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Issued: June 10, 2008

2008-09 WOMEN'S BASKETBALL RECRUITS ANNOUNCED

EAU CLAIRE, Wis. - Head women's basketball coach Tonja Englund has announced the names of seven high school student-athletes who will continue their academic and athletic careers at UW-Eau Claire.

The seven recruits will join a Blugold program that went 23-7 overall and finished as Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Co-Champions with a 14-2 record. The Blugolds also have 11 returning letterwinners, including three starters (Heidi Arciszewski, Hannah Mesick and Heather Witt). Last season the Blugolds were undefeated against WIAC competition in Zorn Arena for the second straight year. The team advanced to the second round of the NCAA Division III Tournament and was ranked 23rd in the final Women’s Basketball Coaches Association poll. Michelle Burns picked up WIAC Player of the Year and Scholar-Athlete honors for 2007-08 and was also an honorable mention WBCA All-American selection. Burns and Arciszewski, who both hit the 1,000-point mark for their careers, also received first team All-WIAC honors while Witt received WIAC All-Defensive honors as well. The Blugolds also led the WIAC in attendance last season with almost 18,000 fans attending 30 games, including more than 11,500 in 14 games at home. During head coach Tonja Englund’s tenure, the Blugolds advanced to the NCAA tournament in 2001, 2003 and 2008, finishing third in the nation in 2003. Englund ranks as the seventh winningest coach all-time in the WIAC and was honored as the WBCA Division III National Coach of the Year in 2003.

Kaylee Cardinal

Kaylee Cardinal, a guard from Arrowhead High School, will attend UW-Eau Claire and play basketball next fall, Blugold head coach Tonja Englund has announced.

The 5-9 Cardinal played for head coach Heidi Hamilton and was a three-time letterwinner and two-year starter for the Warhawks. During her senior season, Cardinal led her team to a Classic 8 Conference championship and scored 23 points in the WIAA Division I sectional final game in the eventual loss to State Champion Milwaukee Vincent. Cardinal led the Warhawks in points per game (13.0) and rebounds per game (6.33) this year, on her way to being named team MVP. Cardinal received first team Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) honors and was also a third team Associated Press All-State selection. She was ranked as one of the top 50 high school girls’ basketball players in Wisconsin this year by wishoops.net. Cardinal also received Player of the Year honors for both the Classic 8 Conference and Lake Country Publications, and was a first team All-Conference and Freeman’s All-County selection. She will compete in the WBCA Division I All-Star Game later in June. During her junior season Cardinal was a second team All-Conference and fourth team All-County recipient, as well as a member of the Lake Country Team.

Cardinal was also a three-time letterwinner and starter as a defender for Arrowhead’s soccer team and was an honorable mention All-Conference selection her junior year.

Outside of athletics Cardinal was a member of the National Honor Society, the principal’s cabinet and the student senate.

Cardinal is the daughter of Dennis and Sue Cardinal.

Tessa Feyereisen

Tessa Feyereisen, a guard from River Falls High School, will attend UW-Eau Claire and play basketball next fall, Blugold head coach Tonja Englund has announced.

The 5-9 Feyereisen played for head coach Kyle Igou and was a three-time letterwinner and starter for the Wildcats. Feyereisen served as team captain during her senior season and was a first team All-Conference selection, after being an honorable mention recipient the season before. Also during her final season with the Wildcats Feyereisen led the team in assists, was the second leading scorer (10.9 points per game), averaged 3.8 rebounds per game and shot 69-percent from the free throw line. Feyereisen was also a fourth team All-Northwest selection this year. Feyereisen was a driving force in helping her team’s overall record improve each season throughout high school. The team went 3-17 during Feyereisen’s freshman season, but with constant improvement each year, the Wildcats posted a record of 13-9 this year, their best record in the last four seasons.

Feyereisen was a starter in softball during her freshman and sophomore years and a starter in soccer her junior and senior years. She received All-Conference honorable mention recognition once in both sports and was a first team All-Conference selection in soccer this season. She was also her soccer team’s captain this year.

Outside of athletics Feyereisen was part of the ecology club, C-A-T-S and Cruzando. She was also selected as her high school’s student of the month.

Feyereisen is the daughter of Randy and Jana Feyereisen.

Jess Freagon

Jess Freagon, a guard/forward from Chippewa Falls McDonell Central High School, will attend UW-Eau Claire and play basketball next fall, Blugold head coach Tonja Englund has announced.

The 5-10 Freagon played for head coach Kurt Geissler and was a three-time letterwinner and starter for the Macks. During her senior season Freagon led her team as a captain. She also earned honorable mention All-Conference and All-Northwest recognition this season. During Freagon’s junior year she was a second team All-Conference selection.

Freagon also played volleyball and softball in high school. In volleyball she was a three-time letterwinner and starter, and served as team captain this season. Freagon received first team All-Conference and All-Northwest Team honors her junior and seniors seasons, while she was an honorable mention selection her sophomore year. Freagon’s team won conference the past three seasons. In softball Freagon was a four-time letterwinner and starter, and also served as captain this season. She received second team All-Conference honors, while her team won the conference title all four years she was on the team. In 2005 the softball team was the state runner-up, but this season she helped lead her team to a WIAA Division IV title.

Freagon was also named the Cloverbelt’s Scholar-Athlete this season and received McDonell’s Father Mack Award. Freagon was selected to participate in the Wisconsin High School Basketball All-Star game and will also be part of the Softball All-Star team. She will also play softball next year for the Blugolds, who claimed the NCAA Division III title this year.

Outside of athletics Freagon was a member of the National Honor Society, Student Council, Math Team and Spanish Club. She was also part of the McDonell Tutor Program, was a student ambassador and Youth Rotar. Freagon received high honors all four years in high school and was selected as the Hallie Optimist Club’s Student of the Month.

Freagon is the daughter of Dan and Connie Freagon.

Brittni Hover

Brittni Hover, a guard from Clayton High School, will attend UW-Eau Claire and play basketball next fall, Blugold head coach Tonja Englund has announced.

The 5-7 Hover played for head coach Jeff Luoma and was a four-time letterwinner and starter for the Bears. Hover served as her team’s captain both her junior and senior seasons and was also the team’s MVP four times. For her career Hover averaged 16.5 points per game, 7.7 assists per game, 6.5 rebounds per game and 3.8 steals per game. In addition, Hover made 238 career three-pointers. She was also a four-time All-Conference selection, a third team All-Northwest selection and also earned first team Associated Press All-State honors during her junior and senior years. Hover scored more than 1,000 points during her high school career and was one of the top 50 players in Wisconsin as selected by wishoops.net. She led the Lakeland Central Conference in scoring, while her team went 86-4 over the last four years and finished as conference champions all four years as well. Hover will participate in the WBCA Division IV All-Star game later in June.

Outside of athletics Hover was a member of student council for two years and was vice president for one. She also received recognition on both high honor roll and honor roll during her high school career.

Hover is the daughter of Mickey and Shana Hover.

Laura Olson

Laura Olson, a point guard from Osseo-Fairchild High School, will attend UW-Eau Claire and play basketball next fall, Blugold head coach Tonja Englund has announced.

The 5-5 Olson played for head coach Matt Korger and was a four-time letterwinner and starter for the Chieftains. Olson was a two-time team captain and received MVP honors during her sophomore and junior seasons. She was also selected as Ms. Offense for her team this season. Olson was selected as one of the top 50 players in Wisconsin by wishoops.net. She received honorable mention All-State recognition this season, first team All-Conference honors the past three seasons, second team All-Northwest accolades her junior year and was a third team All-Northwest selection her senior year. Olson was part of a team that went 78-18 during her four years in high school, including a record of 21-4 this year when her team finished as Western Cloverbelt Co-Champions. Olson’s team was also a state participant her junior year. She will participate in the WBCA Division III All-Star game this month.

Olson was also a four-time letterwinner and starter on her high school softball team and a two-time letterwinner and starter for the volleyball team. She was the team captain for volleyball during her junior season and a team captain for softball her last two seasons. In softball Olson earned honorable mention All-Conference recognition her junior year.

Outside of athletics Olson was a member of the National Honor Society, Student Council, was her senior class president and the student body’s representative on the school board. She also participated in band and jazz band. Olson graduated with highest honors.

Olson is the daughter of Brian and Colette Olson.

Ellen Plendl

Ellen Plendl, a center from Chippewa Falls McDonell Central High School, will attend UW-Eau Claire and play basketball next fall, Blugold head coach Tonja Englund has announced.

The 6-5 Plendl played for head coach Kurt Geissler and was a three-time letterwinner and starter for the Macks. For her senior season, Plendl was honored with the team’s most inspirational award and the team player award. She earned second team All-Conference and All-County honors as well. Plendl was also an All-Northwest honorable mention selection this season and finished as the fifth leading scoring in the conference with 12.8 points per game.

Plendl also lettered twice in track and once in volleyball in high school. In volleyball Plendl led her team in blocks and kills her senior year. In track she was a state qualifier this year after finishing as the runner-up at sectionals, regionals, and at the conference meet. She also earned Field MVP honors at the William DeJung Invite this season.

Outside of athletics Plendl was a member of the National Honor Society, choir, show choir, Spanish Club, as well as being a peer tutor and church volunteer.

Plendl is the daughter of Steven and Ann Plendl.

Katie Pospishil

Katie Pospishil, a forward from Eau Claire Memorial High School, will attend UW-Eau Claire and play basketball next fall, Blugold head coach Tonja Englund has announced.

The 6-1 Pospishil played for head coach Steve Smith and was a four-time letterwinner and starter for the Old Abes, who finished as tri-champions in the Big Rivers Conference this year. Pospishil earned first team All-Conference honors this season, as well as being named to the Academic All-Conference team. She was also selected to the All-Northwest first team and received recognition as an Associated Press All-State honorable mention recipient this year. Pospishil has been a team captain the past two seasons and earned offensive MVP honors all four years in high school. Pospishil was the second leading scorer in the Big Rivers Conference this season with 14.6 points per game. She was selected to participate in the WBCA Division I All-Star Game this year.

Pospishil was also a four-time letterwinner in softball and a two-time letterwinner in volleyball. In softball Pospishil was a second team All-State selection and a first team All-Conference selection last season. She also received Academic All-Conference honors last season and led the team with the highest batting average. In volleyball Pospishil was a second team All-Conference selection this season.

Outside of athletics Pospishil was a member of the Future Business Leaders of America and Link Crew. She was also on the honor roll each year in high school.

Pospishil is the daughter of Gary and Joan Pospishil.

- KM -

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