Gustavus Adolphus women’s basketball player Jess Vadnais (Sr., Hudson, Wis.) has been named All-Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference by a vote of the league’s coaches with Vadnais also being named to the All-MIAC Defensive Team. Bri Radtke (So., Winsted, Minn./Lester Prairie) received honorable mention, while Molly Mathiowetz (Fy., Sleepy Eye, Minn./Sleepy Eye-St. Mary’s) was named to the All-Rookie Team. Julia Schultz (So., Marshall, Minn.) was Gustavus’ representative on the All-MIAC Sportsmanship Team.
Vadnais, a three-time All-MIAC selection and last year’s MIAC Player of the Year, averaged 18.7 points (league high), 3.6 rebounds, 2.0 assists, and 2.77 steals in 33.6 minutes per game. Vadnais was third in the league in steals (61) and free-throw percentage (122-142; 85.9%) while leading the team with 75 steals and ranking second in assists (54) heading into the NCAA Tournament. Her free throw percentage ranks fourth in Division III. She hit 38.2 percent (125-327) of her shots from the field. Vadnais became the all-time Gustavus leading scorer at 1,761 points, surpassing the mark of 1,466 points set by Bri Monahan last year. Vadnais also became the school record-holder in steals at 218, breaking the record of 213 set by Betty Wannarka in 1984, and three-point field goals with 208. Angie Peterson held the previous record of 176. Vadnais ranks fourth on the career assists list at 304, and is the only player to compile 1,000 points, 300 assists, and 200 steals during her career.
Radtke averaged 6.1 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 3.2 assists in her second season as the Gusties’ starting point guard. She finished second in the MIAC in assist/turnover ratio at 1.37 with 70 assists and 51 turnovers. Radtke shot 41.3 percent (52-126) from the floor and 63.4 percent (26-41) from the free-throw line. Over the last two seasons, she has started all 55 games at the point guard position, while directing Gustavus to back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances.
Mathiowetz provided a spark off of coach Mickey Haller’s bench this season, averaging 8.5 points and 5.7 rebounds. She led the team with 25 blocked shots and tied for third in steals (43). Mathiowetz posted the lone double-double of the season with 10 points and 10 rebounds against Maryville in a 68-64 overtime loss on December 29. She also finished tied for fifth in the MIAC in field goal percentage at 53.6 percent, and sixth in blocks at 0.95.
Schultz has started in 53 of 55 games during her career thus far, averaging 5.6 points and 4.5 rebounds in 21.4 minutes of play this season. Schultz shot 41.4 percent (63-152) from the field and 43.5 percent (20-46) from the free-throw line.
Gustavus carries a 18-9 overall record into Friday’s first-round NCAA Tournament game against Simpson College. The Gusties placed third in the MIAC with a 16-6 mark in league play and advanced to the semifinal round of the MIAC Post-Season Tournament.