KENOSHA, Wis. – The Parkside women's basketball team was picked to finish third, receiving one first place vote in the 2026-27 GLIAC preseason coaches' poll that was released Wednesday afternoon. This is the highest Parkside has been picked to finish under ninth-year head coach Jen Conely since they were picked second in the GLIAC North Division back in 2021.
Conely and the Rangers return ten players from a team that finished 14-15 last season. The roster will be one of the most experienced in the GLIAC, with seven upper classmen, including five seniors (Jaelyn Derlein, Lillie Petersen, Cassidy Arni, Lexi Bugajski and Alli Hampel). Conley added three newcomers to the roster, two freshmen, Maddie Becker and Izabel Durst and one transfer, Piri Lewis.
Parkside returns multiple All-GLIAC selections, including three-time All-GLIAC selection and 2023-24 GLIAC Freshman of the Year Cassidy Arni, and 2025-26 second team All-GLIAC selection Katie Hamill. In total, Parkside returns 85% of their points scored from last season and 79.9% of the minutes played. Additionally, the 2026-27 team returns 204 of the team's 446 assists (66.8%) from last season, a category that Parkside ranked 30th nationally in last season. The Parkside returners also all played a key part in a Parkside defense that held opponents to the second lowest field goal percentage (38.9%) in the GLIAC last season. Parkside also was second in the GLIAC in blocks per game (4.0), and three-point defense (28.6%).
Parkside will open the season on Nov. 9 with a matchup with nationally-ranked Minnesota State University, Mankato in De Simone Arena.
Tickets can be purchased for all 2026-27 home contests at parksiderangers.com/tickets.
