Kaili Lukan

Women’s Horizon League awards unveiled

March 8, 2016 By Bill Scott

The Green Bay Phoenix women’s basketball team saw three players receive recognition on Tuesday afternoon as the Horizon League released its postseason awards. Senior guard Kaili Lukan was named the Defensive Player of the Year as well as the all-league second team and all-defensive team. Mehryn Kraker and Jessica Lindstrom were also tabbed to the all-league second team and all-defensive team, respectively.

Despite running away with its 18th-straight Horizon League Championship and finishing with a four-game lead in the final standings at 16-2, the Phoenix (26-4, 16-2) was again left without a player on the First Team for the third-consecutive year. Green Bay had placed at least one player on the First Team in 15-straight years prior to the two previous seasons, speaking to the balanced attack the Phoenix has employed.

Lukan garnered the program’s first Defensive Player of the Year award since Julie Wojta accomplished the feat in the 2011-12 season. The guard also secured spots on the all-league second team, the second of her career, and all-defensive team. [Read more…]

Phoenix win women’s Horizon League opener

January 2, 2016 By Bill Scott

Kaili Lukan

Preseason favorite Green Bay started their Horizon League season with a convincing 63-42 win over rival Milwaukee on Friday afternoon at the Klotsche Center.

The Panthers (5-6, 0-1 HL) shot just 24.5% from the field, including just five of 20 from three-point range.

The Phoenix (11-2, 1-0) outscored the Panthers 28-12 in the paint, winning their eighth straight game.

Guard Kaili Lukan hit 8-of-12 from the field to lead Green Bay with 17 points. Allie LeClaire added 15 points and center Lexi Weitzer pulled down 16 rebounds.

For the Panthers, sophomore guard Jenny Lindner was the only player in double figures with 12 points.

Green Bay’s Lukan Named Horizon League Player of the Week

November 16, 2015 By Bill Scott

Green Bay Phoenix senior Kaili Lukan has been named the Horizon League Player of the Week.

Lukan led Green Bay with 22 points in last Friday’s 75-55 season opening victory over the Marquette Golden Eagles. Lukan also pulled down ten rebounds in the win, notching the second double-double of her career.

Lukan hit 8-of-17 from the field and three-of-five from beyond the arc.

Lukan’s performance helped Green Bay to its 900th program victory, a milestone that no other division one team in the state of Wisconsin has reached.

The Phoenix women return to the court this Saturday at the Kress Events Center to face Vanderbilt (1 p.m. tipoff).

Phoenix women ousted in NCAA Tournament opener

March 23, 2015 By Bill Scott

Tesha Buck – Photo: Green Bay Phoenix Athletics

The ninth-seeded Green Bay Phoenix women gave undefeated and eighth-seeded Princeton all it could handle in Saturday’s NCAA Women’s Tournament opener; however, the Tigers prevailed 80-70 in College Park, Maryland.

Green Bay seemingly had an answer for every Princeton run, but could not stop the Ivy League champions on the inside. The Tigers owned a 49-22 edge on the boards, including 17 offensive rebounds. It added up to 19-4 advantage on points in the paint.

Mehryn Kraker drained five 3-pointers and shot 8-of-16 en route to a game-high 21 points. Kaili Lukan added 17 points and Tesha Buck 14. Buck finished 1-of-9 from beyond the arc. [Read more…]

Green Bay women land spot in NCAA field

March 16, 2015 By Bill Scott

Tesha Buck – Photo: Green Bay Phoenix Athletics

Tesha Buck scored 24 points and freshman Allie LeClaire added 17 as the Green Bay Phoenix women knocked off Wright State 86-77 in overtime, laying claim to the Horizon League Tournament championship.

Green Bay (28-4) improved to 13-4 all time in Horizon League Championship games. They avenged a loss to the Raiders in last years Tournament Championship game.

Buck was named the Tournament’s MVP. She added 10 rebounds to her [Read more…]

Lukan’s career high lifts Green Bay

March 14, 2015 By Bill Scott

Kaili Lukan

Two days after scoring a season high 24 points against Milwaukee, Kaili Lukan scored a career high 27 points to lead the Green Bay Phoenix women to a 63-54 win over Youngstown State in the Horizon League Tournament semifinals at the Kress Center in Green Bay.

The Phoenix (27-4) held off a late charge from fourth-seeded Youngstown State (21-10). The Penguins cut a 51-34 deficit to three points (55-52) before Green Bay clamped down on defense and pulled away for the win.

The win sets up a Championship game rematch against Wright State (25-7) on Sunday at 2 p.m. at the Kress Center. Wright State knocked off Green Bay in last year’s Horizon League title game. The Raiders set a tournament single-game scoring record with a 99-87 win over third-seeded Cleveland State (19-12) in Friday’s first semifinal.

Green Bay and Wright State have accounted for the past four championships in the Horizon League Tournament. The Phoenix won both regular season meetings between the two teams.

Lukan leads Green Bay past Milwaukee

March 12, 2015 By Bill Scott

Kaili Lukan

Junior guard Kaili Lukan poured in 24 points on Wednesday night to lead the Green Bay Phoenix to a 74-62 win over the rival Milwaukee Panthers in the Horizon League Tournament quarterfinals at the Kress Center.

Lukan hit 7 of 11 from the field and 10 of 12 from the free throw line. She also added three steals that turned into baskets to help the Phoenix win their 9th straight game and improve to 26-4 on the season.

Mehryn Kraker added 14 points and 11 rebounds for Green Bay.

The win for Green Bay means they’re hosting Friday’s Horizon League Semifinals. Cleveland State will battle Wright State in the opener at 5 p.m., and the Phoenix follows in a game against Youngstown State (7:30 p.m.).

Green Bay just played Youngstown State in the second to last regular season game. The two teams met in Youngstown, Ohio and the Phoenix throttled the Penguins 73-27. YSU made just 6 of 40 field goals in that contest.

Green Bay is expecting a stiffer challenge from the 4th seeded Penguins in Friday’s semifinals.

UWGB routs Titans in exhibition

November 7, 2014 By Bill Scott

Green Bay coach Kevin Borseth – Photo/Green Bay Athletics

Mehryn Kraker scored 15 points to lead the UW-Green Bay Phoenix women’s basketball team to a 61-34 win over UW-Oshkosh in the final exhibition tune-up prior to the start of the regular season.

Kraker hit 7 of 9 from the field and pulled down 6 rebounds in the win.

Sam Terry added 12 points for the Phoenix.Taylor Schmidt, Eliza Campbell and Alex Richard each scored six points for the Titans.

The Phoenix now get ready for their regular season opener, Nov. 15 at Marquette.

Phoenix picked to win HL

For the seventh consecutive season, the Green Bay women’s basketball team enters the season as the Horizon League preseason favorite [Read more…]