After earning tenth place in the Big Ten, the University of Wisconsin women’s basketball team had quite a season.
Beginning their 2023-24 season with a three-game winning streak turned into a never-ending wave of wins and losses until their final game. This final game occurred on March 7 after the Badgers lost to the Penn State Nittany Lions. Consequently, placing the team out of the Big Ten tournament and bringing their season to a close.
The end of any season is emotional for everyone. New players will replace those who are graduating or transferring to other schools for new opportunities.
Brooke Schramek, in her latest press conference, said, “…have fun every day… take advantage of every single day that you have… go out with your teammates because one day you’re not going to be a part of a team anymore.”
Schramek’s recommendations are crucial to fulfilling the most out of one’s Badger experience. Evidently, her goal was not to evoke sadness in her teammates, coaches, and those who have watched her grow up playing the sport she has dedicated her life to, but instead to bring awareness to her appreciation and how her teammates should cherish the opportunities that will come ahead.
Scharmek, to the Badgers, gave the team 223 points during this 2023-24 season assisting to the position of tenth place in the Big Ten. Throughout her four years of playing at the Kohl Center while receiving guidance from two separate coaches, Scharmek has gained 843 points, 403 assists, and 2,858 minutes playing.
For Natalie Leuzinger, it doesn’t feel real that after the loss against Penn State, she will not be playing with all her teammates again, those people who she sees as family. Concluding the regular season against Michigan State, Leuizinger explained how the true emotion of it all had not yet hit her. However, she believes that it will start to set in after the Badgers compete in the WNIT.
Star senior along with Scharmek, Leuzinger had played 1,096 minutes only in her final two years as a Badger and in addition, hitting over 200 points just this season.
The Badgers, including head coach Marisa Moseley, will be grieving the losses of these two seniors. However, the recovery will be fast-paced while the team figures out how to bridge this gap on the team while rebuilding before the next tip-off.
The start of next season shouldn’t be a problem for Moseley’s team. While not having two seniors may be an adjustment, the Badgers will thrive with current sophomore Serah Williams on the court. As a sophomore this season, Williams beat the Big Ten double-double record during the team’s final game against Penn State.
The double-double in the Big Ten is getting two of the following five plays in double digits. This can be through points, assists, rebounds, steals, and blocks. Williams was able to beat this record by attaining ten points while pairing with her 10 rebounds.
This past season Serah Williams was a top player for the Badgers, but can she overcome the past precedents of elite players like Scharmenk and Leuzinger?
While Williams is only a sophomore she has secured 875 points as of the team’s final game this season. With only two seasons behind her, she has already hit a playing time of over 1600 minutes. Serah Williams is already on her way to breaking records and achieving titles with the Badgers.
Wisconsin’s all-time highest scorer was Jolene Anderson who scored over 2,000 points across her 2004-2008 time playing. The second-highest scorer is Barb Franke. Frank had achieved 1,995 points in her time playing from 1991-1996. However, with 870 points already following Williams, she is on track to beat Franke’s record as another 1,000-point scorer for the Wisconsin Badgers.
In Franke’s first two seasons, she had a combined total of 845 points, already less than what Williams has now. Nevertheless, after another two seasons of shining on the court, Franke was able to hit nearly 2,000 points. Now, that some fans and coach Marisa Moseley are relying on Serah as the team says goodbye to Schamenk and Leuzinger the pressure is on.
High tenses, along with greater playing time will result in what could be a new record broken by Serah Williams. Thus, will the two graduating seniors leaving the team benefit the Badgers by giving Willims more playing time? With Moseley and more star players approaching, the Badgers are ready for their next tip-off.
