Photo by: Maddie MacFarlane
Women's basketball picked 11th in NSIC preseason poll
10/18/2018 3:50:00 PM | Women's Basketball
BURNSVILLE, MINN. – It has been nearly eight months since the St. Cloud State University Women's Basketball season came to an early end in 2017-18. The Huskies were booted in the first round of the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) tournament by Concordia-St. Paul, bring their season to an untimely and early end.
Nearly eight months later, St. Cloud State looks like almost a completely different team. Though the Huskies return 11 student-athletes from the 2017-18 roster, including NSIC All-Freshman team selection Tori Wortz (Hutchinson, Minn. / Hutchinson), there are seven new faces on the roster this year, making the Huskies one of the younger teams in the conference. According to the NSIC women's basketball coaches, the young St. Cloud State team will finish eleventh in the conference overall and fifth in the North Division, which was released in the NSIC Preseason Coaches Poll Thursday afternoon.
If, in fact, the Huskies do finish eleventh in the overall standings and fifth in the north, their run of six-consecutive conference tournament appearances would come to an end, something head coach Lori Fish and her team don't want to happen at the end of 2018-19. In addition to Wortz, Madelin Dammann (Waconia, Minn. / Waconia) returns after a breakout season in 2017-18 in which she started all 27 games for St. Cloud State. Seniors and regular contributors Mackenzie Uter (Howard Lake, Minn. / Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted) and Mallie Doucette (Colfax, Wis. / Colfax) are back for their fourth and final seasons with the Huskies, as well as 11 others who played with St. Cloud State last season.
There are still plenty of new faces on the women's team roster, including five incoming first year players and two transfers. Brehna Evans (De Pere, Wis. / West De Pere), Kelsey Peschel (Sauk Center, Minn. / Sauk Center), Amanda Porth (Jackson, Wis. / Kettle Moraine Lutheran), Mariah Alipate (Prior Lake, Minn. / Eastview) and Katrina Theis (Maple Grove, Minn. / Maple Grove) round out the class of 2021-22, while Amanda Lindsay (Becker, Minn. / Becker) and Cici Kieger (Woodbury, Minn. / Woodbury) join the Huskies for their first seasons as well.
Fans will have a chance to see the Huskies in action for the first time on November 7, when they host the University of Minnesota-Morris in an exhibition game at 7 p.m. in Halenbeck Hall.
Until then, meet the players down below (in 280 characters or less):
2 – Tori Wortz (So.; Guard; Hutchinson, Minn. / Hutchinson)
2017-18 NSIC All-Freshman Team; one of two returning starters for St. Cloud State; second on the team in points per game (10.5), total points (297) and assists (59); favorite class at SCSU to this point is History of Rock and Roll
3 – Mackenzie Uter (Sr.; Guard; Howard Lake, Minn. / Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted)
Senior guard playing in her fourth and final season with the Huskies; regular contributor in 2017-18; appeared in 24 games and scored 29 points while pulling in 29 rebounds; can't live without her cows or her dog
4 – Madelin Dammann (Jr.; Guard; Waconia, Minn. / Waconia)
2018-19 NSIC Player to Watch; 2017-18 Academic All-NSIC; one of two starters returning for the Huskies; led the team in three-point field goal percentage (.457) and was second in field goal percentage (.462) in 2017-18; needs to retie her shoes at least three times before a game
10 – Brehna Evans (Fy.; Guard; De Pere, Wis. / West De Pere)
First year guard from De Pere, Wisconsin (10 minutes from Green Bay); broke the all-time scoring record at West De Pere High School as a senior in 2017-18; two-time state medalist in track and field (800); favorite pro team is the Green Bay Packers
11 – Mallie Doucette (Sr.; Guard; Colfax, Wis. / Colfax)
2017-18 Academic All-NSIC honoree; appeared in all 27 games for the Huskies in 2017-18 and made six starts; scored 199 points (averaged 7.4/game), pulled in 54 rebounds with 27 assists and 19 steals; favorite place to play is Southwest Minnesota State
13 – Mackenzie Korf (So.; Guard; Pelican Rapids, Minn. / Pelican Rapids)
Sophomore guard from Pelican Rapids; appeared in eight games for St. Cloud State in 2017-18 and scored 11 points with eight rebounds and eight assists
15 – Jill Kedrowski (Jr.; Guard; St. Cloud, Minn. / Tech)
Junior guard grown locally in St. Cloud, Minnesota; 2017-18 Academic All-Confernece honoree; nickname is Jilly
21 – Jocelyn Johnson (Jr.; Guard; Lakeville, Minn. / Lakeville South)
2017-18 Academic All-Conference honoree; appeared in 23 games for the Huskies in 2017-18, racking up 229 minutes on the floor along with 18 points and 32 rebounds; also a member of St. Cloud State's track and field team; favorite off-day activity is napping
23 – Caitlyn Peterson (So.; Guard; Lakeville, Minn. / Lakeville North)
Sophomore guard; appeared in 13 games for the Huskies in 2017-18 and scored 38 points with 15 rebounds, five assists and one block; shot .889 from the free throw line and .406 from the floor; can't live without Snapchat
25 – Amanda Lindsay (Jr.; Guard; Becker, Minn. / Becker / Anoka-Ramsey Community College)
Junior transfer from Anoka-Ramsey CC; played in 30 games for the Rams and made 29 starts in 2017-18; scored 294 points and tallied 111 rebounds, 77 assists and 50 steals; eats Chinese for lunch and talks strategy with dad the day of games
32 – Kelsey Peschel (Fy.; Guard; Sauk Centre, Minn. / Sauk Centre)
First year from Sauk Centre (not to be confused with Sauk Rapids); scored 1000 career points and won a state title with Sauk Centre high school; counts all the stripes on the flag during the nation anthem before games; favorite player is Kevin Garnett
33 – Cici Kieger (So.; Guard; Woodbury, Minn. / Woodbury / North Iowa Area Community College)
Sophomore transfer from North Iowa Area CC; appeared in 30 games for the Trojans with one starts; scored 220 points with 103 rebounds, 66 assists, 19 steals and five blocks; shot .463 from the floor and .430 from three-point range; starting playing basketball in first grade
34 – Amanda Porth (Fy.; Guard; Jackson, Wis. / Kettle Moraine Lutheran)
First year guard from Jackson, Wisconsin; four-year member of the Kettle Moraine Lutheran basketball team; earned All-Conference honors during career; led her team in assists, steals and blocks as a junior; nickname is Porthballer
40 – Nikki Kilboten (So.; Forward; Eau Claire, Wis. / Eau Claire North)
Sophomore forward; appeared in all 27 games for St. Cloud State in 2017-18; scored 107 points and tallied a team-leading 22 blocks; also pulled in 96 rebounds; Jeff Hegle has been her favorite professor so far
42- Mariah Alipate (Fy.; Forward; Prior Lake, Minn. / Eastview)
First year power forward from Prior Lake; played on Eastview's varsity basketball team since eight grade; reached the Minnesota state tournament in five of her six seasons with the team; favorite opponent to play in high school was Hopkins
43 – Taylor Persche (Jr.; Forward; Woodbury, Minn. / East Ridge)
Junior forward from Woodbury; appeared in five games for the Huskies in 2017-18 for 23 total minutes; scored one basket for two points and pulled in four rebounds; goal is to visit all 50 states in the United State in her lifetime
45 – Katrina Theis (Fy.; Forward; Maple Grove, Minn. / Maple Grove)
First year forward from Maple Grove; 3x letter-winner with the Crimson; earned All-Conference honors as a junior and senior; led the team in scoring and rebounding in her junior and senior seasons; led Maple Grove to its first state tournament appearance since 2011
52 – Kassidy Steen (Jr.; Cloquet, Minn. / Cloquet)
2017-18 Academic All-Conference honoree; appeared in 11 games as a sophomore in 2017-18, scoring 21 points and pulling in 16 rebounds as a forward; shot. 526 from the floor, making 10 of 19 shots; favorite athlete is Carley Jeffery
Head Coach – Lori Fish
Begins her eleventh season with St. Cloud State in 2018-19 and 15th overall as a collegiate coach; guided the Huskies to their six-straight NSIC Tourney appearance in 2017-18; compiled 166-135 record in previous 10 years at SCSU and overall record of 228-188.
Nearly eight months later, St. Cloud State looks like almost a completely different team. Though the Huskies return 11 student-athletes from the 2017-18 roster, including NSIC All-Freshman team selection Tori Wortz (Hutchinson, Minn. / Hutchinson), there are seven new faces on the roster this year, making the Huskies one of the younger teams in the conference. According to the NSIC women's basketball coaches, the young St. Cloud State team will finish eleventh in the conference overall and fifth in the North Division, which was released in the NSIC Preseason Coaches Poll Thursday afternoon.
If, in fact, the Huskies do finish eleventh in the overall standings and fifth in the north, their run of six-consecutive conference tournament appearances would come to an end, something head coach Lori Fish and her team don't want to happen at the end of 2018-19. In addition to Wortz, Madelin Dammann (Waconia, Minn. / Waconia) returns after a breakout season in 2017-18 in which she started all 27 games for St. Cloud State. Seniors and regular contributors Mackenzie Uter (Howard Lake, Minn. / Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted) and Mallie Doucette (Colfax, Wis. / Colfax) are back for their fourth and final seasons with the Huskies, as well as 11 others who played with St. Cloud State last season.
There are still plenty of new faces on the women's team roster, including five incoming first year players and two transfers. Brehna Evans (De Pere, Wis. / West De Pere), Kelsey Peschel (Sauk Center, Minn. / Sauk Center), Amanda Porth (Jackson, Wis. / Kettle Moraine Lutheran), Mariah Alipate (Prior Lake, Minn. / Eastview) and Katrina Theis (Maple Grove, Minn. / Maple Grove) round out the class of 2021-22, while Amanda Lindsay (Becker, Minn. / Becker) and Cici Kieger (Woodbury, Minn. / Woodbury) join the Huskies for their first seasons as well.
Fans will have a chance to see the Huskies in action for the first time on November 7, when they host the University of Minnesota-Morris in an exhibition game at 7 p.m. in Halenbeck Hall.
Until then, meet the players down below (in 280 characters or less):
2 – Tori Wortz (So.; Guard; Hutchinson, Minn. / Hutchinson)
2017-18 NSIC All-Freshman Team; one of two returning starters for St. Cloud State; second on the team in points per game (10.5), total points (297) and assists (59); favorite class at SCSU to this point is History of Rock and Roll
3 – Mackenzie Uter (Sr.; Guard; Howard Lake, Minn. / Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted)
Senior guard playing in her fourth and final season with the Huskies; regular contributor in 2017-18; appeared in 24 games and scored 29 points while pulling in 29 rebounds; can't live without her cows or her dog
4 – Madelin Dammann (Jr.; Guard; Waconia, Minn. / Waconia)
2018-19 NSIC Player to Watch; 2017-18 Academic All-NSIC; one of two starters returning for the Huskies; led the team in three-point field goal percentage (.457) and was second in field goal percentage (.462) in 2017-18; needs to retie her shoes at least three times before a game
10 – Brehna Evans (Fy.; Guard; De Pere, Wis. / West De Pere)
First year guard from De Pere, Wisconsin (10 minutes from Green Bay); broke the all-time scoring record at West De Pere High School as a senior in 2017-18; two-time state medalist in track and field (800); favorite pro team is the Green Bay Packers
11 – Mallie Doucette (Sr.; Guard; Colfax, Wis. / Colfax)
2017-18 Academic All-NSIC honoree; appeared in all 27 games for the Huskies in 2017-18 and made six starts; scored 199 points (averaged 7.4/game), pulled in 54 rebounds with 27 assists and 19 steals; favorite place to play is Southwest Minnesota State
13 – Mackenzie Korf (So.; Guard; Pelican Rapids, Minn. / Pelican Rapids)
Sophomore guard from Pelican Rapids; appeared in eight games for St. Cloud State in 2017-18 and scored 11 points with eight rebounds and eight assists
15 – Jill Kedrowski (Jr.; Guard; St. Cloud, Minn. / Tech)
Junior guard grown locally in St. Cloud, Minnesota; 2017-18 Academic All-Confernece honoree; nickname is Jilly
21 – Jocelyn Johnson (Jr.; Guard; Lakeville, Minn. / Lakeville South)
2017-18 Academic All-Conference honoree; appeared in 23 games for the Huskies in 2017-18, racking up 229 minutes on the floor along with 18 points and 32 rebounds; also a member of St. Cloud State's track and field team; favorite off-day activity is napping
23 – Caitlyn Peterson (So.; Guard; Lakeville, Minn. / Lakeville North)
Sophomore guard; appeared in 13 games for the Huskies in 2017-18 and scored 38 points with 15 rebounds, five assists and one block; shot .889 from the free throw line and .406 from the floor; can't live without Snapchat
25 – Amanda Lindsay (Jr.; Guard; Becker, Minn. / Becker / Anoka-Ramsey Community College)
Junior transfer from Anoka-Ramsey CC; played in 30 games for the Rams and made 29 starts in 2017-18; scored 294 points and tallied 111 rebounds, 77 assists and 50 steals; eats Chinese for lunch and talks strategy with dad the day of games
32 – Kelsey Peschel (Fy.; Guard; Sauk Centre, Minn. / Sauk Centre)
First year from Sauk Centre (not to be confused with Sauk Rapids); scored 1000 career points and won a state title with Sauk Centre high school; counts all the stripes on the flag during the nation anthem before games; favorite player is Kevin Garnett
33 – Cici Kieger (So.; Guard; Woodbury, Minn. / Woodbury / North Iowa Area Community College)
Sophomore transfer from North Iowa Area CC; appeared in 30 games for the Trojans with one starts; scored 220 points with 103 rebounds, 66 assists, 19 steals and five blocks; shot .463 from the floor and .430 from three-point range; starting playing basketball in first grade
34 – Amanda Porth (Fy.; Guard; Jackson, Wis. / Kettle Moraine Lutheran)
First year guard from Jackson, Wisconsin; four-year member of the Kettle Moraine Lutheran basketball team; earned All-Conference honors during career; led her team in assists, steals and blocks as a junior; nickname is Porthballer
40 – Nikki Kilboten (So.; Forward; Eau Claire, Wis. / Eau Claire North)
Sophomore forward; appeared in all 27 games for St. Cloud State in 2017-18; scored 107 points and tallied a team-leading 22 blocks; also pulled in 96 rebounds; Jeff Hegle has been her favorite professor so far
42- Mariah Alipate (Fy.; Forward; Prior Lake, Minn. / Eastview)
First year power forward from Prior Lake; played on Eastview's varsity basketball team since eight grade; reached the Minnesota state tournament in five of her six seasons with the team; favorite opponent to play in high school was Hopkins
43 – Taylor Persche (Jr.; Forward; Woodbury, Minn. / East Ridge)
Junior forward from Woodbury; appeared in five games for the Huskies in 2017-18 for 23 total minutes; scored one basket for two points and pulled in four rebounds; goal is to visit all 50 states in the United State in her lifetime
45 – Katrina Theis (Fy.; Forward; Maple Grove, Minn. / Maple Grove)
First year forward from Maple Grove; 3x letter-winner with the Crimson; earned All-Conference honors as a junior and senior; led the team in scoring and rebounding in her junior and senior seasons; led Maple Grove to its first state tournament appearance since 2011
52 – Kassidy Steen (Jr.; Cloquet, Minn. / Cloquet)
2017-18 Academic All-Conference honoree; appeared in 11 games as a sophomore in 2017-18, scoring 21 points and pulling in 16 rebounds as a forward; shot. 526 from the floor, making 10 of 19 shots; favorite athlete is Carley Jeffery
Head Coach – Lori Fish
Begins her eleventh season with St. Cloud State in 2018-19 and 15th overall as a collegiate coach; guided the Huskies to their six-straight NSIC Tourney appearance in 2017-18; compiled 166-135 record in previous 10 years at SCSU and overall record of 228-188.
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