Davenport embarks on year two under head coach Shonda Sanders and will be looking to continue to build the program after a 7-21 season (1-17 GLIAC) in 2022-23. The team went 6-3 in the non-conference portion of their schedule and then ran into the gauntlet that is GLIAC Women’s Basketball. The focus this year will be on improved defense and being able to play a steady four quarters. The emphasis is making those winning plays in the closing moments.
Junior center Lillee Gustafson is a cornerstone to build their team around. Gustafson showed vast improvement from her freshman to sophomore year and was named Second Team All-GLIAC and All-Defensive Team in 2022-23. She has started in all 56 games of her career and went from averaging 6.0 to 14.1 points per game. In addition, her rebounding jumped up from 7.9 to 9.4 per game. Her defense improved to the tune of 33 blocked shots and 28 steals as a sophomore.
Redshirt senior Mary Liedel returns in the backcourt for the Panthers. Liedel redshirted in 2021-22 and then come on last year to average 7.0 points, 3.3 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game. Liedel started in 12 games in 2022-23 and shot 38.5 percent from the floor and 38.9 percent from behind the arc. Other backcourt returns include sophomore Alexa Kolnitys and senior Makenna Bryant. Kolnitys is one of just two Panthers to start in all 28 games during her freshman year. She handled point guard duties along with Scout Nelson and finished second on the team with 67 assists. Bryant came off the bench to average 17.4 minutes per game and shot 33 percent from the arc (38-of-115) and averaged 5.7 points per game.
In the frontcourt, sophomore Ellie Toney received significant playing time as a freshman. She did miss 10 games due to injury, but started in all 18 games in which she played. Toney ranked second on the team averaging 9.0 points per game and 4.9 rebounds per game. Junior Kendal Swartout and junior Jaci Walker are also back to bolster the rotation. Swartout will look for more minutes after playing in 19 games for an average of 5.4 minutes per game. Walker played in all 28 games and made 16 starts last year. She averaged 4.1 points and 2.0 rebounds per game.
