The Leader

After finishing second or better in each of the last seven seasons and coming off one of the best seasons in school history, the 2006-07 University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee women’s basketball team is not going to see expectations diminish.

UWM is destined to repeat their accomplishments from last year when they won the Horizon League tournament championship and shared the regular season title, and made only their second NCAA tournament appearance.  

The Panthers are picked to finish second behind perennial powerhouse University of Wisconsin-Green Bay in the league’s preseason poll, according to league coaches, sports information directors and media members.

“Expectations never change for us,” said Sandy Botham, who is heading into her tenth season as head coach at UWM. “Last year we shared the title with Green Bay, so this year we want to be the lone champions, win the league tournament and punch our ticket to the NCAA tournament.”

The loss of starters Nichole Drummond and Molly O’Brien from last year’s squad is part of the reason UWM was not picked to finish first this season. To make up for the loss, the Panthers return two-fifths of the league’s all-newcomers team to their starting lineup, and welcomes young talent looking to make an immediate impact.

UWM lacks experience and big play ability from players in pressure situations, which Botham thinks is her team’s biggest flaw.

“I think experience is going to be our biggest weakness,” she said. “But I also think we will see improvements made in time with game experience.”

Success for the Panthers revolves around the return of starters, Traci Edwards and Meredith Onson. This dynamic duo helped UWM to a school record 22 wins in the 2005-06 season.

Edwards, who was a first team all-league and newcomer of the year performer last season as a freshman, has the burden of leading UWM back to another NCAA tournament. This sophomore is one of, if not the best centers in the Horizon league; therefore, her production is vital to the Panthers.

“Edwards hopefully can get us the same numbers that she did this past year, if not more,” Botham said of her outstanding center. “The expectations will remain the same with Traci.”

Onson, who is a preseason all-league second team pick and part of the all-newcomer team last year, is making the move to the off-guard position to get a better opportunity to score and pick up the lost point production UWM faces without Drummond and O’ Brien.

Botham already knows what Edwards and Onson offer, but during the preseason has seen improvement and maturity from the rest of her young players.

One person maturing fast is Jodie McClain, a strong and aggressive true freshman from Westerville, Ohio. McClain has played herself into the starting point guard slot with her ability to get to the hoop and her exceptional leadership qualities. Junior forward Dana Schultz, an all around consistent player who is coming off a knee injury and senior guard Aubrey Hampton will look to solidify the Panthers rotation.

Besides contending for a second straight Horizon League title, Botham wants her team to make a name for itself in non-conference play.

A brutal non-conference schedule against teams with 2006 postseason experience awaits UWM as they travel to South Florida, Miami, University of Wisconsin-Madison, and Iowa State. The biggest non-conference home game is against cross-town rival Marquette University.

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