MADISON, Wis. (blugolds.com) – The Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) office announced the 2016 All-WIAC women's basketball awards on Tuesday, giving the nod to sophomore Erin O'Toole (So.Plymouth, MN/Hopkins) as WIAC Player of the Year while Teenie Lichtfuss (Sr.-Oshkosh, WI/Lourdes) was named the Judy Kruckman Scholar Athlete.
All-WIAC Release | WIAC Scholar-Athlete Release
O'Toole is the seventh player in program history to receive the honor. She topped the conference with 18.2 points per game, while ranking second with a .482 field goal percentage and third with 8.0 points per contest and 47 blocked shots.
O'Toole reached double-figures in scoring in 20 of 24 games, including three 30-plus point performances and a season-high 35 points at UW-Stout on Jan. 13. She is tied for the league lead with six double-doubles (points-rebounds). O'Toole established conference season-highs with 21 free-throw attempts against UW-Whitewater on Jan. 23, and 16 field goals made against UW-Platteville on Jan. 20. She was also selected to the five-member All-Defensive Team.
Lichtfuss was selected the recipient of the 2016 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Judy Kruckman Women's Basketball Scholar-Athlete Award, sponsored by Badgerland Financial.
A senior from Oshkosh, Wis. (Lourdes), is majoring in kinesiology and sustains a 3.71 grade point average. She is a three-time member of the WIAC Scholastic Honor Roll and been acknowledged on UW-Eau Claire's Dean's List.
A two-year team captain, Lichtfuss is a three-time All-WIAC first team selection and reached 1,000 career points earlier this season. A year ago, she secured All-Central Region Third Team recognition and added league All-Defensive Team laurels. Lichtfuss has received her team's Most Valuable Player Award (2013-14), Miss Defense (2013-14) and Rookie of the Year (2012-13).
Lichtfuss is a member of UW-Eau Claire's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and Blugold Buddies. She has volunteered for numerous campus and community service activities and events, including the Boys & Girls Club, Feed My People, Epilepsy Walk and reading to elementary school children.
Lichtfuss joins O'Toole on the First Team All-WIAC list after averaging 14.2 points for the Blugolds in her final season. She finished second in WIAC in assist average (2.64) 5th in WIAC in scoring (12. 4) points, third in steal average (2.07), fourth in 3-point field goal percentage (38.6), led the conference in minutes played (34.21).
Lichtfuss finished her career with 1,244 points, tying for ninth on the Blugold all-time list. The senior left her mark on the Blugold record book, finished in the top 10 in multiple categories:
Career Points – 1,244 (T-9th)
Made 3-Point Field Goals – 143 (3rd)
3-Point Field Goals Attempts – 387 (3rd)
3-Point Field Goal Percentage – 37.0 (2nd)
Steals – 203 (8th)
Free Throw Percentage – 80.1 (5th)
Game Starts – 98 (8th)
Minutes Played – 3,255 (3rd)
Minutes Averaged – 31.3 (4th)
Madison Johnson (Sr.-Osceola, WI/Osceola) was also recognized by the WIAC, earning All-WIAC Honorable Mention honors. Johnson averaged 29.7 minute and shot 42.5 percent from the floor, averaged 11.2 points and 5.9 rebounds. In the WIAC, she tied for 10th in rebounding (5.6) and was fourth in blocks (1.5).
Johnson made Blugold history on Dec. 12, 2015 as she scored 42 points against North Central College, setting a new school record for points in a game and propelling Eau Claire to a 94-89 win. She also finishes her career with 66 blocks, placing her eighth on the Blugold All-Time list.
