Women's Basketball | 1/16/2025 10:34:00 AM

• THE MINNESOTA CROOKSTON women's basketball team wraps up a four-game road stand as they head to face Concordia-St. Paul Friday, January 17 at 7:30 p.m., and Minnesota Duluth Saturday, January 18 at 5:30 p.m. The Golden Eagles come into the weekend with a 6-10 (4-6 NSIC) mark. Minnesota Crookston is coming off a split with a win over Winona State, and a loss at No 8/11 Minnesota State. The Golden Eagles are averaging 67.7 points per game, while allowing 75.6 points per tilt. Minnesota Crookston is shooting 39.6 percent from the field, 30.3 percent from beyond the arc, and 76.2 percent from the foul line. The Golden Eagles are being outrebounded 40.6-35.6. Minnesota Crookston is averaging 11.3 assists per game, and 14.8 turnovers per tilt. 

• SERIES HISTORY.  Minnesota Crookston has lost their last six games in the series with Concordia-St. Paul. They last picked up a win in St. Paul, Minn., January 27, 2018 with a 75-60 victory. The Golden Eagles have lost their last 10 in the series with Minnesota Crookston. The last win for the Golden Eagles in Duluth came February 1, 2002 with an 83-75 overtime victory. 

• BLOCK PARTY.  Nicole Hernandez (R-Sr., F/C, Oak Creek, Wis.) is fourth in the nation in blocked shots with 48. She is just nine blocks away from CSU Pueblo's Alisha Little.. Hernandez is leading the next player in the NSIC in blocked shots by nine blocks. Hernandez is fourth in blocks per game with 3.00blocks per tilt. Hernandez had a career-high eight blocks against MSU Moorhead December 21, tying the school record previously set by Jessica Forsline. Hernandez also had seven blocked shots versus Black Hills State. Hernandez has eight games with three or more blocked shots this season. She has 48 blocks this season. Hernandez has 133 blocked shots in her career. She needs 26 blocked shots to set the career mark previously set by Isieoma Odor. She also has 443 career rebounds. She is just 45 rebounds from breaking into the Top 10 all-time for rebounds. 

• HALLE FROM CROOKSTON.  Minnesota Crookston guard Halle Winjum has made six-straight starts for the 
Golden Eagles. The Crookston-native is averaging 2.3 points per game. Her best game came with 10 points against Northern State University December 20. She had eight points versus MSU Moorhead. Winjum is 6-of-14 from beyond the arc this season. Winjum notched six points last week against defending National Champion Minnesota State. She will continue to be a major factor for the Golden Eagles moving forward. 

• A LITTLE HOPE. Redshirt sophomore guard Hope Dudycha, a native of Austin, Minn., had a good first year on the court for the Golden Eagles. Dudycha had a fantastic three-game stretch against Southwest Minnesota State, Sioux Falls, and Winona State, averaging 17.0 points per game. She shot an impressive 19-of-37 for 51.4 percent from the field. Dudycha was 10-of-21 for 47.6 percent from beyond the arc in those games. Her best game came last Friday with 21 points against Winona State on 7-of-12 from the field, and 5-of-8 from beyond the arc. Dudycha will be a key figure throughout the rest of the 2024-25 season. 

• ROUND BALL RILEY. Riley Jenkins (R-So., G/F, Galesburg, Ill.) has been coming into her own on the court for the Golden Eagles. Jenkins first arrived in 2023-24, recovering from an injury and has continued to improve and become a bigger piece for the Golden Eagles. Jenkins comes into the weekend averaging 11.0 points, and 5.8 rebounds per game. Jenkins notched 18 points on 7-of-13 from the field, and 4-of-9 from beyond the arc in last Friday's win against Winona State. Against Sioux Falls, Jenkins notched 13 points, and eight boards. Last weekend against Winona State was Jenkins' season high. 

• LOCAL FLAVOR. The Golden Eagles have strong connections to the local area in their incoming class. Minnesota Crookston has Crookston-native Halle Winjum (Fr., G) on the roster. In addition, Brynlea Mahlen (Fr., G, Fosston, Minn.), comes down the road from 45 minutes away in Fosston. She has deep connections to the program as her father Nate Mahlen was a long-time women's basketball assistant coach and is currently an Assistant Athletic Director for the Golden Eagles. Willow Thiel (Fr., F, Perham, Minn.) is from the region in Perham, but her mother Lacey Thiel is originally from Crookston.

• MILLER TIME. Minnesota Crookston junior guard Emma Miller had a strong first two seasons for Minnesota 
Crookston. Miller is a two-time All-NSIC selection, earning All-NSIC First Team as a freshman, and All-NSIC Second Team as a sophomore. She is the first player since Katrina Nordick and Alexa Thielman in 2014-15 and 2015-16 to earn back-to-back All-NSIC accolades. She became the 13th player to score 1,000 points in Minnesota Crookston history. Miller is in the Top 10 all-time for scoring for the Golden Eagles. She comes into the weekend with 1,343 career points. Miller ranks sixth all-time in scoring at Minnesota Crookston, most recently passing Kari Score. She needs 117 points to move past Alexa Thielman for fifth all-time at U of M Crookston. Miller is still inching in on the school record for scoring, held with 1,724 points by Jamie Zelinsky. Miller needs 382 points to move past Zelinsky. She would need to average 31.8 points per game to break Zelinsky's record this season. Miller comes in averaging 21.1 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 2.6 assists per game. Miller is shooting 41.0 percent from the field, and 28.9 percent from beyond the arc. Miller notched 20 points on 8-of-18 from the field, and 4-of-10 from beyond the arc in last Friday's win at Winona State. 

• "THIEL"ING IT. Willow Thiel (Fr., F, Perham, Minn.) has been coming off the bench of late for the Golden Eagles and has found a solid role for Minnesota Crookston. Thiel comes into the weekend averaging 7.1 points, and 4.4 rebounds per game. Thiel's best game came with 21 points November 16 against Michigan Tech. She notched 16 against South Dakota Mines, and 10 versus Northern State. 

• NATTY. Natalie Mikrot (Jr., G, Willow River, Minn.) is coming off her best game of the season with 11 points on 4-of-8 from the field, and 3-of-6 from distance against Minnesota State. Mikrot will look to be an important piece off the bench the rest of the season. 

CONCORDIA-ST. PAUL. Concordia-St. Paul enters the weekend ranked 21st in both polls. The Golden Bears are 14-2 (8-2 NSIC). They won last Wednesday against St. Cloud State, but fell January 4 66-60 to Northern State University. The Golden Bears come into the weekend outscoring opponents by 13.4 points per game. They are shooting 42.5 
percent from the field, and 35.8 percent from deep. The Golden Bears have five more assists than their opponents, putting up 16.4 per game. They are outrebounding teams 41.1-36.9. 

LIFE HAACK. Lydia Haack has been a key player for the Golden Bears. The 5-3 guard from Elk River, Minn., comes in leading the team with 15.9 points per game. She is also averaging 5.5 rebounds per tilt, and 4.9 assists per tilt. Haack is shooting 43.2 percent from the field, and 38.1 percent from beyond the arc. She had a pair of games with 19 points in her last two games against Northern State, and St. Cloud State. Haack had eight assists versus St. Cloud State. 

YOU BECHER. Lindsey Becher, a 6-1 post from Shoreview, Minn., had 14 points, and nine boards January 4 against Northern State. She is averaging 13.2 points, and 8.2 boards per game. Becher is the second-best shot blocker in the NSIC to Nicole Hernandez, averaging 2.4 per game. She is shooting 45.4 percent from the field, and has only taken one three-pointer in 2024-25. 

WELCOME TO THE DENGERUD ZONE. Leah Dengerud, a 5-9 guard, comes into the weekend notching 10.3 points per game. Dengrud is shooting 42.5 percent from the field, and 41.6 percent from beyond the arc. Dengerud is an 88.6 free-throw shooter. She had 14 points January 8 against St. Cloud State. 

MINNESOTA DULUTH. Minnesota Duluth comes into the weekend with a 5-10 (3-7 NSIC) record. The Bulldogs are just two years removed from a NCAA Division II runner-up finish in 2022-23. The Bulldogs are being outscored by seven points per game. They have a -3.1 turnover margin during the 2024-25 season, and are outrebounding foes by 1.7 boards per game. UMD shoots 39.8 percent from the field, and 32.4 percent from beyond the arc. 

LEAVE IT TO MYRA. Myra Moorjani, a 5-8 guard from Eden Prairie, Minn., leads the Bulldogs with 12.7 points per game. She is also averaging 4.9 boards per tilt, and 4.1 assists per tilt. Moorjani is a 33.0 percent shooter from the field, and a 35.3 percent shooter from beyond the arc. She had a double-double of 13 points, and 10 boards against St. Cloud State January 11. 

IMPACT TRANSFER. Augustana graduate transfer Johanna Miller, a 6-2 center, has made an instant impact for 
Minnesota Duluth. She comes in averaging 10.4 points, and 6.1 boards per game. Miller is shooting 48.6 percent from the field this season. She had a double-double of 13 points, and 13 boards January 4 against MSU Moorhead. 

BJORGE A BALLER. Freshman Claire Bjorge from DePere, Wis., has made an instant impact for Minnesota Duluth, tallying 10.1 points, and 3.6 boards per tilt. Bjorge is a 38.0 percent shooter from the field, and 32.0 percent from beyond the arc. Bjorge's best game came in her season debut with 23 points against Southeastern Oklahoma. 

WEEKLY SNAPSHOT

MINNESOTA CROOKSTON
Projected Starters
Jr. PG 1 Emma Miller (5-1, Albertville, Minn.) 21.1 PPG, 5.1 RPG, 2.6 APG
R-So. SG 2 Hope Dudycha (5-5, Austin, Minn.) 8.6 PPG, 2.4 RPG
Fr. 3G 10 Halle Winjum (5-6, Crookston, Minn.) 2.3 PPG, 1.3 RPG
R-So. SF 30 Riley Jenkins (5-10, Galesburg, Ill.) 11.0 PPG, 5.8 RPG, 2.8 APG
R-Sr. PF 4 Nicole Hernandez (6-2, Oak Creek, Wis.) 6.4 PPG, 8.3 RPG, 3.0 BPG
Bench
Fr. F 21 Willow Thiel (5-11, Perham, Minn.) 7.1 PPG, 4.4 RPG
So. F 14 Rayna Klejeski (6-0, Barnum, Minn.) 3.7 PPG, 1.5 RPG


CONCORDIA-ST. PAUL
Projected Starters
Jr. PG 23 Lydia Haack (5-3, Elk River, Minn.) 15.9 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 4.9 APG
Jr. SG 1 Leah Dengerud (5-9, Lino Lakes, Minn.) 10.3 PPG, 2.8 RPG
Sr. 3G 21 Julia Bengtson (5-10, Becker, Minn.) 9.4 PPG, 2.8 RPG
Sr. SF 25 Megan Gamble (5-11, Clear Lake, Minn.) 5.1 PPG, 7.3 RPG
Sr. PF 11 Lindsey Becher (6-1, Shoreview, Minn.) 13.2 PPG, 8.1 RPG, 2.4 BPG
Bench
So. G 15 Ashley Schuelke (5-9, Carver, Minn.) 6.5 PPG, 2.0 RPG
So. F 30 Lauren Wilson (6-0, Springville, Iowa) 5.1 PPG, 3.1 RPG
Sr. G 12 Mikayla Kanenwisher (5-6, Elk River, Minn.) 4.1 PPG, 1.3 RPG
So. C 22 Emma Mommsen (6-1, Menomonie, Wis.) 3.6 PPG, 3.2 RPG

MINNESOTA DULUTH
Projected Starters
Jr. PG 11 Myra Moorjani (5-8, Eden Prairie, Minn.) 12.7 PPG, 4.9 RPG, 4.1 APG
Fr. SG 23 Claire Bjorge (5-8, De Pere, Wis.) 10.1 PPG, 3.6 RPG
Jr. SF 4 Maria Counts (5-11, Crystal, Minn.) 8.0 PPG, 4.2 RPG
Jr. PF 42 Lexi Karge (6-2, Mankato, Minn.) 9.2 PPG, 6.1 RPG
Gr. C 45 Johanna Miller (6-2, Brookings, S.D.) 10.4 PPG, 6.1 RPG
Bench
So. G/F 33 Lexi Karlen (6-0, Stillwater, Minn.) 6.7 PPG, 4.7 RPG
Fr. G 12 Vanessa Bickford (5-9, Grimes, Iowa) 5.3 PPG, 2.9 RPG
So. F 24 Grace Counts (6-1, Crystal, Minn.) 4.1 PPG, 1.6 RPG
So. G 20 Drew Johnston (5-8, Roseville, Minn.) 2.7 PPG, 0.9 RPG