The University of Wisconsin-Platteville women’s basketball team played two non-conference games against NCAA Division III teams in New York City during winter break.

In the first game, the Pioneers beat the Brooklyn College Bulldogs 49-39. Junior Kim Wellnitz contributed fifteen points, a game-best.

“Our team went in and played like we had nothing to lose,” Wellnitz said.  “Brooklyn has a very good basketball team and both teams fought really hard.  It was one of the best games our team has played all season.”

Pioneer head coach Megan Wilson agreed, recounting their victory as a good win.

The following night, the Pioneers lost 52-41 to the undefeated Baruch College Bearcats.  Senior Elizabeth Lawinger led the scoring for the Pioneers with seven points and five rebounds.

Baruch College and Brooklyn College are two of 11 individual colleges in The City University of New York system.  According to its website, CUNY is the largest city university in the United States with a student population exceeding 500,000.

Wilson organized the trip to New York City with the encouragement of Chancellor Dennis Shields, who previously served as Acting Vice-President for Student Affairs at CUNY.  He endorsed the cultural opportunity for the Pioneers to visit New York and compete with CUNY teams.

The Pioneers flew from O’Hare International Airport in Chicago, Ill., to Newark, N.J., and stayed at a hotel in Brooklyn.  They travelled frequently on the New York City Subway, creating memories for all team members.

“We had a lot of fun times while we were on the subway– singing, playing games, telling stories and just having fun,” Lawinger said.

A highlight of the trip was going to an NBA game at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn where the Pioneers had courtside seats for the match-up between the Brooklyn Nets and the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Cavaliers forward Jon Leuer, a former Wisconsin Badger basketball player, acknowledged the Pioneer women after the game and posed for a group picture with them.  Leuer played for the Wisconsin Badgers from 2007-2011 and led the Badgers in scoring and rebounds during his final two years.

During their stay from Dec. 26 to Dec. 31, the Pioneers toured the 9-11 Memorial at Ground Zero, shopped at Macy’s, strolled through Central Park, visited Rockefeller Center and Times Square and attended the Broadway musical production “Mamma Mia.”