By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
The 2023-24 Washburn University women's basketball team was picked eighth in the MIAA Preseason Coaches Poll and tapped for a 10th-place finish in the media poll released Tuesday morning by the conference in Kansas City, Mo.
Senior point guard Aubree Dewey led Washburn's women's basketball team in scoring, assists and steals last season. [Photo courtesy of Washburn Athletics]
Sophomore Gabi (Artis) Giovannetti averaged 7.7 points with 37 3-pointers for the WU women's basketball team as a freshman. [File photo/TSN]
The Ichabods went 11-17 overall and 7-15 in the MIAA last season in the Ichabods' first season under head coach Lora Westling, a former WU standout.
Washburn returns six players from last year's team while adding one transfer and a six-player freshman class.
Top returners for Washburn include seniors Aubree Dewey, Mackenzie Gamble and Lakyn Shieferecke and sophomores Gabi (Artis) Giovannetti and Yibari Nwidadah.
Dewey, a 5-foot-7 point guard, led the 2022-2023 Ichabods in scoring (10.7 points per game), assists (100) and steals (34).
Giovannetti averaged 7.7 points with 37 3-pointers as a freshman while Nwidadah led the Ichabods in rebounding, averaging 5.8 boards a game.
Central Missouri was picked to finish first in both the coaches and media polls, followed by Missouri Western in both polls.
Washburn got 76 points in the Coaches Poll, just ahead of Central Oklahoma and Emporia State, which were tied for ninth with 72 points.
In the Media Poll the Ichabods received 114 points and were just behind Central Oklahoma in ninth and ahead of Newman in 11th.
Washburn opens the season in Shawnee, Oklahoma against Southwestern Oklahoma State on Friday, Nov. 10 at 1 p.m.
MIAA WOMEN'S BASKETBALL COACHES POLL
1. Central Missouri [11] – 167 points
2. Missouri Western [2] – 153 points
3. Pittsburg State – 147 points
4. Fort Hays State – 131 points
5. Missouri Southern – 116 points
6. Nebraska Kearney – 111 points
7. Northwest Missouri – 100 points
8. Washburn – 76 points
T9. Central Oklahoma – 72 points
T9. Emporia State – 72 points
11. Northeastern State – 45 points
12. Lincoln – 41 points
13. Rogers State – 25 points
14. Newman – 18 points
MIAA WOMEN'S BASKETBALL MEDIA POLL
1. Central Missouri [14] – 283 points
2. Missouri Western [3] – 266 points
3. Pittsburg State [1] – 245 points
4. Fort Hays State – 219 points
5. Nebraska Kearney [3] – 218 points
6. Northwest Missouri – 191 points
7. Missouri Southern – 186 points
8. Emporia State – 149 points
9. Central Oklahoma – 132 points
10. Washburn – 114 points
11. Newman – 71 points
12. Lincoln – 62 points
13. Northeastern State – 53 points
14. Rogers State – 31 points
