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Issued: November 14, 2007

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL OPENS SEASON AGAINST RANKED LUTHER

EAU CLAIRE, Wis. – The UW-Eau Claire women’s basketball season opens this weekend against ninth-ranked Luther College. Luther and UW-Eau Claire are ranked in the USA Today ESPN Coaches Poll.

Luther is coming off a great 24-5 record from the 2006-07 season. Luther was the 2006-07 Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Champion (IIAC). The Norse also return four starters and seven letterwinners. They reached the third round of the NCAA Tournament. Luther has the reigning IIAC Conference Player of the Year in Blair Ernst. Ernst averaged 13.7 points per game, 6.5 rebounds per game, and 1.6 assists per game. Ashley TeKippe returns with a 9.9 points per game average from last season. TeKippe also averaged 7.9 rebounds per game and 2.8 blocks per game. Point guard Danielle Dunnwald also returns with a 4.4 rebounds per game, 2.0 assists per game, and 4.0 steals per game.

Last season the Blugolds had a 19-9 record and a 11-5 record in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC). The Blugolds return 11 letterwinners and all five starters. Key players returning for the Blugolds are guard Heidi Arciszewski (Jr.-Thorp, WI) and forward Michelle Burns (Sr.-Eau Claire, WI/North). Both Arciszewski and Burns were First Team All-WIAC. Arciszewski averaged 12.6 points per game and led the team in free throw percentage. Burns, who also was on the All-WIAC Defensive Team, led the Blugolds in rebounding (7.5 per game) and blocked shots (10).

The game against Luther is this Saturday, November 17 in Decorah, Iowa. The action starts at 3 p.m.

- SB-

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