SIOUX FALLS, SD – It's a big week for the University of Mary women's basketball team (13-15, 6-11 Northern Sun) as they compete against the University of Sioux Falls (16-11, 11-9 NSIC) in the opening round of the NSIC Championships. The game tips off on Wednesday, February 23, at 6 pm in Sioux Falls, SD.

The winner of Wednesday's game will advance to the quarterfinals of the NSIC tournament to take on the University of Minnesota Duluth on Sunday, February 26, at 7 pm. The winner of the NSIC tournament earns a berth in the NCAA Championships.

About The Opposition
The University of Sioux Falls has an overall record of 16-11 and went 11-9 in the Northern Sun. USF defeated UMary at Sioux Falls 74-58 earlier in the season. Freshman guard Megan Fanning leads the Cougars in scoring, averaging 13.1 ppg. Leading USF in rebounding and assists is junior guard Dallie Hoskinson, who averages 7.7 rebounds a game and has 88 total assists.

Last Time Out
The Marauders clinched an NSIC playoff berth after splitting their games last week. UMary fell to Minnesota State University Moorhead 73-76 in overtime. The Marauders would bounce back and defeat Northern State University 92-69 in a must-win game.

In her final home game as a Marauder, Macy Williams scored a career-high 23 points on 10-of-15 shooting against NSU. Williams also dished out a season-high nine assists.

Lexie Schneider led the team in scoring against the Wolves with 26 points while also bringing down seven rebounds. Schneider shot 11-of-15 from the field and posted four assists. Ryleigh Wacha had a great all-around game as the freshman put up 17 points, eight rebounds while blocking three shots.

History in the NSIC Tournament

• UMary has an overall record of 5-9 in the NSIC Tournament
• Overall record of 5-4 in the opening round (5-1 at home and 0-3 on the road)
• UMary is 5-1 at home in the opening round (W 80-78 v BSU 2008, W 76-67 v WSU in 2012, W 84-62 v UIU in 2013, W 72-66 v WSU in 2014, L 64-59 to WSU in 2017, W 84-74 v SMSU in 2020)
• Advanced to NSIC second round five times (L 70-58 to WSC in 2008 semifinals, L 78-67 to Augie in 2012, L 74-59 to Augie (home game) in 2013, L to Minnesota State 95-71 in 2014, L 81-59 to Minnesota State)

Stats To Watch
Lexie Schneider leads UMary in scoring, averaging 14.4 ppg. She also leads UMary in rebounding with 8.3 rpg. She's third in the NSIC in rebounding, 13^th in scoring and 23^rd in blocks (0.6).

Macy Williams leads the Marauders in assists with 99 total and is averaging 10.1 ppg. Williams is 13^th in the NSIC in assists and 10^th in assist to turnover ratio.

Megan Voit is the team leader in three-pointers made with a total of 77 and is third on the team in scoring, averaging 10.9 ppg. She is shooting .377 from behind the arc. She is first in the NSIC three-pointers made per game and in three-point field goal percentage

Megan Zander is second on the team in scoring with 11.3 ppg while averaging 5.3 rpg. She's shooting .450 from three on 27-of-60 shooting.

Ryleigh Wacha averages 8.1 ppg and 5.7 rpg. Wacha is 21^st in the NSIC in blocks (0.8 bpg) and 21^st in rebounding.

Coaches
Head coach Rick Neumann is fourth all-time in coaching wins at UMary with 146. In his ninth season, he has a record of 146-133. Hall of Fame coach Roger Haug is the Marauders all-time leader in wins (234), followed by Fred Fridley (170), Cal Collins (150) and Neumann (146).

UMary brought in two assistant coaches Brooke LeMar and Chloe Wanink for the 2020-21 season. LeMar was a two-time all-conference after spending her collegiate career at NCAA Division I North Dakota State University. She then went on to play professionally in several countries including Denmark, Germany, Australia and Sweden. LeMar worked as the Director of Player Development at the California Baptist University.

Wanink was a four-year all-conference performer at NCAA Division I Wofford University. She was a three-year captain at Wofford and led the Southern Conference in scoring her junior season averaging 21 points per game. She was named the 2019-20 SoCon Preseason Player of the Year and was named to the Nancy Lieberman Point Guard watchlist.

Returners
Notable returners to the Marauders include Macy Williams, Lexie Schneider and Megan Voit. Schneider led the NSIC in rebounding and was second on the team in scoring with 12.5 ppg.
Voit led the team in total three-pointers made with 22 while averaging 7.9 ppg.

Williams was first in the NSIC in assists with 75. Williams ranks 7^th all-time for the University of Mary in assists.

Other returners include senior Carly Kottsick, juniors Reese Wishart and Mady Shafer, sophomores Zoe Velde, Lakyn Darras, Cadee Ryckman and Hallie Schweitzer.

New Faces
The Marauders add the University of North Dakota transfer Megan Zander, who averaged 8.8 ppg and 5.9 rpg last season.

UMary brings in five freshmen, who will look to make an immediate impact for the Marauders. Those five include Addison Rozell, Julia Fitterer, Ryleigh Wacha, Moriku Hakim and Ellie Hasz.

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