WICHITA, KS - The KCAC has two conference teams participating in the NAIA Women's Basketball Division II National Championship Tournament starting on March 10. Sterling College is representing the conference as the KCAC Tournament and Regular Season Champion. Kansas Wesleyan University is representing the conference as the KCAC Regular Season Runner-up.

 

 

Kansas Wesleyan University enters the National Tournament after finishing second in the KCAC regular season. The Lady Coyotes will face the defending National Champion, Morningside College. Kansas Wesleyan University ranks in the top 15 nationally in 3-point field goals made per game (15th, 7.621), total blocks (13th, 139), scoring defense per game (12th, 57.483 PPG), and blocks per game (7th, 4.793 ). Kansas Wesleyan University has four players who average in double figures in points. Sophomore Guard Shelby Babcock leads the team with 13.67 points per game. Junior Guard LaCole Wilkinson averages 12.48 points per game and leads her team in steals with 2.55 steals per game. Freshman Forward Stephanie Frost averages 12.48 points per game, leads her team in rebounding (7.76 RPG), and leads the conference with 1.89 blocks per game. Both Frost and Wilkinson were named First Team All-Conference. Frost was also named KCAC Freshman of the Year. The Lady Coyotes enter the game with a 21-6 record overall.

Morningside College is coming off its 3rd National Championship since 2004. The Morningside Mustangs rank in the top 10 in the nation in total steals (9th, 423), turnover margin (9th, 6.290), steals per game (8th, 13.645), scoring offense (8th, 76.677 PPG), total 3-point field goals made (4th, 274), and 3-point field goals made per game (4th, 8.839). Morningside College is led in scoring, assists, and steals by Junior Tanya Worden who averages 17.55 points per game, 3.74 assists per game, and 3.00 steals per game. Chelsie Trask is second on the team in scoring with 10.77 points per game. The Mustangs leading rebounder is Brittany Williamson with 5.16 rebounds per game. Morningside College enters the tournament with a record of 20-11.

 

Sterling College enters the National Tournament as KCAC Regular Season and Conference Tournament Champions. The Lady Warriors will face the Huntington University Foresters. Huntington University is 14th in the nation in total rebound defense (33.20 RPG) and 12th in turnover margin (5.200 TPG). Sophomore Guard Sarah Miller leads the team in scoring with 13.67 points per game. Senior Forward Courtney Beerbower is second on the team in scoring with 13.07 points per game, and leads the team in rebounding with 5.93 rebounds per game. Freshman Guard Lauren Meese leads the team in assists with 3.00 assists per game, and steals with 2.47 steals per game. Huntington University finished 3rd in the Mid-Central College Conference with an overall record of 21-9.

Sterling College ranks in the top 20 nationally in assist to turnover ratio (18th, 0.873), free throw percentage (16th, 73.8%), and 3-point field goal defense (15th, 28.2%). Sterling College is led by two of the top three conference leaders in scoring. Sophomore Gaurd Megan Patrick is second in the KCAC with 17.53 points per game. Sophomore Forward Cathryn Wiebe is averaging 17.23 points per game, which is third in the KCAC. Wiebe was named KCAC Player of the Year, and First Team All-Conference. Wiebe is second in the KCAC with 9.73 rebounds per game, and leads the conference with 2.80 steals per game. Junior Forward Britany Gasper averages 10.97 points per game. Both Gasper and Patrick were named First Team All-Conference along with Wiebe. The Lady Warriors are 26-4 on the season and have won 23 of their last 24 games.