UW-Superior men’s and women’s basketball teams hit the court in search of a conference championship.
The UWS men’s basketball team is poised for a big season in 2024-25, coming off a 18-9 record and a second-place finish in the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference regular season.
The Jackets roll into the season only losing one regular starter from the team, that being Josef Fahrenholtz, who is now playing professionally in Norway.
The Yellowjackets are also coming off their second straight appearance in the UMAC postseason tournament championship game in which both came against Bethany Lutheran.
Returning to the lineup this season is J’Vaun Walker. Last season Walker led the team in points at 16.3 and assists and steals. Walker returns for his 5th year senior season coming off an appearance on the All-UMAC First Team and All-UMAC Defensive team.
“We’ve made history in this program before, but we’ve never achieved our ultimate goal. Making it to the championship is pretty much an expectation for us now, so we want to make sure that when we get there this year we walk out of the gym on the winning side of that last game,” said Walker.
The Yellowjackets open up their season with an exhibition against Minnesota-Duluth on Nov. 3.
They will open the regular season hosting the 15th annual Bruce and Merrill Thompson Classic on Nov. 8 against Marian and then hosting St. Olaf the next day. Another challenge the Jackets face will not be seeing the friendly confines of Mertz Mortorelli Gym for nearly two months until they open up UMAC play against North Central on Jan. 8, 2025.
For the Jackets it should be an interesting season filled with challenges and hopefully ending with a UMAC title.
On the women’s side, the team looks to bounce back this season after a disappointing end in the UMAC championship game. In the 2023-24 regular season, the Yellowjackets were outstanding in conference only losing once to North Central on their way to a conference title–which is their fifth since joining the UMAC. The Jackets would fall short after having their halftime lead evaporate.
However, the Jackets return many of their team including 2024 UMAC player of the year Elise Besonen while losing only one starter. They also got back other UMAC postseason award winners MyKenzie Leccia and Charlotte Ferstl.
The Yellowjackets are poised for another run towards a NCAA tournament appearance with many returning players. The Yellowjackets will open their season against Marian at Fond du Lac, Wis.
Their home opener comes against Macalester on Nov. 16. The Yellowjackets have a tough non-conference schedule which leads into Jan., when they will open conference play against North Central in Mertz Mortorelli Gym.
The Yellowjackets have an opportunity to avenge their championship loss when they play Minnesota Morris later in the season. The Yellowjackets are ready for the season to begin and potentially end with a UMAC championship.
