MILWAUKEE – On Wednesday, Milwaukee women's basketball announced the addition of two players to its roster for the 2027-28 season. The program will be adding Rita Kuepper, a guard from Hartford, Wis, and Beth Langebartels, a guard/forward from Brookfield, Wis.
 
Head coach Kyle Rechlicz and the women's basketball coaching staff is excited to welcome the new additions to the roster.
 
"Our staff's focus this summer was to keep some of the best local talent in the Milwaukee area at home and we did just that," commented Rechlicz. "Rita and Beth have been playing basketball together in the summers since third grade and now they will be playing college together."
 
"They play very well together while each bringing their own unique skill sets to our team," Rechlicz added. "They both work hard at their crafts, and I believe that both will have the opportunity to make an impact early in their careers here at Milwaukee."
 
KUEPPER
A 5-7 guard from Hartford, Wis., Kuepper is a two-sport athlete at Hartford Union High School, competing for the Oriole basketball and golf programs. Kuiper had a hand in helping the 2024 Orioles qualify for the WIAA State Tournament after a season in which she was selected as an All-North Shore Conference Third Team member.
 
Later in her high school career, she earned second team All-Conference honors as a sophomore and was a member of the first team this past season as a junior, helping the team to North Shore Conference titles in each of her three seasons to date.
 
Individually, Kuepper reached 1,000 career points this past January during her junior season and set a Hartford Union record with nine three-point makes in a game this past season.
 
In addition to her success on the court, she has been a three-time Academic All-State selection and has also earned both high honor roll and honor roll status throughout her time at Hartford Union. She is currently undecided on her academic major upon arrival to UW-Milwaukee.
 
"Rita is going to be a point guard that people remember at Milwaukee," commented Rechlicz. "She is a very skilled scorer and knows how to make everyone around her better with her ability to distribute and create opportunities. She has been fortunate to play for some outstanding coaches throughout her career, and that experience shows in her basketball IQ, understanding of the game, and ability to make great decisions on the floor."
 
"Just as importantly, Rita comes from a wonderful family that has played an important role in helping shape the person and player she is today," Rechlicz said. "We are excited about what she will bring to our program, and we look forward to watching her continue to grow and make an impact as a Panther here in the near future."
 
LANGEBARTELS
Hailing from Brookfield, Wis., Langebartels is a 6-0 guard/forward that is a member of the Vikings basketball program at Wisconsin Lutheran High School on Milwaukee's west side. Langebartels is also a two-sport athlete in high school, competing for the softball team in the spring.
 
A three-time All-Conference player in the Woodland Conference, Langebartels earned All-Conference honorable mention status as a freshman following a season in which she averaged better than nine points per game. As a sophomore, she earned second-team All-Conference honors, averaging 11.4 points and 3.2 rebounds per game, then later earned first team All-Conference honors as a junior after scoring 12.2 points and 5.3 rebounds per game.
 
In addition to her success on the basketball court, where she has been a team captain the past two seasons, Langebartels earned first-team All-Conference honors as a junior in softball. She has also been named an All-Conference Scholar Athlete this past season in basketball. She is currently undecided in terms of her major in college.
 
"We are really excited to welcome Beth to our Panther family," said Rechlicz. "At her height, she brings a skill set that will add a lot of versatility to our frontcourt. She's able to stretch the floor with her shooting, but what has really impressed us is the growth in her overall game. She took a tremendous step forward this past summer, becoming quicker and more explosive while developing her ability to attack off the dribble to create opportunities for herself and her teammates."
 
"Having grown up in a basketball family, Beth has an outstanding feel for the game and that is something you can't teach," Rechlicz added. "We have gotten to know Beth's family well over the years. We know they will be a wonderful addition to our program, as well. We are excited about Beth's potential and can't wait to get her on campus and continue helping her develop as a player and person."