Neillsville enters the year with an 83-game league winning streak.
2025-26 Cloverbelt East Conference Preview Predicted Order of Finish1)
Neillsville 2)
Columbus Catholic (Marshfield) 3)
Owen-Withee (Owen)4)
Gilman 5)
Loyal6)
Spencer 7)
Greenwood/Granton (Greenwood) 8)
Colby Players to Watch
Braelyn Anding, Neillsville – As a sophomore, Anding was named second-team all-conference, averaging 7.3 points and 5.6 rebounds per game.
Madilyn Davel, Neillsville – Davel will move into a featured role for the Warriors. She averaged 10.6 points, 5.0 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 3.2 steals per contest en route to being named honorable mention WBCA all-state and first-team all-Cloverbelt East as a sophomore.
Autumn Davis Spencer – As a junior, Spencer averaged 18.2 points, 8.0 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 3.2 steals, and 2.0 blocks per game for the Rockets.
Izzy Holz, Columbus Catholic – Holz tallied 10.4 points, 4.4 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 2.5 steals per game as a freshman, earning second-team all-league.
Madi Mueller, Owen-Withee – Mueller received second-team all-conference recognition as a junior, averaging 8.1 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 2.8 assists per game.
Tatym Travis, Greenwood/Granton – As a junior, Travis was chosen as a second-team all-league pick, tallying 11.2 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 2.2 steals per contest.
Reece Weir, Gilman – Weir averaged 6.5 points, 7.9 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 2.2 steals, and 1.2 blocks per game in her debut season for the Pirates.
Team Capsules Colby Coach: Terry Schmitt, 6th year
2024-25 Record: 5-18
2024-25 Conference Finish: 8th, 1-13
Returnees: Brynn Polivka (sr.), Alia Hamus (sr.), Elizabeth Perez (5-5, jr.)
Team Notes: The Hornets will have to replace the bulk of their scoring from last season.
Columbus Catholic (Marshfield) Coach: Eric Wilson, 3rd year (27-25)
2024-25 Record: 16-10
2024-25 Conference Finish: 4th, 8-6
Returning Starters: Izzy Holz (5-7, soph., 10.4 PPG), Katelyn Casperson (5-4, sr., 9.8 PPG, 49 3PM), Sophie Wilczek (5-4, jr., 6.5 PPG, 5.4 RPG), Chayse Blenker (5-7, sr.)
Other Returning Letterwinners: Maddie Bernick (5-11, soph.), Jaylee Garneau (5-6, sr.)
Newcomers: Elly Gardner (fr.), Kenly Hilgemann (fr.)
Team Notes: Coach Wilson told MaxPreps their strengths are guard play and shooting ability. "Challenges are going to be rebounding and depth," he noted.
Gilman Coach: Bailey Rosemeyer, 1st year
2024-25 Record: 13-13
2024-25 Conference Finish: 5th, 6-8
Top Returnees: Allie Olynick (5-7, sr., 6.9 PPG, 6.6 RPG), Reece Weir (5-10, soph., 6.5 PPG, 7.9 RPG, 3.4 APG, 2.2 SPG, 1.2 BPG)
Other Returnees: Addy Vick (5-7, jr.), Aubrey Steinbach (5-6, sr.), Raygen Soper (5-6, jr.), Averie Olynick (5-6, soph.), Norah Noonan (5-8, soph.)
Team Notes: Allie Olynick and Reece Weir will take on leading roles this season for the Pirates.
Coach: Shawn Kolano, 1st year
2024-25 Record: 16-9
2024-25 Conference Finish: 3rd, 9-5
Returning Starters: Tatym Travis (5-10, sr., 11.2 PPG, 8 RPG), Faith Kolano (5-11, jr.), Avery Travis (soph.)
Other Returning Letterwinners: Bailey Eckes (5-4, sr.), Allie Stieglitz (jr.), Brooklyn Sladich (soph.), Nyah LaMont (soph.)
Newcomers: Emma Susa (fr.), Karli Abel (fr.)
Team Notes: Coach Kolano told MaxPreps they have good leadership returning. "Front court play will be a strength."
Loyal Coach: Mike Rueth, 23rd year (301-225)
2024-25 Record: 10-14
2024-25 Conference Finish: 6th, 5-9
Returnees: Mallory Jakobi (jr., 5.7 PPG), Annika Schley (jr.), Payten Wolf (jr.), Summer Smith (sr.), Andrya Wilke (sr.)
Team Notes: The Greyhounds will need to replace their top two scorers from last year's squad. Coach Rueth, who guided Loyal to a state title in 2017, joined the 300-win club last season.
Neillsville Coach: John Gaier, 24th year (499-81), 29th overall (566-123)
2024-25 Record: 23-4, lost to Aquinas in D4 sectionals
2024-25 Conference Finish: Cloverbelt East champions (14-0)
Returning Starters: Madi Davel (5-7, jr., 10.6 PPG, 5 RPG, 3.8 APG, 3.2 SPG), Braelyn Anding (5-7, jr., 7.3 PPG), Jessica Kuhn (5-8, sr., 5.4 PPG)
Other Returning Letterwinners: Tessa Warren (6-2, jr., 5 PPG), Emerson Ormond (5-6, sr.), Mercedes Bayless (sr.), Layla Walk (5-3, jr.), Ella Dittner (5-5, jr.), Riley Hemp (soph.), Addie Kranz (soph.), Katie Rose (soph.), Maddie Shaw (soph.)
Newcomers: Eden Marg (fr.)
Team Notes: The Warriors enter the year with an 83-game conference winning streak. Coach Gaier is 21st on the state's all-time wins list in girls basketball, entering the year with 499 wins. "We should have some decent size and quickness, and we also have some experienced players," coach Gaier told MaxPreps.
Owen-Withee (Owen)Coach: Josh Jalling, 5th year
2024-25 Record: 25-5, lost to D5 state champion Assumption in state semis
2024-25 Conference Finish: 2nd, 11-3
Returning Starters: Madi Mueller (5-6, sr., 8.1 PPG), Kayla Rasmussen (5-4, sr.)
Other Notable Returnees: Carmen Frese (5-8, sr.), Kendall Mueller (5-6, sr.), Addie Hatlestad (5-7, sr.)
Team Notes: The Blackhawks will need to replace three of their top four scorers from last year's team that advanced to the WIAA state tournament.
Spencer (Spencer)Coach: Kyle Davis, 3rd year
2024-25 Record: 10-15
2024-25 Conference Finish: 7th, 2-12
Returning Starters: Autumn Davis (5-9, sr., 18.5 PPG, 8 RPG, 2.3 APG, 3.2 SPG, 2 BPG), Alexa Weber (sr., 5 PPG), Ema Schultz (sr.),
Newcomers: Danica Weber (fr.), Addy Soyk (soph.), Dani Soback (sr.), Nelly Borste (soph.), Caislyn Krause (fr.)
Team Notes: "Our strengths will be our speed and intensity on defense," coach Davis said. He went on to say that they will use that speed to transition into offense.
