The UW-Platteville women’s basketball team is losing two seniors from its 2009 campaign, in 2010, the team will play with only one. Ashley Wolf, junior engineering major, will be the lone senior for next fall’s team. UW-P women will face plenty of question marks with next year’s sophomore and junior laden roster.

“In the off season everyone has stepped up, everyone is getting in the weight room and working on their shot, which makes it easier on me as a senior leader,” Wolf said.

The major question for this team will be the identity of the Pioneers’ new coach; this after former coach Tina Kuhle’s contract was not renewed for the 2010 season.

The team met with athletic director Mark Molesworth a day after the contract was not renewed and Molesworth addressed the situation.

Women’s basketball is currently working out on their own with minor supervision from assistant coaches.

“We are getting in the weight room, getting stronger as a team and as individuals. We are building back chemistry as a team,” Mallory Mau, sophomore physical education major, said.

The search for a head coach of the UW-P women’s basketball team is currently underway. Sports information director Paul Erickson outlined the search criteria.

“There are a variety of factors, we look at the program as a whole, there is more that goes into the program than playing games,” Erickson said. “We will choose the best person possible, the department has no pre-conceived ideas on who we will target, therefore, the race is wide open.”

As of March 22, 37 applicants have applied for the head coach position. Erickson said the application deadline will close on Monday, April 5. Then the criteria will be applied to each candidate and the department will make a decision.

The head coach is required to coach, recruit qualified student athletes, fund raise, manage a budget and develop community support for the program. The position will also require dual responsibilities as lecturer in the physical education department.

“These decisions aren’t made lightly; it has been nine years with a quality person, who gave a lot of herself in those years,” Erickson said.
Wolf pointed out her view on the upcoming season and the changes to come.

“The main thing, because we are Division III, is the fact that we want to have fun and not consider basketball a job. We want a coach that kind of understands that and knows the game really well; we feel the athletic department will meet those needs.”