2021–22 Northern Iowa Panthers women's basketball team

The 2021–22 Northern Iowa Panthers women's basketball team represented the University of Northern Iowa during the 2021–22 NCAA Division I women's basketball season. The Panthers were led by head coach Tanya Warren in her fifteenth season, and played their home games at the McLeod Center as a member of the Missouri Valley Conference.

2021–22 Northern Iowa Panthers women's basketball
WNIT, Second Round
ConferenceMissouri Valley Conference
Record23–11 (13–5 MVC)
Head coach
Associate head coachBrad Nelson
Assistant coaches
  • Steven Fennelly
  • Katelin Oney
Home arenaMcLeod Center
Seasons

2021–22 Missouri Valley Conference women's basketball standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   PCT W   L   PCT
Southern Illinois 15 3   .833 21 10   .677
Missouri State 14 4   .778 25 8   .758
Northern Iowa 13 5   .722 23 11   .676
Illinois State 12 6   .667 19 14   .576
Loyola Chicago 10 8   .556 18 12   .600
Valparaiso 9 9   .500 11 19   .367
Drake 9 9   .500 20 14   .588
Indiana State 5 13   .278 11 20   .355
Evansville 2 16   .111 8 22   .267
Bradley 1 17   .056 4 24   .143
2022 MVC tournament winner

Previous season edit

The Panthers finished the 2020–21 season with a 17–13 record, including 11–7 in Missouri Valley Conference play. They received a bid to the 2021 Women's National Invitation Tournament, where they advanced to the Final Four.[1]

Offseason edit

Departures edit

Name Number Pos. Height Year Hometown Reason for departure
Megan Maahs 50 F 6'1" RS Senior Epworth, IA Graduated

2021 recruiting class edit

US college sports recruiting information for high school athletes
Name Hometown High school / college Height Weight Commit date
Riley Wright
G
Marion, IA Marion 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) N/A Jul 1, 2019 
Recruiting star ratings: ScoutN/A   RivalsN/A   247SportsN/A    ESPN grade: 90
Anaya Barney
G
Cedar Falls, IA Cedar Falls 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) N/A Jul 13, 2019 
Recruiting star ratings: ScoutN/A   RivalsN/A   247SportsN/A    ESPN grade: N/A
Overall recruiting rankings:
  • Note: In many cases, Scout, Rivals, 247Sports, and ESPN may conflict in their listings of height and weight.
  • In these cases, the average was taken. ESPN grades are on a 100-point scale.

Sources:

  • "2021 Team Ranking". Rivals.com. Retrieved March 15, 2021.

Roster edit

2021–22 Northern Iowa Panthers women's basketball team
Players Coaches
Pos. # Name Height Year Previous school Hometown
G 0 Maya McDermott 5 ft 6 in (1.68 m) Fr Johnston Johnston, IA
G 1 Anaya Barney 5 ft 11 in (1.8 m) Fr Cedar Falls Cedar Falls, IA
G 2 Cailyn Morgan 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) So Iowa City West Coralville, IA
G 3 Karli Rucker 5 ft 6 in (1.68 m) Sr North Scott Eldridge, IA
G 4 Emerson Green 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) Fr Cedar Falls Cedar Falls, IA
G 5 Nicole Kroeger 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) Sr Palmyra Palmyra, MO
F 11 Bre Gunnels 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) Sr Southeast Kansas City, MO
G 12 Kam Finley 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) Jr Cedar Falls Cedar Falls, IA
G 14 Riley Wright 5 ft 11 in (1.8 m) Fr Marion Marion, IA
C 21 Taryn McKee 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) Fr Van Buren Community Keosauqua, IA
G 24 Kayba Laube 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) Fr Marion Marion, IA
F 25 Sara McCullough 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) RS Fr Ankeny Ankeny, IA
C 30 Cynthia Wolf 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) Jr Cedar Falls Cedar Falls, IA
F 33 Kiana Barney 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) RS So Cedar Falls Cedar Falls, IA
F 42 Grace Boffeli 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) Fr North Scott Eldridge, IA
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)

Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (S) Suspended
  • (I) Ineligible
  • (W) Walk-on

Roster
Last update: March 15, 2022

Schedule and results edit

Date
time, TV
Rank# Opponent# Result Record High points High rebounds High assists Site (attendance)
city, state
Exhibition
November 2, 2021*
6:00 pm
Truman W 83-58 
 14  2 Tied   8  Gunnels   7  Rucker  McLeod Center 
Cedar Falls, IA
Non-conference regular season
November 9, 2021*
4:00 pm, ESPN+
at Saint Louis W 63-54  1-0
 17  Rucker   11  Wolf   3  Gunnels  Chaifetz Arena (402)
St. Louis, Missouri
November 14, 2021*
2:00 pm, ESPN+
No. 9 Iowa L 61-82  1-1
 17  Finley   8  Gunnels   4  McDermott  McLeod Center (3,095)
Cedar Falls, IA
November 17, 2021*
7:00 pm, ESPN+
at North Dakota State W 76-63  2-1
 27  Rucker   8  Boffeli   4  Rucker  Scheels Center (504)
Fargo, ND
November 20, 2021*
11:00 am
Witchita State W 87-55  3-1
 16  Kroeger   8  Boffeli   5  Green  McLeod Center (497)
Cedar Falls, IA
November 27, 2021*
1:00 pm, FloSports
at Creighton L 72-79  3-2
 20  Rucker   11  Boffeli   5  2 Tied  D. J. Sokol Arena (792)
Omaha, NE
December 1, 2021*
7:00 pm
at St. Thomas (MN) W 102-62  4-2
 17  Green   11  Wolf   10  McDermott  Schoenecker Arena (375)
Saint Paul, MN
December 4, 2021*
2:00 pm, ESPN+
South Dakota State W 59-50  5-2
 13  Finley   8  Wolf   3  Wolf  McLeod Center (636)
Cedar Falls, IA
December 6, 2021*
6:00 pm, ESPN3
Graceland W 110-34  6-2
 15  2 Tied   7  Wolf   7  McDermott  McLeod Center (668)
Cedar Falls, IA
December 12, 2021*
5:00 pm, ESPN+
at No. 15 Iowa State L 69-70  6-3
 28  Finley   8  Boffeli   6  Rucker  Hilton Coliseum (9,726)
Ames, IA
December 18, 2021*
9:00 pm
vs. Idaho
Maui Classic
W 75-64  7-3
 21  Rucker   19  Boffeli   5  Rucker  Lahaina Civic Center (212)
Lahaina, HI
December 19, 2021*
7:00 pm
vs. Oregon State
Maui Classic
L 59-70  7-4
 17  Rucker   9  Gunnels   3  Rucker  Lahaina Civic Center (415)
Lahaina, HI
Missouri Valley Conference regular season
January 7, 2022
6:00 pm, ESPN3
at Valparaiso L 58-60  7-5
(0–1)
 13  Boffeli   12  Boffeli   8  Rucker  Athletics-Recreation Center (179)
Valparaiso, IN
January 9, 2022
1:00 pm, ESPN3
at Loyola Chicago W 58-54  8-5
(1–1)
 16  Rucker   9  Boffeli   4  Rucker  Joseph J. Gentile Arena (203)
Chicago, IL
January 13, 2022
6:00 pm, ESPN+
Missouri State W 74-65  9-5
(2–1)
 19  Rucker   14  Boffeli   4  Boffeli  McLeod Center (739)
Cedar Falls, IA
January 15, 2022
2:00 pm, ESPN3
Southern Illinois W 66-57  10-5
(3–1)
 18  Rucker   7  Gunnels   3  2 Tied  McLeod Center (837)
Cedar Falls, IA
January 21, 2022
6:00 pm, ESPN+
at Drake L 57-65  10-6
(3-2)
 12  Rucker   10  Boffeli   4  2 Tied  Knapp Center (2,300)
Des Moines, IA
January 27, 2022
6:00 pm, ESPN+
at Illinois State W 74-67  11-6
(4-2)
 16  Kroeger   8  Kroeger   5  2 Tied  Redbird Arena (824)
Normal, IL
January 29, 2022
2:00 pm, ESPN+
at Bradley W 60-36  12-6
(5-2)
 14  Boffeli   10  Boffeli   3  Rucker  Renaissance Coliseum (322)
Peoria, IL
February 2, 2022
4:00 pm, ESPN+
Indiana State W 72-49  13-6
(6-2)
 15  Finley   11  Boffeli   4  Gunnels  McLeod Center (821)
Cedar Falls, IA
February 4, 2022
6:00 pm, ESPN+
Loyola Chicago W 69-56  14-6
(7-2)
 14  2 Tied   18  Boffeli   3  3 Tied  McLeod Center (867)
Cedar Falls, IA
February 6, 2022
2:00 pm, ESPN+
Valparaiso W 68-38  15-6
(8-2)
 14  Rucker   14  Boffeli   4  McDermott  McLeod Center (1,099)
Cedar Falls, IA
February 8, 2022
6:00 pm, ESPN+
Evansville W 78-58  16-6
(9-2)
 20  Gunnels   12  Wolf   3  Kroeger  McLeod Center 
Cedar Falls, IA
February 11, 2022
6:00 pm, ESPN+
at Southern Illinois L 60-64  16-7
(9-3)
 25  Rucker   6  Wolf   4  Rucker  Banterra Center (418)
Carbondale, IL
February 13, 2022
2:00 pm, ESPN+
at Missouri State L 57-66  16-8
(9-4)
 14  2 Tied   8  Gunnels   3  Kroeger  JQH Arena (1,870)
Springfield, MO
February 19, 2022
2:00 pm, ESPN3
Drake L 68-73  16-9
(9-5)
 19  Rucker   10  Boffeli   4  Laube  McLeod Center (1,374)
Cedar Falls, IA
February 25, 2022
6:00 pm, ESPN+
Bradley W 77-56  17-9
(10-5)
 15  Finley   12  Wolf   5  McDermott  McLeod Center (1,701)
Cedar Falls, IA
February 27, 2022
2:00 pm, ESPN+
Illinois State W 70-63  18-9
(11-5)
 19  Gunnels   11  Boffeli   5  Rucker  McLeod Center (1,333)
Cedar Falls, IA
March 3, 2022
2:00 pm, ESPN+
at Indiana State W 61-55  19-9
(12-5)
 22  Rucker   11  Boffeli   4  Wolf  Hulman Center (1,102)
Terre Haute, IN
March 5, 2022
1:00 pm, ESPN+
at Evansville W 83-56  20-9
(13-5)
 14  2 Tied   6  McCullough   3  3 Tied  Meeks Family Fieldhouse (208)
Evansville, IN
MVC Tournament
March 11, 2022
8:30 pm, ESPN+
(3) vs. (6) Valparaiso
Quarterfinals
W 63-39  21–9
 16  Finley   15  Gunnels   3  Rucker  TaxSlayer Center 
Moline, IL
March 12, 2022
4:00 pm, ESPN+
(3) vs. (2) Missouri State
Semifinals
W 63-57  22–9
 18  Rucker   9  Boffeli   5  Rucker  TaxSlayer Center (1,456)
Moline, IL
March 13, 2022
1:00 pm, ESPNU
(3) vs. (4) Illinois State
Championship
L 48-50  22-10
 16  Rucker   8  Gunnels   4  Rucker  TaxSlayer Center (1,392)
Moline, IL
Women's National Invitation Tournament
March 17, 2022
6:00 pm, ESPN+
Kansas City
First Round
W 75-58  23-10
 19  Finley   6  2 Tied   4  2 Tied  McLeod Center (1,074)
Cedar Falls, IA
March 21, 2022
6:00 pm, ESPN+
at Drake
Second Round
L 55-62  23-11
 11  Finley   13  Boffeli   3  2 Tied  Knapp Center (2,037)
Des Moines, IA
*Non-conference game. #Rankings from AP Poll. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses.
All times are in Central Time.
Source:[2]

References edit

  1. ^ "Panthers are WNIT Regional Champions and Head to Memphis". unipanthers.com. March 22, 2021. Retrieved March 15, 2021.
  2. ^ "2021-22 Women's Basketball Schedule". unipanthers.com. Retrieved March 15, 2022.