MADISON, Wis.—The 2018 WIAC women's basketball preseason poll has been released by the WIAC conference office.  The rankings are based on a preseason poll conducted by the league's head coaches and sports information directors.

University of Wisconsin-Whitewater has been tabbed to win the 2018 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) women's basketball championship.  A year ago, the Warhawks won their first-ever WIAC tournament title and made their ninth NCAA appearance in the last 10 years. UW-Whitewater welcomes back four starters from that unit, including senior guards Brooke Trewyn and Malia Smith. Trewyn topped the conference last season with 15.2 points per game, while ranking third with 68 assists and 49 steals, and fourth with 7.0 rebounds per contest. Smith topped the league with 76 steals and placed second with a .815 free-throw percentage (97-of-119).
 
UW-Whitewater has produced 20-plus wins in nine of the last 10 seasons. Head coach Keri Carollo is 11 victories away from 300 in her career. Only two coaches in WIAC history have reached the 300-win mark - UW-Stevens Point head coach Shirley Egner and UW-Stout head coach Mark Thomas. UW-Eau Claire head coach Tonja Englund is within reach of the 300-victory club - needing just three wins to reach the milestone.
 
UW-Whitewater is followed in the conference predictions by:  UW-Oshkosh; UW-Stevens Point; UW-Eau Claire; UW-La Crosse; UW-River Falls; UW-Stout; and UW-Platteville.
 
UW-Oshkosh collected the 12th league regular-season championship a season ago and made their fourth straight NCAA championship appearance. The Titans bring back a pair of starters, including senior forward Eliza Campbell, who was second on the team with 10.8 points and 5.2 rebounds per game. She also contributed 42 assists and 22 steals. UW-Oshkosh has won 20-plus games five consecutive seasons – the longest active streak in the conference.
 
UW-Stevens Point senior post player Taylor Barrett had a team-best 46 blocked shots and 63 free throws made a season ago. She also contributed 8.6 points and 4.0 rebounds per contest. The Pointers have recorded 17-plus victories in 15 of the last 16 seasons.
UW-Eau Claire has 12 letterwinners back, including sophomore forward Anna Graaskamp, who led the conference with a .833 free-throw percentage, while ranking third with 14.4 points per game and 7.1 rebounds per contest. She converted 48.6 percentage of her field goal attempts – the fourth-best mark in the league.
 
UW-La Crosse's 16 wins a season ago were the most for the program since the 2011-12 campaign. The Eagles also reached the semifinals of the WIAC championship for the first time since 2011. Senior guard Elise DeNoyer finished second in the league with 7.8 rebounds per game and 902 minutes played, while ranking third with 68 assists. She posted eight double-doubles (points-rebounds) and contributed 12.1 points per contest.
 
UW-River Falls brings back senior forward Taylor Karge and senior guard Brynn Liljander. A year ago, Karge led the Falcons with 12.5 points per game, 5.8 rebounds per contest and 44 blocked shots, while ranking second with 51 assists. Liljander missed a majority of the 2016-17 campaign with an injury after placing second in the WIAC with 55 three-point field goals made and 940 minutes played in 2015-16. The Falcons will play their home games in the sparkling new 2,149-seat Don Page Arena.
 
UW-Stout has four starters back, including junior guard Kyncaide Diedrich, who distributed a conference-best 95 assists a season ago and tied for team-high scoring honors at 13.4 points per game. She was also second on squad with 6.2 rebounds per contest.
 
UW-Platteville's rotation included junior center Allison Prestegaard, who established a program record with 96 blocked shots a season ago. Her total ranks fifth on the conference's single-season list. She also led the team with 6.2 rebounds per contest, while ranking second with 9.3 points per game. Junior guard Morgan Horstman led the team with 12.9 points per game.

2017-18 Preseason Predictions--Voted on by WIAC Head Coaches and Sports Information Directors 
 
                                                2016-17 Record
1. UW-Whitewater          22-6 overall, 10-4 WIAC
2. UW-Oshkosh                26-4, 13-1
3. UW-Stevens Point      17-9, 9-5
4. UW-Eau Claire              13-13, 7-7
5. UW-La Crosse               16-11, 9-5
6. UW-River Falls              9-18, 3-11
7. UW-Stout                       7-18, 3-11
8. UW-Platteville              6-19, 2-12
 
Team Nuggets

UW-Eau Claire
Head Coach:  Tonja Englund; 18th season at UWEC; 297-171
Letterwinners Returning/Lost:  12/7
Starters Returning/Lost:  4/1
Returning All-WIAC:  Anna Graaskamp, So., F (2017-First)
 
Notable Returning Players:  Maddie Dunathan, Jr., G; Kayla Hanley, Sr., F; Hallee Hoeppner, So., G; Jenni LaCroix, Sr., G
 

UW-La Crosse
Head Coach:  Karen Middleton; 8th season (2nd at UWL); 79-132 (overall) / 16-11 (at UWL)
Letterwinners Returning/Lost:  12/5
Starters Returning/Lost:  3/2
Returning All-WIAC:  Elise DeNoyer, Sr., G (2015-Honorable, 2016-Honorable, 2017-First)
Notable Returning Players:  Sydney Kannel, Sr., G; Taylor Nelson, Sr., G; Delaney Schoenenberger, So., G; Annie Schumacher, So., G
 

UW-Oshkosh
Head Coach:  Brad Fischer; 6th season at UWO; 118-27
Letterwinners Returning/Lost:  11/5
Starters Returning/Lost:  2/3
Returning All-WIAC:  Eliza Campbell, Sr., F (2016-First, 2017-First)
Notable Returning Players:  Emma Melotik, Sr., G; Jaimee Pitt, Sr., G; Isabella Samuels, Jr., F; Madeline Staples, Sr., F
 

UW-Platteville
Head Coach:  Megan Wilson; 8th season at UWP; 58-119
Letterwinners Returning/Lost:  12/3
Starters Returning/Lost:  4/1
Returning All-WIAC:  Morgan Horstman, Jr., G (2017-Honorable); Allison Prestegaard, Jr., C (2017-Honorable, 2017-Defensive)
Notable Returning Players:  Kassie Buchholz, Jr., G; Kassie Hansen, Jr., F; Blaire Lutes, Sr., G; Lexis Macomber, Jr., F/C
 

UW-River Falls
Head Coach:  Cindy Holbrook; 18th season at UWRF; 235-210
Letterwinners Returning/Lost:  8/8
Starters Returning/Lost:  2/3
Returning All-WIAC:  Taylor Karge, Sr., F (2015-Honorable, 2016-First, 2017-First); Brynn Liljander, Sr., G (2015-First, 2016-First)
Notable Returning Players:  Taylor Paulsrud, Jr., F; Crystal Pearson, So., F; Hailey Rau, Sr., G
 
 
UW-Stevens Point
Head Coach:  Shirley Egner; 29th season at UWSP; 526-229
Letterwinners Returning/Lost:  6/7
Starters Returning/Lost:  2/3
Returning All-WIAC:  Taylor Barrett, Sr., P (2017-Honorable)
Notable Returning Players:  Lexi Roland, Sr., G; Mickey Roland, Sr., G
 
UW-Stout
Head Coach:  Mark Thomas; 31st season at UWST; 458-310
Letterwinners Returning/Lost:  8/4
Starters Returning/Lost:  4/1
Returning All-WIAC:  Kyncaide Diedrich, Jr., G (2017-Honorable)
Notable Returning Players:  Anna Brown, Sr., F; Bailey Diersen, Jr., G; Carolyn Feddema, Jr., G; Shannon Watkins, Jr., G
 
UW-Whitewater
Head Coach:  Keri Carollo; 16th season at UWW; 289-134
Letterwinners Returning/Lost:  16/5
Starters Returning/Lost:  5/0
Returning All-WIAC:  Malia Smith, Sr., G (2016-Honorable, 2016-Defensive, 2017-First, 2017-Defensive); Brooke Trewyn, Sr., G (2017-First)
 
Notable Returning Players:  Becky Deichl, Jr., C; Olivia Freckmann, Jr., F; Andrea Meinert, Sr., F; Becky Raeder, So., G