Aaron VehlingAfter a trip to the final four last year, the UW-Eau Claire women’s basketball team has visions of last season’s success this year.
Last season the Blugolds made it to nationals with a perfect record in the WIAC and finished third nationally.
“Our biggest goal this year is to win a national championship with a new team,” junior Jessica Dickey said.
“A big thing for us this year is our confidence,” sophomore Rachel Becker said, “not only in ourselves, but in each other.”
Freshman Amanda Eisold agreed.
“I am very excited to be with a team that was so successful last year,” she said. “And also it’s been great supporting my teammates and trying to push people in practice.”
Freshman Ashley Fall said that after their success last year, the Blugolds are being watched with a close eye this year.
“We have to be sure to work hard to become even better this year,” she said, “and with a target on our backs we’re going to have to work even harder.”
With a new season upon them, the Blugolds start fresh with incoming freshmen that are showing promise, Becker said.
“We have been in practice for over a month now and I can definitely see how much better we have all gotten,” she said. “And I’ve noticed (how good) all of the new potentially great girls are and how hungry we are to finally get to play together.”
The women open their season Friday in the Wisconsin Lutheran Tourney in Milwaukee.
In the first game of the tournament on Friday, the Blugolds will play Clarke College (Iowa), which went 3-22 last season.
Tournament host Wisconsin Lutheran finished 17-11 overall last season and 10-2 in the Lake Michigan Conference.
Eau Claire beat Wisconsin Lutheran 70-49 in the first round of the NCAA Div. III tournament last year.
The Blugolds look forward to their first game of the season with high expectations.
“I am very excited that we have started the season,” Fall said. “I have very high hopes and expectations for our team.
“I believe it’ll be a really successful year for us.”
