# Western Illinois Leathernecks women's basketball

The Western Illinois Leathernecks women's basketball team represents Western Illinois University of Macomb, Illinois, in NCAA Division I women's college basketball competition. The school's team currently competes in the Ohio Valley Conference. The Leathernecks became a member of the Ohio Valley Conference on July 1, 2023.

## History

In their first NCAA Tournament appearance in 1995, they lost to North Carolina 89–48. They made appearances in the WNIT in 2003 and 2006 along with an appearance in the WBI in 2016.
Western Illinois were 2016–17 Summit League Champions.
March 28 is WIU Leatherneck Women's Basketball Day in Macomb, Illinois. The team was recognized for their 2016–2017 record where they finished 26–7 in the Summit League and advancing to the NCAA tournament.

## 2017 Summit League Tournament

Western Illinois was the Number 1 seed in the tournament. They won the Summit League Tournament on March 7, 2017, with a 77–69 overtime win defeating IUPUI. The win sends the Leatherneck's to the NCAA Tournament, their first appearance since 1995. The win was WIU's 11th consecutive of the season, tying the team record set in 1995.
Both Morgan Blumer and Emily Clemens were named to the All-Tournament League, with Clemens being named tournament MVP.

## NCAA tournament results

| Year | Seed | Round | Opponent | Result |
| 1995 | #14 | First Round | #3 North Carolina | L 48−89 |
| 2017 | #14 | First Round | #3 Florida State | L 66−87 |

## Season–by–season results

Statistics overview :
| Season | Coach | Overall | Conference | Standing | Postseason |
| Bea Yeager (No Conference) (1971–1982) ||||||
| 1971–72 | Bea Yeager | 10–8 | — | — | |
| 1972–73 | Bea Yeager | 11–7 | — | — | |
| 1973–74 | Bea Yeager | 13–8 | — | — | |
| 1974–75 | Bea Yeager | 6–11 | — | — | |
| 1975–76 | Bea Yeager | 8–10 | — | — | |
| 1976–77 | Bea Yeager | 11–11 | — | — | |
| 1977–78 | Bea Yeager | 14–8 | — | — | |
| 1978–79 | Bea Yeager | 14–7 | — | — | |
| 1979–80 | Bea Yeager | 13–11 | — | — | |
| 1980–81 | Bea Yeager | 13–12 | — | — | |
| 1981–82 | Bea Yeager | 7–21 | — | — | |
| Bea Yeager: | Bea Yeager: | 121–115 (.513) | – | | |
| Teresa Check (Gateway Collegiate Athletic Conference) (1982–1986) ||||||
| 1982–83 | Teresa Check | 5–22 | 1—7 | 10th | |
| 1983–84 | Teresa Check | 8–19 | 5—13 | 8th | |
| 1984–85 | Teresa Check | 6–21 | 3—15 | 9th | |
| 1985–86 | Teresa Check | 4–23 | 1—17 | 10th | |
| Bea Yeager: | Bea Yeager: | 23–85 (.213) | 10–52 (.161) | | |
| Kathy Markey (Gateway Collegiate Athletic Conference) (1986–1987) ||||||
| 1986–87 | Kathy Markey | 5–21 | 3—15 | 10th | |
| Kathy Markey: | Kathy Markey: | 5–21 (.192) | 3–15 (.167) | | |
| Kelly Hill (Gateway Collegiate Athletic Conference) (1987–1992) ||||||
| 1987–88 | Kelly Hill | 4–22 | 2—16 | 10th | |
| 1988–89 | Kelly Hill | 9–18 | 7—8 | 6th | |
| 1989–90 | Kelly Hill | 7–20 | 4—14 | 9th | |
| 1990–91 | Kelly Hill | 11–16 | 6—12 | 8th | |
| 1991–92 | Kelly Hill | 9–18 | 5—13 | 8th | |
| Kelly Hill: | Kelly Hill: | 45–115 (.281) | 24–63 (.276) | | |
| Regina Miller (Mid-Continent Conference) (1992–1998) ||||||
| 1992–93 | Regina Miller | 3–21 | 1—15 | 9th | |
| 1993–94 | Regina Miller | 15–13 | 11—7 | 3rd | |
| 1994–95 | Regina Miller | 17–12 | 14—4 | 1st | NCAA First Round |
| 1995–96 | Regina Miller | 10–17 | 8—10 | 8th | |
| 1996–97 | Regina Miller | 7–20 | 4—12 | 7th | |
| 1997–98 | Regina Miller | 8–18 | 5—11 | 7th | |
| Regina Miller: | Regina Miller: | 60–101 (.373) | 43–59 (.422) | | |
| Leslie Crane (Mid-Continent Conference/Summit League) (1998–2011) ||||||
| 1998–99 | Leslie Crane | 7–19 | 4—7 | 7th | |
| 1999–00 | Leslie Crane | 18–11 | 11—5 | 3rd | |
| 2000–01 | Leslie Crane | 16–12 | 11—6 | 3rd | |
| 2001–02 | Leslie Crane | 16–12 | 11—6 | 3rd | |
| 2002–03 | Leslie Crane | 21–9 | 12—2 | 1st | WNIT First Round |
| 2003–04 | Leslie Crane | 20–9 | 19—9 | 1st | |
| 2004–05 | Leslie Crane | 19–9 | 13—3 | 1st | |
| 2005–06 | Leslie Crane | 23–7 | 13—3 | 1st | WNIT First Round |
| 2006–07 | Leslie Crane | 10–19 | 6—8 | 5th | |
| 2007–08 | Leslie Crane | 14–16 | 12—6 | T–2nd | |
| 2008–09 | Leslie Crane | 9–21 | 7—11 | T–6th | |
| 2009–10 | Leslie Crane | 11–20 | 6—12 | 7th | |
| 2010–11 | Leslie Crane | 8–21 | 6—12 | 8th | |
| Leslie Crane: | Leslie Crane: | 192–185 (.509) | 122–84 (.592) | | |
| J. D. Gravina (Summit League) (2011–2023) ||||||
| 2011–12 | J. D. Gravina | 12–19 | 7—11 | T–6th | |
| 2012–13 | J. D. Gravina | 14–16 | 7—9 | 5th | |
| 2013–14 | J. D. Gravina | 14–16 | 6—8 | 5th | |
| 2014–15 | J. D. Gravina | 17–13 | 9—7 | T–3rd | |
| 2015–16 | J. D. Gravina | 16–16 | 8—8 | 5th | WBI Quarterfinals |
| 2016–17 | J. D. Gravina | 26–7 | 13—3 | 1st | NCAA First Round |
| 2017–18 | J. D. Gravina | 22–10 | 10—4 | 3rd | WNIT First Round |
| 2018–19 | J. D. Gravina | 12–18 | 8—8 | 5th | |
| 2019–20 | J. D. Gravina | 15–15 | 9—7 | T–3rd | |
| 2020–21 | J. D. Gravina | 8–16 | 6—8 | 5th | |
| 2021–22 | J. D. Gravina | 14–15 | 5—13 | 7th | |
| 2022–23 | J. D. Gravina | 10–20 | 5—13 | 9th | |
| J. D. Gravina (Ohio Valley Conference) (2023–present) ||||||
| 2023–24 | J. D. Gravina | | | | |
| J. D. Gravina: | J. D. Gravina: | 180–181 (.499) | 70–58 (.547) | | |
| Total: | Total: | 626–803 (.438) | | | |
| National champion   Postseason invitational champion   Conference regular season champion   Conference regular season and conference tournament champion  Division regular season champion  Division regular season and conference tournament champion  Conference tournament champion ||||||
Source:

## Notable former players

* Tuğba Palazoğlu, Overseas
* Zane Teilane, Women’s National Basketball Association