Women's Basketball May 10, 2017

Milwaukee Selected For 2017 Preseason WNIT

Panthers to make second appearance in tournament, first since 2005

MILWAUKEE – The first pieces of the 2017-18 Milwaukee women's basketball schedule emerged Wednesday, as the Panthers will be part of the 16-team field for the 24^th annual Preseason Women's National Invitational Tournament (WNIT), according to an announcement from the event's organizer, Triple Crown Sports.

Milwaukee will play at least three games, and as many as four contests, in the tournament which will be played at campus sites around the country in mid-November. First-round pairings, as well as game locations, dates and times will be released in the coming weeks.

"We are thrilled and honored to be invited to such a premier early season tournament," Milwaukee head coach Kyle Rechlicz said. "Every team in the field is elite, and to be grouped in with these caliber of teams goes to show how far we have come in the last few seasons. Our team is excited to compete in the Preseason WNIT and we will be ready both physically and mentally for the challenge."

The Panthers are among the eight teams in this year's Preseason WNIT that advanced to postseason play in 2016-17, led by Elite Eight qualifier Oregon. In addition to the Ducks, last year's Drake, perennial power Louisville, Texas A&M and Toledo teams all also were part of the Big Dance last March.

Additional postseason qualifiers in this year's field including Michigan, which won the WNIT in a triple-overtime thriller last season, and Saint Francis (PA), which earned a berth to the WBI and won its first postseason game in program history before falling at home to Milwaukee in the second round.

Rounding out the 2017 Preseason WNIT field are: CSU Northridge, George Mason, Houston, Liberty, Louisiana, New Orleans, Old Dominion and Southeast Missouri State.

No more than one team per conference is invited to the tournament each year, and all but three schools (CSU Northridge, Houston and Louisiana) are making at least their second go around in the event. Invitations are issued to schools based upon expected strength for the upcoming 2017-18 season, as well as past team history. Other factors such as conference results, fan base and geographical location are also taken into consideration.

Milwaukee will be making its second appearance in the Preseason WNIT. Its first showing came back in 2005 when the tournament operated under a strict bracket format. The opening pairing sent UWM to powerhouse Oklahoma in the first game of the season, with the Sooners coming out on top on its way to a runner-up finish behind only UCONN.

The Panthers also qualified for the Postseason WNIT just over one year ago at the end of the 2015-16 campaign, nearly pulling off the upset at Minnesota before coming up just short, 87-80.

Of the other 15 teams in this year's field, Milwaukee has played six during the program's 27-year history and has a winning or .500 record against three of them.

This marks the second-straight year the Horizon League has been represented in the Preseason WNIT field and is 4-9 all-time in the event.

Next season, Milwaukee is expected to return three starters. Seniors-to-be Steph Kostowicz and Jenny Lindner both reached the 1,000-point, 500-rebound plateaus last year, leading the team in both categories. Bailey Farley was a big addition to the team, averaging 8.1 points and 3.1 rebounds/game as a junior, while Lizzie Odegard returns for her sophomore season after earning Horizon League All-Freshman honors last year.

For more information on the WNIT, visit womensnit.com or click on the link at the top of the story.

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Players Mentioned

#4 Bailey Farley: G; 5' 10"; Junior

#32 Steph Kostowicz: F; 6' 2"; Junior

#20 Jenny Lindner: G; 6' 0"; Junior

#45 Lizzie Odegard: F; 6' 0"; Freshman

Players Mentioned

#4 Bailey Farley
: 5' 10"; Junior
: G

#32 Steph Kostowicz
: 6' 2"; Junior
: F

#20 Jenny Lindner
: 6' 0"; Junior
: G

#45 Lizzie Odegard
: 6' 0"; Freshman
: F