The Lawrence University women’s basketball team returns to the friendly confines of Alexander Gymnasium for a 3 p.m. Midwest Conference game on Saturday vs. Knox College.
Category: Women’s Basketball
Red Hawks hang on to down Lawrence
RIPON, Wis. — The Ripon College women’s basketball team held off a late rally by Lawrence University on Wednesday to post a 43-37 Midwest Conference victory over the Vikings at the Storzer Center.
Amber Lisowe paced Lawrence (0-3, 0-2 MWC) and all scorers with 12 points. Alex Deshler posted a double-double for the Vikings with 11 points and a game-high 11 rebounds.
Kacie Cullen led Ripon (2-2, 1-0) with 11 points.
Ripon led 21-11 at the half but couldn’t expand its lead beyond 14 points after the break.
The Red Hawks led 42-31 on Jill Van Eperen’s jumper with 3:05 left when the Vikings rallied.
Jessica Robbins hit a jumper and Deshler followed with consecutive jumpers to trim the lead to 42-37 with 1:19 left. Ripon committed four turnovers in the same stretch.
The Vikings then missed back-to-back jumpers to allow Ripon to hang on for the win.
Lawrence adds Dec. 6 home game to women’s basketball schedule
The Lawrence University women’s basketball team has added a home game against Northland International University on Dec. 6. The game is slated to tip off at 7:30 p.m.
The nonconference game with Northland International takes the place of the Dec. 18 road contest at Mount Mary College.
Lawrence at Ripon preview
The Lawrence University women’s basketball team returns to the road on Wednesday when it travels to Ripon College for a Midwest Conference game. The contest tips off at 5 p.m. at the Storzer Center.
Lady Blues take down Lawrence
JACKSONVILLE, Ill. — The Illinois College women’s basketball team jumped out to a 12-point lead in the first five minutes and went on to a 78-62 Midwest Conference victory over Lawrence University on Sunday at the Bruner Center.
Hannah McGinnis scored 18 points and pulled down six rebounds to pace five Illinois College players in double figures.
Amber Lisowe paced Lawrence (0-2, 0-1 MWC) with 25 points and six rebounds, and Alex Deshler added 16 points for the Vikings.
Illinois College (2-2, 1-0) pulled out to a 16-4 lead on Tiffany King’s jumper with 15:10 left in the first half. The Lady Blues went on to lead by as many as 20 points in the first half, but the Vikings then went on a 12-4 run. Deshler’s 3-pointer capped the outburst and trimmed the lead to 41-29.
Illinois College would lead by 12 at the half, and the Lady Blues built the lead to as many as 28 points midway through the second half. Lawrence would score the game’s final 10 points to cut the margin back to 16 points.
The Vikings return to action on Wednesday when they travel to Ripon College.
Marian holds off Vikings
The Marian University women’s basketball team rallied early in the second half and then held off Lawrence University for a 64-60 nonconference win on Thursday at Alexander Gymnasium.
Dani Huray led the Sabres (1-0) with a game-high 18 points and 12 rebounds. Alex Deshler also had a double-double for Lawrence (0-1) with 14 points and a game-high 13 rebounds. Freshman Katie Schumacher led the Vikings with 17 points and added seven rebounds..
The Sabres trailed by three at the half but went on a 20-4 run to open the second half. Marian hit five 3-pointers in that stretch and led 43-30 with 13:31 remaining.
Marian maintained a double-digit lead until the Vikings rallied late. Lawrence went on a 7-1 run, capped by Deshler’s jumper, to trim Marian’s lead to 58-55 with 2:34 left.
Marian got a layup from Huray, but Schumacher countered with a pair of free throws for the Vikings to cut it to 60-57 with 1:31 remaining. After a pair of Huray free throws, Deshler buried a 3-pointer to cut the lead to 62-60 with 25 seconds left.
Huray made one free throw with 18 seconds remaining, but the Vikings missed a layup on the other end and were forced to foul. Brianna Tietz hit a free throw with seven seconds left to seal the win.
Freshman Patsy Kealey was solid in her Lawrence debut with 11 points, and Amber Lisowe added 10 points for the Vikings.
Lawrence vs. Marian preview
The Lawrence University women’s basketball team opens its season on Thursday when it hosts Marian University at 5 p.m. at Alexander Gymnasium.
Inside LU Athletics: Vikings look to continue team building
Lawrence University women’s basketball coach Tara Carr could exchange her whistle for a hard hat because she is trying to build the Vikings into something special.
As Carr embarks on her second season with the Vikings, she wants to improve the team’s record and bring this group of young women together.
“We have five new freshmen and team unity is No. 1,” Carr said. “Everything we do is talking about team.”
The Vikings return seven players, including four starters from a season ago when Lawrence won just one game. Lawrence does have a group of talented newcomers, led by local prep standout Katie Schumacher.
“We want to improve, but we have a lot of new faces and that takes some time,” Carr said.
The Vikings also had four players participating in a fall sport, and senior Cathy Kaye is studying in Italy and will not return to the team until after Thanksgiving.
“Despite that, the relationships and the bonding have already happened. For me, that’s what it’s about,” Carr said. “Watching it, it’s been a great experience. It’s hard to explain, but this year’s team feels different.
“When they feel good, they play good,” Carr added with a smile. “It’s important for me as a coach to create an environment that stays positive and remains focused on the team.”
The Vikings will build their attack around junior guards Alex Deshler and Amber Lisowe, who missed her entire freshman season due to injury. Lisowe led the team in scoring last season at 12.0 points per game, and Deshler also averaged in double figures at 10.2 points per game. Deshler also is the top returning rebounder after averaging 6.9 boards per game last season.
“Amber and Alex really need to play well for the team to play well. They need to contribute double figures in scoring and rebounding numbers. They must impact the game for us to be successful,” Carr said.
“Alex’s basketball IQ is just amazing. Her internal competitive edge is like no other. That kid wants to win and she is clutch. I think Amber is more of the glue of the team. She does that on and off the court.”
Junior guard Jessica Robbins also returns, and Carr looks to Robbins’ quickness to give the Vikings a spark.
“That kid is so quick,” Carr said of Robbins. “Her defensive skill set is amazing. We’ve challenged her to be more of a consistent offensive threat. We’re hoping her defensive ability will lead to more on the offensive end.”
Kaye averaged 7.1 points per game last season and is joined by sophomore Kassidy Rinehart, a former star at Hortonville who started 17 games as a freshman.
Schumacher heads the list of five newcomers who bring size (all are forwards and average 5-foot-10) and a clean slate to the program.
“The nice thing is when you get new players, they don’t know about the past. They know what they’ve read, and we talk about where we’re headed and where we’ve been,” said Carr, who added the newcomers know what is expected of them.
“The expectation is you need to come in an contribute right now. That is something we have emphasized since day one.”
Rowland honored
Junior defensive specialist Kathleen Rowland has been named to the all-Midwest Conference volleyball team.
Rowland, who was chosen for the second consecutive season, was selected for the second team. Rowland led the team with 475 digs and averaged 5.52 per set. She also chipped in with 13 service aces on the season.
Record falls
Quarterback Luke Barthelmess is Lawrence’s career passing yards leader after breaking All-American Jim Petran’s record last Saturday. Barthelmess, the son of head football coach Mike Barthelmess, now has 5,738 yards in two seasons as the starter. Petran’s record of 5,431 had stood since 1979.
Mazur tops two grand
Standout wide receiver Tyler Mazur is just the sixth receiver to post 2,000 career receiving yards after passing the mark last Saturday at Knox. Mazur posted his third consecutive 100-yard receiving game of the season last Saturday and now has 2,031 yards for his career. He is just 31 yards from passing All-American Pat Schwanke for fifth place on the career list.
Game of the Week
Lawrence and Ripon renew the oldest college football rivalry in the state on Saturday when the Vikings host the Red Hawks in the season finale at the Banta Bowl. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. with the Doehling-Heselton Memorial Trophy at stake. This is the 112th meeting between the teams, which makes it the 14th-longest rivalry in NCAA Division III.
Editor’s Note: Inside LU Athletics is a notes package written by Lawrence University Director of Athletic Media Relations Joe Vanden Acker. It will feature teams and individual players, recap weekly awards or highlights and take a look at what’s ahead for the Vikings.
Proctor, four from class of 2002 headed to Hall of Fame
Long-time women’s basketball coach Amy Proctor and four athletes from the class of 2002 will be inducted into the Lawrence University Intercollegiate Athletic Hall of Fame on Oct. 5.
Proctor is joined by wrestler Andy Kazik, hockey and soccer star Tom Conti, dominating swimmer Daniel Hurley and soccer standout Megan Tiemann.
Amy Proctor
A native of Green Bay, Wis., Amy Proctor resurrected the Lawrence women’s basketball program and no basketball coach has won more games with the Vikings.
Proctor served as the head women’s basketball coach for 19 seasons from 1988 to 2007 and compiled a record of 247-192 for a .563 winning percentage. Proctor won two Midwest Conference championships, one Lake Michigan Conference championship and her teams made one NCAA Division III Tournament appearance.
Proctor took over a program that had seen its season canceled in 1987-88 and immediately led the squad to the 1989 Lake Michigan Conference title. The Vikings followed that by winning the Midwest Conference title in 1990. Lawrence won the Midwest Conference championship again in 1999 and played in the NCAA Division III Tournament. Proctor was named Midwest Conference Coach of the Year in 1999.
Proctor’s teams won a school-record 19 games in 1992-93 and matched that mark again in 2005-06. The Vikings had 14 winning seasons and 16 seasons of .500 or better in Proctor’s 19 years at the helm. Lawrence also qualified for the four-team Midwest Conference Tournament 12 times under Proctor.
When Proctor first came to Lawrence, she also served as head volleyball coach. She coached the Vikings for five seasons (1988-92) and had a record of 56-82. Proctor had two winning seasons and the team set a school record with 18 victories in 1992, a mark that stood until 2001.
Proctor also served as director of athletics from 1993-99 and oversaw a transformation of the coaching staff. Proctor hired John Tharp to guide the men’s basketball program and Kim Tatro to coach the softball and volleyball squads. Proctor also expanded the coaching staff to allow men’s and women’s soccer and hockey to have full-time coaches.
Proctor retired from college coaching in 2007 and now works as a commercial lines underwriter at Secura Insurance.
Tom Conti ’02
Tom Conti starred on the pitch and the ice for the Vikings.
For the Lawrence hockey team, Conti scored goals. For the Lawrence soccer team, Conti stopped the opposition from scoring.
A forward on the hockey team, Conti was the school’s career scoring leader with 89 points when he graduated. Conti’s 40 goals and 49 assists also made him the career leader when his career was complete.
An All-Midwest Collegiate Hockey Association selection in 2002, Conti set Lawrence records with nine points and seven assists in the same game against Illinois Benedictine College back in 1998. A team captain, Conti set school season records with 29 points and 19 assists in 1998-99.
A defender for the soccer team, Conti spearheaded the Lawrence defense for four seasons. A three-time All-Midwest Conference selection (1999, 2000, 2001), Conti was at the forefront of the renaissance of the men’s soccer program under head coach Blake Johnson. Conti also earned National Soccer Coaches Association of America All-Central Region honors in 2001.
Conti won Lawrence’s Outstanding Freshman Athletic Award for Men and also earned the Iden Charles Champion Cup. In addition, Conti was one of four finalists for the Hockey Humanitarian Award.
A stellar student, Conti was a CoSIDA four-time Academic All-Midwest Collegiate Hockey Association selection. He earned the maximum of three Academic All-Midwest Conference selections and was a two-time Academic All-District 5 selection.
A native of Atlanta, Ga., Conti is a software developer at Epic Systems and lives in Monona, Wis.
Daniel Hurley ’02
I guess you could say Daniel Hurley is a perfectionist.
The native of St. Phillip’s, Newfoundland, went 12-for-12 in individual races at the Midwest Conference Championships and was named the league’s Swimmer of the Year three times. Hurley never lost an individual race at the Midwest Conference Championships and led Lawrence to the 2000 team title. Hurley finished his career with 17 conference titles, earning five relay crowns to go with the 12 individual titles.
Hurley won the 1,650-yard freestyle, 500 freestyle and 400 individual medley to go along with being on the winning 800 freestyle relay and 200 medley relay teams at the 1999 Midwest Conference Championships. Lawrence won the team title in 2000, and Hurley won his first of three consecutive Midwest Conference Swimmer of the Year awards. He again won 1,650 freestyle, 500 freestyle, 400 IM and also swam on the winning 400 freestyle relay and 800 freestyle relay teams.
Hurley took home individual titles in the 500 freestyle and 400 IM but added his first crown in the 200 butterfly at the 2001 Midwest Conference Championships. He also was part of the winning 400 freestyle relay team on his way to winning Swimmer of the Year honors. Hurley swept the same three races (200 butterfly, 400 IM, 500 freestyle) at the 2002 Midwest Conference Championships on his way to his third consecutive Swimmer of the Year award.
Hurley set Midwest Conference records in 500 freestyle (4:41.01), 1,000 freestyle (9:51.40) and 1,650 freestyle (16:29.69). He also set Midwest Conference Championships records in 500 freestyle (4:41.01), 1,000 freestyle (9:51.40), 1,650 freestyle (16:29.69) and 400 IM (4:10.44). Hurley also continues to hold Lawrence records in the 500 freestyle, 1,000 freestyle, 1,650 freestyle and 800 freestyle relay.
Hurley also is a 12-time Wisconsin Private College Championship champion (four titles in 2002, three in 2001, three in 2000, two in 1999) and helped the Vikings win the team title in 1999, 2000 and 2002.
An outstanding student as well, Hurley earned the maximum of three Academic All-Midwest Conference selections. He also was named a NCAA Postgraduate Scholar.
Hurley is a postdoctoral psychology resident at the Washington State University Psychology Clinic and lives in Moscow, Idaho.
Andy Kazik ’02
Andy Kazik stands alone atop the podium of Lawrence wrestling because behind his name are the words “national champion.”
The native of De Pere, Wis., became the only Lawrence wrestler to win a NCAA Division III title when he won the crown at 184 pounds in 2002.
A two-time All-American, Kazik compiled a career record of 129-18, and that is good for second on the Lawrence career wins list. His career .878 winning percentage ranks fourth all-time, but it is first among wrestlers with at least 50 victories.
A three-time qualifier for the NCAA Division III Championships, Kazik completed a 40-0 season in 2002 by winning the national title. He defeated Augsburg College’s Ricky Crone 4-2 in the national title match. Kazik’s 40-0 record ranks first in season winning percentage and is the third-most wins in a season.
Kazik finished 41-4 in 2000-01 and earned All-America honors for the first time when he finished third at 184 pounds at the NCAA Championships. Kazik and teammate Ross Mueller both finished third at the NCAA Championships in 2001, and the Vikings finished 10th in the team standings, the highest finish ever by a Lawrence team at the national meet. Kazik’s 41 wins in 2000-01 is the second-highest season total in Lawrence history.
As a sophomore in 1999-2000, Kazik went 32-6 and qualified for the NCAA Championships for the first time. Kazik, who ranks eighth on the Lawrence list with 22 pins, began his career with a 16-8 mark as a freshman in 1998-99.
Kazik also played football in the 2002 season, started at linebacker and led the team with 89 tackles.
Kazik lives in De Pere and is an outside sales representative at McJunkin Red Man Corp., in Appleton.
Megan Tiemann ’02
Megan Tiemann was the offensive force that powered Lawrence women’s soccer to the top of the Midwest Conference.
A forward for the Vikings, Tiemann was a two-time Midwest Conference Player of the Year and four-time all-conference selection. Tiemann led the Vikings to two Midwest Conference Tournament titles and the 2000 Midwest Conference championship.
A native of Kent, Wash., Tiemann graduated as Lawrence’s career leader with 55 goals, 25 assists and 135 points.
Tiemann scored 17 goals and had five assists for 39 points on her way to being named Midwest Conference Player of the Year in 1998. The Vikings finished 11-6-1 and went 7-1-1 in the conference that season. Tiemann was a first-team all-conference selection in 1999 as she scored 17 goals and had 10 assists for 44 points in 1999. The Vikings advanced to the Midwest Conference Tournament championship game in both 1998 and 1999.
Tiemann scored both goals, including the game-winner in the third overtime, in the 2000 Midwest Conference Tournament championship game. In leading Lawrence to its first Midwest Conference championship, Tiemann scored eight goals and had five assists for 21 points and was a first-team all-conference pick for the 2000 season. The Vikings also played in the NCAA Division III Tournament for the first time in 2000.
Tiemann was named the 2001 Midwest Conference Player of the Year when she scored 13 goals and had five assists for 31 points. Lawrence won a school-record 13 games, and Tiemann scored the only goal in the Vikings’ 1-0 win over St. Norbert College in the title game at the Midwest Conference Tournament.
Lawrence became the first Midwest Conference team to host, and win, a NCAA Division III Tournament game when the Vikings beat Aurora University 2-1 in 2001. Tiemann scored both goals in Lawrence’s victory.
Tiemann lives in Washington, D.C., and is a sergeant with the District of Columbia Metropolitan Police Department.
St. Norbert downs Vikings
The St. Norbert College women’s basketball team posted an 87-52 Midwest Conference victory on Saturday over Lawrence University at Alexander Gymnasium.
Jamie Kuhl led St. Norbert (19-4, 17-1 MWC) with 24 points and tied for game-high honors with eight rebounds. Krista Pelky added 20 points and hit 8 of 9 shots from the floor for the Green Knights.
Amber Lisower scored a team-high 22 points for Lawrence (1-22, 1-17), and she also pulled down eight boards. Chioma Ejimkonye added 12 points and seven assists for the Vikings.
St. Norbert jumped on the Vikings early and built a 17-point lead at 22-5 just 5:42 into the game. The Green Knights would lead by as many as 25 points in the first half and were up 45-24 at the break.
The Green Knights continued to slowly build that lead in the second half and would lead by as many 39 points.