Wartburg Women’s Basketball Triumphs Over Nebraska Wesleyan in Decisive Victory

In a thrilling display of skill and teamwork, the Wartburg Knights women’s basketball team kicked off the new year with a resounding 75-42 victory over Nebraska Wesleyan University.

This American Rivers Conference (A-R-C) matchup, held at Levick Arena on January 3, 2026, bumped the Knights’ season record to 7-6 (3-1 A-R-C), while Nebraska Wesleyan dropped to 3-10 (0-4 A-R-C).

Grace Hennessy and Katie Boulanger stole the show, combining for nine three-pointers. Their shooting set the tone for a dominant win.

Game Summary: A Strong Start and Consistent Performance

The Knights wasted no time establishing their dominance. Within two minutes, Wartburg had jumped out to a 4-0 lead—thanks to a free throw from Katie Boulanger and a three-pointer from Grace Hennessy.

Nebraska Wesleyan tied it at 4-4, but the Knights quickly grabbed control again. Hennessy drained another three, and Wartburg outscored their opponents 10-5 in the last five minutes of the first quarter.

They finished the quarter up 17-9.

First Half Highlights

Wartburg kept building in the second quarter. Emma Townsley opened with a driving layup, and Hennessy knocked down her fourth three-pointer of the first half, putting the Knights ahead by 13.

Nebraska Wesleyan cut the lead to 24-17 with 5:31 left in the half. Wartburg answered with an 8-1 run, led by six points from Boulanger and a score from Corrie Harrison.

By halftime, the Knights led 38-23.

Second Half: Sealing the Victory

The Knights kept up the pressure after the break. A 9-2 run at the start of the third quarter pushed the lead to 47-25.

Multiple players chipped in, like Lauren Donlea with a three-pointer, plus buckets from Harrison, Townsley, and Boulanger. Even after a brief scoring drought, layups from Laynee Hogan and Harrison, followed by another three from Boulanger, kept momentum on Wartburg’s side.

At the end of the third, Wartburg held a commanding 56-28 lead.

Fourth Quarter Dominance

Wartburg didn’t let up in the fourth. Katelyn Aden started things off with a steal and layup, then Hennessy hit her fifth three and Boulanger added her fourth.

That stretched the Knights’ lead to 64-30 within three minutes. The team got more points from Finley Fitzgerald, Townsley, and Boulanger.

Sydney Lamkin and Brenna Bodensteiner capped an 11-3 run with three-pointers, making it 75-33. Nebraska Wesleyan managed a 9-0 run to close the game, but Wartburg had already sealed it, 75-42.

Top Performers and Key Stats

Several players really stood out in this one:

• Katie Boulanger: 24 points (7/11 FG, 4/6 3P, 6/8 FT), five rebounds, one steal
• Grace Hennessy: 15 points (5/7 3P), four rebounds, one assist, one steal, one block
• Corrie Harrison: Eight points, 10 rebounds, two assists, one steal

Other notable highlights:

• 21st straight win over Nebraska Wesleyan
• 24-1 all-time record against Nebraska Wesleyan
• Career-high five three-pointers for Hennessy
• Seventh-straight game with a made three-pointer for Boulanger
• 58.3% (21/36) shooting from three during the seven-game stretch
• First career points and three-pointer for Bodensteiner and Lamkin
• Career-best three blocks for Hogan and career-best three steals for Aden
• Fourth game this season with 10 or more made three-pointers as a team
• The Knights held a 48-28 edge on the glass

Looking Ahead: Next Game

The Wartburg Knights just snagged a big win, and honestly, that’s set a pretty strong tone for the rest of their season. Their next game? It’s coming up on Wednesday, January 7, at 5:30 p.m. They’ll be on the road, facing the University of Dubuque.

Fans are definitely curious—can the Knights keep this momentum rolling? It’s always tough to predict, but there’s a lot of excitement in the air right now.