UW-Milwaukee Women’s Basketball Team Honors Seniors

The UW-Milwaukee Women’s Basketball Team held Senior Day on Sunday, to honor seniors Steph Kostowicz, Jenny Lindner, Kelsey Cunningham, and Bailey Farley, who have changed the culture of Milwaukee basketball in their years here.

Lindner, Cunningham, and Kostowicz have spent the last four years playing for UWM, while Farley has spent her last three years at UWM, transferring from Loyola Chicago after her first two seasons of college basketball.

Amanda Braun, Athletic Director for the Panthers, spoke highly of the four graduating players.

“It was big to bring in this class of women who are good student athletes, students in the classroom, have good character, and are really talented,” Braun said. “It has been fun to watch them develop in that context; they’ve changed the face of the program and made us what we’ve become.”

While Sunday was meant to be a special day specifically for the seniors on the Panthers basketball team, it was also a milestone for members of other teams. Seniors from the Cheer/Stunt Team were recognized, along with senior members of the Panther Pep Band. This is the last regular-season game for either the Men’s or Women’s Basketball Teams, so it was also the last opportunity for the Panther Dance Team to perform in front of their home crowd.

According to her team bio, Lindner has been a standout since arriving at Milwaukee, earning Horizon League Freshman of the Week honors on three occasions, and a spot on the 2014-2015 Horizon League All-Freshman Team. As it was announced before the game, she recorded her 121^st start on Sunday against Oakland, which is a program record for most career starts.

Kostowicz suffered a mid-season foot injury during her freshman campaign, but did not allow that to hamper her development as a player, earning Horizon League Freshman of the Week honors on one occasion. According to mkepanthers.com, Kostowicz enjoyed a stellar campaign during her sophomore season that earned her a spot on the 2015-2016 All-Horizon League First Team. The following season, Kostowicz eclipsed both the 1000-point mark, and the 500-rebound mark for her UWM career.

Cunningham has not provided the offensive firepower of Lindner and Kostowicz, but has made major contributions to the program nonetheless. According to her team bio, she has appeared in 121 games for the Panthers, which puts her into the program’s top five in games played. This mark can be increased even farther in the Horizon League Tournament, as well as any post-season tournaments the Panthers may participate in.

Farley has played the last two seasons for the Panthers, after sitting out her first season here due to NCAA transfer rules, according to mkepanthers.com. In her first season of play for the Panthers, Farley shot over 40 percent from beyond the 3-point arc, and was named to the 2016 TD Bank Classic All-Tournament Team. Farley has started all 29 games for the Panthers this season and increased her scoring by almost four points per game.

In Sunday’s game against Oakland, three of the four seniors finished in double figures. Lindner lead the team by scoring 23 points in her final regular-season game for the Panthers. Farley finished with 19, Kostowicz with 15, and Cunningham with two. After three quarters of play, the score was knotted at 47 points for each team. The Panthers’ fourth quarter efforts came up short, however, ending the game in a five-point loss: 75-80.

Braun is optimistic about the team’s ability to clinch a post-season berth after the conference tournament in Detroit, saying she does not think there is anyone that the Panthers can’t beat. Braun also sounded very confident in the team’s chances of being selected for the NIT even if they don’t make the NCAA Tournament.

“I think now their trajectory is going upward,” Braun said. “I’m looking forward to Detroit.”

Kelsie Leurquin, one of three seniors on the dance team this season, says it’s a bittersweet feeling to dance during a UWM basketball game for the last time. “It’s sad, but it’s been fun,” Leurquin said. The Panther Dance Team had its senior night on the same day as the Men’s basketball team, on Feb. 16.

Since Lindner’s freshman campaign, she has been named Horizon League Player of the Week on three occasions, Horizon League All-Tournament Team in 2016 and 2017, and TD Bank Classic All-Tournament Team in 2016.

Kostowicz has accrued a number of accolades during her career as well, including 2015-2016 First-Team All-Horizon League, 2016 TD Bank Classic Tournament MVP, 2016-2017 Second-Team All-Horizon League, and 2017 WBI All-Tournament Team.