The Warhawk women's basketball team will head to Greencastle, Ind. and the campus of DePauw University for NCAA Division III Sectional competition Friday and Saturday, March 14-15. Click here to visit the UW-Whitewater Championship Website for the latest information on tickets, directions and parking and links to live video, live audio and live stats.

UW-W (24-4) will face Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference foe, UW-Oshkosh (26-3) Friday, March 14 at 4:00 CT. DePauw (29-1) will host Carthage (26-3) in the second game of the evening for a chance to advance to the Elite 8 game scheduled for 6:00 CT Saturday, March 15. The Warhawks have advanced to the Sweet 16 twice under Coach Carollo advancing to the Final Four both times with a national-runner up finish last season and third place finish in 2008. 

UW-Whitewater's journey through the NCAA tournament began with a 79-72 win over Concordia-Moorhead in the first round hosted by the University of St. Thomas. The win was the 230th career victory for head coach Keri Carollo making her the winningest coach in program history. Five Warhawks scored in double figures led by 16 off the hand of Mary Merg (Greendale/Greendale). UW-W knocked out the host Tommies in the second round 87-78 to advance to the Sweet 16. Kristen Ruchti (Brodhead/Brodhead), a midseason addition to the roster, led UW-W with 25 points on 12-15 from the floor and added seven rebounds. Merg added 22 points and seven boards in the contest. 

In NCAA play this season, UW-W averages 83 points per game shooting nearly 43% from the floor and 81% from the charity stripe. Defensively, the Warhawks allow 79 points per game. Individually, Whitewater is led by Merg's 19 points, 4.5 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game in the postseason. Ruchti comes off the bench to score 18.5 per game and grab 7.5 boards. Kaitlyn Thill (Belgium/Ozaukee) posts 12.5 points, 3 assists and 3.5 steals per game in NCAA play this season. 

The Warhawks won the WIAC with a perfect 16-0 record. UW-W received an at-large bid into the NCAA DIII Tournament for the seventh consecutive season. Whitewater is 10-1 at home, 12-1 on the road and 2-2 at neutral sites this season.

UW-Whitewater is all too familiar with their sectional opponent in UW-Oshkosh. The Warhawks won the WIAC title with the Titans finishing second but UW-O received the league's automatic bid into the NCAA tournament with the WIAC Championship. The two teams have met twice this season with UW-W coming out on top both times. Whitewater won 72-66 at home and then traveled to Oshkosh to win 64-46 later in the season. 

The Titans topped Saint Mary's (MN) 71-61 in their first round game followed by a 72-66 win over Washington-University to advance to the Sweet 16. UW-O is led by senior center Sarah Stecker's 11.9 points and 6 rebounds per game. Junior forward Katelyn Kuehl adds 10.2 points and 7.4 boards per game this season. 


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