It was one of the best season's in program history: a 27-4 record and within a game of reaching the NJCAA National Tournament. But that's in the past, and that's where the 2016-17 team hopes to leave it as they begin to write their own chapter of WolfPack basketball. It's a chapter that will begin as the #5 team in the preseason NJCAA Division III Poll.
 
Leading that charge will be a new head coach and a returning All-America.
 
Following the sudden departure of Jessica Pelzel after ten seasons and the second most wins in school history (211), Madison College welcomed veteran coach Lois Heeren in August. Heeren brings nearly 30 years of experience coaching at numerous levels of the collegiate game, most recently 17 years at UW-La Crosse.
 
The backbone of the transition will be the return of junior forward and 2016 All-America Rachel Slaney. The Barneveld, Wisconsin, native was second on the team in scoring at 15.9 points per game last season, while leading with 8.3 rebounds and 3.1 steals. Slaney was forced to play multiple positions during her first collegiate season, which saw the 'Pack sit atop the rankings for a majority of the year and ended with all-conference, all-region, Region IV Tournament MVP, and two All-America accolades.
 
Also back is second year guard Jamie Falk. The Green Bay NEW Lutheran (WI) HS product tallied 37 points in 27 games played last season.

"Rachel and Jamie will be key players for us as they return with valuable experience and leadership," said Heeren. "We look for both of them to contribute significantly on both ends of the floor."
 
The rest of the team is made up of first year players, a group that includes four guards and two forwards.

"Our incoming class will provide outside shooting, quickness and basketball savvy," noted Heeren. "Mackenzie will give us an inside presence. They will be relied on heavily and will have to adjust quickly to the college game."
 
Madison College will open the 2016-17 season at McHenry County (IL) College (NJCAA Division II) on Tuesday, November 1. It's a 5:15 p.m. start against the Scots, whom the WolfPack have not played since defeating MCC 69-61 back in November 1989 in the only meeting between the two teams.
 
As for the first home game, that comes - along with Parent's Night - on Wednesday, November 9 when Fox Valley Technical College comes to Redsten Gymnasium. The North Central Community College Conference slate begins January 4 at Triton College.
 
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