By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn University senior women's basketball standouts Yibari Nwidadah, Payton Sterk and Gabi Giovannetti, who helped lead the Ichabods to a 21-7 regular-season record, received All-MIAA recognition on Tuesday.
The three Ichabods on the All-MIAA team are the most for the program since 2018-19.
Yibari Nwidadah, Washburn University
Nwidadah earned first-team all-conference honors along with being named to the All-Defensive team. Nwidadah moved up to the first team after being a second-team pick in 2024-2025.
Payton Sterk, Washburn University
Gabi Giovannetti, Washburn University
Sterk was named to the second team for the second straight year in a row while Giovannetti received honorable mention for the first time in her career.
Nwidadah became Washburn's first All-MIAA first-team selection since Laura Kinderknecht in the 2012-13 season. She was also selected to the five-member MIAA All-Defensive team for the second year in a row. She joins Crystal Walker in 2002-03 as the only Ichabod to be named a first team All-MIAA selection and earn All-Defensive team honors as well.
Nwidadah is second on the team with an 11.5 scoring average while shooting a team-high 57.5 percent and grabbing a team-high 7.3 rebounds.
The Olathe native is ninth in the MIAA in rebounding while helping anchor a defense that leads the conference in turnovers forced at 17.79 per game and holds opponents to 57.6 points per game, best in the MIAA.
Sterk leading the team in scoring at 12.3 points per game while shooting 38.0 percent from the floor and 34.5 percent from 3-point range. The Colorado Springs, Colo. native has started in all 28 games, logging a team-high 31.4 minutes per game. Sterk is 10th in the MIAA in 3-pointers per game.
Giovannetti earned the first All-MIAA honor of her career after averaging 11.1 points while shooting 41.1 percent from the floor and 35.7 percent from deep. The Shawnee native leads the team with 1.6 steals per game.
Washburn went 14-5 in the MIAA to earn the third seed in the conference tournament and will face the No. 6 seed Pittsburg State to begin postseason play in Kansas City, Mo. at 2:15 p.m. Friday in Municipal Auditorium.
ALL-MIAA WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
ALL-DEFENSIVE TEAM
Jerney Bennett – Central Oklahoma, So.Sadie Maas – Northwest Missouri, So.
Yibari Nwidadah -- Washburn, Sr.
Ana Oliveira Dias – Missouri Western, Jr.
Taylor Weishaar – Central Missouri, So.
ALL-MIAA FIRST TEAM
Brooke Loewe – Fort Hays State, Sr.
Reese Schaaf – Central Missouri, Sr.
Talexa Weeter – Fort Hays State, Jr.
Taylor Weishaar – Central Missouri, So.
Ashlyn Alloway – Missouri Southern, Jr.
Jillian Aschoff – Nebraska Kearney, R-Sr.
Grace Frazier – Missouri Southern, So.
Mia Morel – Missouri Western, Sr.
Payton Sterk -- Washburn, Sr.
ALL-MIAA THIRD TEAM
Gracie Gilpin – Emporia State, Sr.
Olivia Mortensen – Fort Hays State, Fr.
Kaitlyn Sanders – Emporia State, Gr.
Harper Schreiner – Pittsburg State, Sr.
McKenzie Smith – Northeastern State, So.
Myleigh Weers – Nebraska Kearney, Fr.
(team reflects ties in voting)
ALL-MIAA HONORABLE MENTION
Arkansas-Fort Smith – Telisha Brown, Sr.
Missouri Southern – Nariah Clay, So.
Missouri Western – Ana Oliveira Dias, Jr.
Missouri Western – Nakiya Harris, Jr.
Newman – Jaeden McMillin, Jr.
Northwest Missouri – Bailey Birmingham, Fr.
Northwest Missouri – Sadie Maas, So.
Pittsburg State – Ja'Miya Brown, Jr.
Pittsburg State – Marin Adams, Fr.
Rogers State – Samantha Shanks, Sr.
Washburn – Gabi Giovannetti, Sr.
