ST. PAUL, Minn. – The Upper Midwest Athletic Conference kicked off its winter sports season Wednesday by releasing the 2024-25 UMAC Women's Basketball Preview and accompanying preseason poll. The University of Northwestern received one first-place vote and was picked to finish third in the conference, which is where it finished a season ago.
 
The entire UMAC Women's Basketball Preview can be accessed here.
 
There is plenty to be excited about for UNW fans this year, as Head Coach Aaron Kahl, now in his 15^th season, brings back seven players from his rotation last season and four starters. Lexi Hagen (Jordan, Minn./Jordan) is back for her senior season after leading the team in scoring (13.6 points per game) and rebounding (7.9 rebounds per game) last year. The two-time First Team All-UMAC Honoree and two-time NCCAA All-American is a career 35.3% shooter from three and 84.2% from the free throw line, and is closing in on 1,000 career points.
 
Hagen is joined by fellow returning starters Jasmine Sondrol (Grand Forks, N.D./Red River) and Grace Landvik (Roseville, Minn./Concordia Academy) in 2024-25. Sondrol was a Second Team All-UMAC selection a year ago after averaging 8.4 points and 4.2 rebounds per game in the middle for Northwestern. Her improved free throw shooting last season was a big asset to the team as well, as she shot 78.4% from the stripe, up from 66.7% the previous year. Landvik was the final UNW senior mentioned in the preview. The Roseville native averaged 7.8 points and 2.1 assists per game last season and will use her speed and quickness to lead the Eagles' fast break for one final season. Landvik's free throw shooting was immensely better last season than years' past as well, jumping from 61% to 75%, while she lowered her turnovers from 60 to 41.
 
Northwestern will look to lean on its returning experience this season and give expanded roles to other returners, while blending in some new faces. You can catch the Eagles for the first time this season at Eagle Madness on Monday, November 4^th at 8:00 PM in the Ericksen Center (also streamed live on the Eagle Sports Network), where the UNW Women's and Men's Basketball teams will both showcase their squads. The first game of the season for the UNW Women will be on November 9^th at Buena Vista University, and their first home game will take place November 16^th versus Luther College.
 
2024-25 UMAC Women's Basketball Preseason Coaches Poll
1. Wisconsin-Superior | 48 (6)
2. Minnesota Morris | 42 (1)
3. Northwestern | 38 (1)
4. Bethany Lutheran | 28
5. North Central | 25
6. Martin Luther | 23
7. Crown | 13
8. Northland | 7