Anika Whiting finished the conference season ranked second in the league in scoring (18.0), fifth in field goal percentage (53.4%), sixth in blocked shots (1.09) and 12th in rebounding (7.2) while leading the Golden Bears to the NSIC Overall and South Division Regular Season Championships. She’s been consistent, scoring at least nine points in every game while topping 15 points and five rebounds 22 times. She’s produced 20-plus points 10 times, logged seven double-doubles with a 20-point, 12-rebound performance in a road win at U-Mary in February. She poured in a career-high 29 points in a road win at SMSU in December and had 28 points in a home win over Minnesota State in January. Defensively, she’s had six games with at least three steals including a high of five in a road win at Augustana in January, adding 17 points and 12 rebounds; and has had 10 games with multiple blocks with three rejections in a game three times.

Shaunna Knife combined her innate ability to block shots and haul down rebounds with her skills to defend players both in the paint and away from the basket to earn Northern Sun Defensive Player of the Year honors. The senior forward led the NSIC in blocked shots per game with 2.4, the 14th best total in the NCAA. Knife is also fifth in the conference in rebounds with 8.5/game. Knife posted 10 double doubles this season and averaged 13.4 points per game while shooting 44.6 per cent from the field. A starter since midway through her freshman year, Knife helped the Marauders to consecutive 19 win seasons to close out her career. She scored 1,092 points in her career, 13th all-time in school history.

Carly Pagel had her first year with Upper Iowa cut a few games short after a season-ending knee injury.  She started all 26 games that she played in averaging 11.5 points and 7.0 rebounds per game.  Pagel shot 47.8% (119-249) from the floor and added 61 makes at the free throw line in 104 chances.  The freshman post recorded two double-doubles and posted season-highs in points with 22 at the University of Mary and in rebounds with 16 at Southwest Minnesota State University.  In NSIC-only games, Pagel was 19th in scoring with 12.5 points per game and 13th in rebounding with 7.2 boards per game.  

Paul Fessler becomes a three-time NSIC Coach of the Year selection after guiding the Golden Bears to an 11-win turnaround in league play from a year ago. After a slow start (3-4 overall, 1-2 NSIC), the Golden Bears won 20 of their last 21 games and are currently on a 15-game winning streak. Fessler guided the team to the NSIC Overall and South Division Regular Season Championships with a 19-3 league record as the Golden Bears swept every road Friday/Saturday weekend. Concordia’s regular season overall title is the fifth in program history. Picked to finish seventh overall and fourth in the South Division, Concordia drastically out-performed expectations according to league coaches in the NSIC Preseason Coaches’ Poll. Ranked 20th in the country and third in the NCAA Central Region, Fessler will lead the Golden Bears into the NSIC/Sanford Health Tournament Semifinals this Friday with postseason aspirations in March. Concordia has reached the 20-plus win plateau for the 10th time in Fessler’s 13 seasons with a 23-5 overall record. He’s compiled a 288-115 overall record including a 171-69 record in conference play.