The Madison College men's and women's basketball teams are ready to begin the 2015-16 season! The WolfPack will do so on the road tonight against Fox Valley Technical College in Appleton, with the women's game slated to begin at 5:30 p.m. and the men's at 7:30 p.m.

The women's program is led by Jessica Pelzel, who begins her tenth year as the head coach and returns plenty of experience from a team that went 22-7 a season ago. Leading the way is All-American guard Taylor Nelson, who paced the WolfPack in points (17.4 ppg), steals (80), and minutes played (29.1 mpg). The former Monona Grove standout also earned first team all-conference, all-region, and all-tournament accolades. Joining Nelson will be five other returning players, and two additional players with collegiate basketball experience. Jenna Endres (13.4), Megan Petty (7.5), Kaitlyn Kast (6.2), Addison Hemming (5.2), and Mandi Sargent (4.0), along with Nelson, collectively bring back 64% of last year's scoring and 52% of the rebounds. The rest of the roster is filled out by UW-Stout transfer Anna Bunyan, Bri Hicks, who played in 30 games for the WolfPack back in 2013-14, and seven first year players.

"I am really excited about the group of players we have this year," said Pelzel about a team seeking its first North Central Community College Conference and NJCAA Division III titles since 2009-10. "Our second years have done a great job helping the first years to learn the system and understand what to expect when we get into out season. We've got a very court-smart group and that really helps the learning curve for everyone involved...The sky is the limit for them."

The Madison College men's team has a slightly different story, having lost 85% of the scoring from last winter's 20-11 squad that reached the Region IV title game. Scott Vesterdahl, last year's N4C Coach of the Year, brings back four players, led by all-tournament honoree Kristian Zimmerman (4.9 ppg) and Kris Seffrood (6.2). Also back are Tyler Meier (1.9) and Jake Andrews (1.2). Another familiar face returns in second-year player Malek Lemke, who redshirted the 2014-15 season after starting a dozen games the preceding year. To complete the roster, the WolfPack welcome Neosho County Community College transfer and Milwaukee-native Malik Henderson, along with seven first year players to a program seven years removed from its last N4C crown.

"We believe that [returning player's] experience will provide leadership and guidance to our freshman class," said Vesterdahl, in his 11th year leading the program. "Our team works hard, shares the ball, and has the potential to be solid defensively. It will be exciting to see how they continue to develop both on the court and in the classroom."

The first home games for the two teams will come November 6-7 when Madison College hosts the Border Battle Classic at Redsten Gym in Madison. Admission is $4 for adults 18 years and older, $2 for students ages 11-17, and free for children 10 and under. Madison College students receive free admission with a valid OneCard. For more information, visit the women's basketball and men's basketball pages of the Madison College athletics website.