First ever women's wheelchair basketball home game Nov. 22

November 17, 2008

The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater’s newly formed women’s wheelchair basketball team has high hopes for the 2008-09 season despite only eight weeks of practice together.

“I’m expecting the team to represent the university with high standards,” Women’s Wheelchair Basketball Head Coach Daniel Price said. “Our goal is to finish in the top five.”

All students, faculty, staff and members of the Whitewater community are invited to pack the stands as UW-Whitewater’s women’s wheelchair basketball team opens the season at home against 2005 national champion RIC Sky on Saturday, Nov. 22 in the Williams Center Gym 1 at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.

Since 1973, UW-Whitewater Wheelchair Athletics has had a men’s wheelchair basketball team on campus, and for the first time in 35 years an official women’s wheelchair basketball team exists on campus.

“We are very excited about cheering on the women's wheelchair basketball team,” Men’s Wheelchair Basketball Head Coach Jeremy Lade said. “It is an honor to be a part of their first season and watch the growth of our fellow Warhawks. We are willing to do anything we can to assist in their success.”

“Inclusion of a women’s wheelchair basketball team on UW-Whitewater’s campus is historic,” Tracy Chynoweth said.  “It just goes to show the progressive nature of our campus and continuous efforts to expand program offerings to represent the university.”

With 24 years of experience in wheelchair basketball, Price will lead a team that includes 2008 Paralympics gold medalist freshman Becca Murray of Germantown, Wis.; freshmen Mariya Redden of Jersey, N.J.; and Bethany DeVault of Easton, Pa.; sophomores Ashley Kubicz of Whitewater and Sarah Binsfield of Vadnais Heights, Minn.; junior Joani Traylor of Franklin, Wis., and senior Hayley Wilson of Whitewater. 

Over the weekend UW-Whitewater played the number one team in the women’s division, the University of Alabama Crimson Tide. “We lost twice to Alabama, but we played really well,” Price said.  The women also played the men’s Oklahoma State University team but lost.

“I’m hoping we can pack the stands on Saturday and show the campus and community how hard the girls have been working for the past eight weeks,” Price said.

For more information, contact Price at priced@uww.edu.