E-T who transferred from Youngstown State to Mercyhurst.
A trio of transfers are unknown on their landing spots; Nyasia Palmer of Pius XI Catholic from North Carolina Central, Aly VanLoo of Beaver Dam from North Dakota and Kylie Strop of River Falls from North Dakota State.
Of the 95 player at Division 1 level currently, 24 have transferred at some point in their college careers.
Here is a list of those not mentioned before that are at a new school.
Jaelyn Acker of Germantown is one of two alumni who transferred from Cal Baptist this past season. She's at Furman University of the Southern Conference this season and will suit up for her first game tonight for the Paladins.
Kadie Deaton of Wausau West averaged 6.3 points per game last season at North Dakota State before leaving the program early. This season, Deaton is at Pacific and scored seven points in the Tigers opening game this week.
Erin Hedman of New Berlin Eisenhower didn't see the floor very much while at Minnesota. The 6'3" forward has found a new home at Sacramento State and the change of scenery could be positive for Hedman.
Rachael Heittola of Belleville is one of the handful of players that made the leap from Division 2 to Division 1 via the transfer portal. She amassed nearly 1,000 points at Bemidji State and was a First Team All-Northern Sun honoree last year. Heittola is now at Northern Iowa.
Macy McGlone of Hortonville transfers south from UW-Milwaukee this year to suit up for Eastern Illinois. She'll have three years of eligibility left at Eastern Illinois and started her season off with 11 points and eight rebounds in the Panthers opening win.
Anna Mortag of Brookfield Central spent her last two seasons at IUPU under head coach Austin Parkinson. When Parkinson took the Butler position, Mortag followed him from IUPUI to Butler. She averaged 6.6 points and 3.2 rebounds per game last season.
Caroline Strande is the fifth highest scoring athlete in Wisconsin High School girls basketball, with 2,539 points at Racine Lutheran. She spent her last two seasons at Minnesota before transferring to Butler this offseason.
Tara Stauffacher was an integral piece of the Beaver Dam machine that won three consecutive state championships in her sophomore thru senior seasons. She committed to Wisconsin out of high school, but will now suit up for Northern Illinois with two seasons of eligibility left.
Shemera Williams is the second highest scoring girls basketball in the state of Wisconsin, having scored 3,120 points while at Milwaukee Academy of Science. She is now at her third school having transferred to Southern Illinois this year. Williams had stints at Virginia and USC before ending up with the Salukis.
FIRST NAME | LAST NAME | HIGH SCHOOL | COLLEGE | YEAR | 2022 Transfer School |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Jayla | Butler | Milwaukee Languages | Bellarmine | Frosh | |
Ariel | Kirkwood | Milwaukee Vincent | Eastern Kentucky | Junior | |
Tishara | Morehouse | Milwaukee King | Florida Gulf Coast | Senior | |
Khamya | McNeal | Milwaukee King | Stetson | Soph | |
Sitori | Tanin | Middleton | Loyola Chicago | Junior | |
Sarah | Lazar | Edgewood | Saint Louis | Soph | |
Erin | Howard | Madison East | Florida State | Junior | |
Lexi | Donarski | Aquinas | Iowa State | Junior | |
Taylor | Lauterbach | Appleton West | Kansas State | Junior | |
Shay | Frederick | Hortonville | Butler | Senior | Valparaiso |
Caroline | Strande | Racine Lutheran | Butler | Junior | Minnesota |
Jordan | Meulemans | De Pere | Butler | Frosh | |
Anna | Mortag | Brookfield Central | Butler | Junior | IUPUI |
Emily | La Chapell | Appleton East | Marquette | Frosh | |
Chloe | Marotta | Homestead | Marquette | Senior | |
Sidney | Cooks | Kenosha St. Joes | Seton Hall | Senior | |
Bridee | Burks | Lancaster | Idaho State | Frosh | |
Jacy | Weisbrod | Aquinas | Northern Colorado | Frosh | |
Syd | Schultz | Mayville | Portland State | Senior | |
Erin | Hedman | New Berlin Eisenhower | Sacramento State | Junior | Minnesota |
McKenna | Warnock | Monona Grove | Iowa | Senior | |
Leilani | Kapinus | Madison Memorial | Penn State | Soph | |
Caitlyn | Harper | Arrowhead | Purdue | Senior | Cal Baptist |
Lily | Krahn | Prairie du Chien | Wisconsin | Frosh | |
Maty | Wilke | Beaver Dam | Wisconsin | Frosh | |
Natalie | Leuzinger | Black Hawk | Wisconsin | Junior | |
Sydney | Hilliard | Monroe | Wisconsin | Senior | |
Maddie | Walsh | Arrowhead | UAB | Soph | |
Ja'Cia | Cunningham | Milwaukee Languages | Chicago State | Frosh | |
Julia | Hintz | New Berlin Eisenhower | Cleveland State | Junior | |
Jordana | Resima | Brown Deer | Cleveland State | Frosh | |
Hailey | Oskey | Seymour | UW-Green Bay | Senior | |
Cassie | Schiltz | Luxemburg-Casco | UW-Green Bay | Soph | |
Caelan | Givens | Chippewa Falls | UW-Green Bay | Soph | |
Brehna | Evans | West De Pere | UW-Green Bay | Senior | St. Cloud State (D2) |
Natalie | McNeal | Germantown | UW-Green Bay | Junior | Saint Louis |
Callie | Genke | Freedom | UW-Green Bay | Soph | |
Kendall | Renard | Green Bay Preble | UW-Green Bay | Soph | |
Jasmine | Kondrakiewicz | Pius XI Catholic | UW-Green Bay | Soph | |
Bailey | Butler | Black Hawk | UW-Green Bay | Soph | |
Sydney | Levy | Appleton North | UW-Green Bay | Senior | |
Maddy | Schreiber | Kimberly | UW-Green Bay | Soph | |
Julia | Hartwig | Janesville Parker | UW-Green Bay | Soph | |
Brooklyn | Blackburn | Wauwatosa East | UW-Green Bay | Soph | |
Natalie | Andersen | Mukwonago | IUPUI | Senior | |
Anna | Lutz | Marshall | UW-Milwaukee | Frosh | |
Grace | Crowley | Homestead | UW-Milwaukee | Soph | |
Emma | Wittmeshaus | Bangor | UW-Milwaukee | Senior | |
Angie | Cera | Mukwonago | UW-Milwaukee | Soph | |
Kamy | Peppler | Hortonville | UW-Milwaukee | Frosh | |
Jada | Donaldson | Beaver Dam | UW-Milwaukee | Soph | |
Paige | Hodgson | Beaver Dam | Northern Kentucky | Soph | |
Lianna | Baxter | Oconto | Oakland | Frosh | |
Jen | Wendler | Owen-Withee | Youngstown State | Senior | |
Jazmin | Young | Dominican | Buffalo | Senior | |
Elena | Maier | Waunakee | Kent State | Frosh | |
Chelby | Koker | Shoreland Lutheran | Northern Illinois | Senior | |
Tara | Stauffacher | Beaver Dam | Northern Illinois | Junior | Wisconsin |
Laura | Nickel | Marshall | Marshall | Soph | |
Jayda | Jansen | Sun Prairie | Toledo | Senior | |
Callie | Ziebell | Sparta | Bradley | Soph | |
Courtney | Becker | Aquinas | Drake | Junior | |
Abbie | Aalsma | Waupun | Illinois State | Frosh | |
Chloe | Van Zeeland | Kaukauna | Illinois State | Soph | |
Rachael | Heittola | Belleville | Northern Iowa | Junior | Bemidji State (D2) |
Shemera | Williams | MAOS | Southern Illinois | Junior | USC |
Bailey | Lutes | Cuba City | UIC | Soph | |
Leah | Earnest | Stevens Point | Valparaiso | Junior | |
Aaliyah | Moore | West Bend West | Saint Fraics (PA) | Junior | |
Lyric | Johnson | Hortonville | Eastern Illinois | Frosh | |
Macy | McGlone | Hortonville | Eastern Illinois | Soph | UW-Milwaukee |
Emily | Benzschawel | Monroe | Lindenwood | Senior | |
Jaddan | Simmons | Green Bay Southwest | Arizona State | Junior | |
Lily | Hansford | Appleton East | Oregon State | Frosh | |
Sydnee | Roby | Milwaukee King | Texas A&M | Senior | |
Jaelyn | Acker | Germantown | Furman | Soph | Cal Baptist |
Nakiyah | Hurst | MAOS | North Dakota | Frosh | |
Emily | Behnke | Manitowoc Lutheran | North Dakota State | Junior | |
Katie | HIldebrandt | McFarland | North Dakota State | Soph | |
Morgann | Gardner | Racine Lutheran | Omaha | Soph | |
Carley | Duffney | Green Bay Preble | South Dakota | Frosh | |
Mesa | Byom | Melrose-Mindoro | South Dakota State | Soph | |
Gabby | Johnson | Freedom | St. Thomas (MN) | Soph | |
Phoebe | Frentzel | Arrowhead | St. Thomas (MN) | Soph | |
Sammy | Opichka | Notre Dame | St. Thomas (MN) | Soph | |
Maggie | Negaard | Stevens Point | St. Thomas (MN) | Senior | |
Audrey | Hatfield | Hudson | St. Thomas (MN) | Soph | |
Lily | Randgaard | Kettle Moraine | Western Illinois | Frosh | |
Alissa | Dins | Laconia | Western Illinois | Senior | |
Kaye | Clark | Milwaukee King | Old Dominion | Senior | |
Kadie | Deaton | Wausau West | Pacific | Junior | North Dakota State |
Mia | Morel | Madison Memorial | Cal Baptist | Soph | |
Grace | Schmidt | Watertown Luther Prep | Cal Baptist | Frosh | |
Alaina | Harper | Arrowhead | Grand Canyon | Frosh | |
Mya | Moore | Pius XI Catholic | Seattle U | Frosh |
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