GREEN BAY - When Jen Wellnitz was in eighth grade at Black Hawk, she was the quarterback of the middle school football team. As a freshman in high school, she gave up the gridiron for good, focusing instead on volleyball, track and basketball.
Despite winning multiple conference titles in volleyball and state titles in track and field, basketball was her sport - and she seemed to know it all along. After four successful years under coach Mike Flanagan, the three-time all-state guard took her talents to the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay.
"Overall, it's been great," she said. "I couldn't have imagined it any better. Green Bay has a small school feel to it, and that reminds me of Black Hawk."
Flanagan knew his star pupil would go through an early adjustment period at the collegiate level, but he also knew her intangibles.
"Her motor is second to none," Flanagan said. "That's what separates her. As a coach you just try to prepare them for whatever is next. She was going to struggle a bit at the next level. But she needed to be patient and trust the process."
Despite starring for one of the state's top teams for four years in high school, college basketball was on an entirely different level.
"It's a night-and-day difference," she said. "Everyone is great. There are so many weapons at this level. It didn't take long for me to see how raw I was. I was like a fifth-grader playing varsity."
Wellnitz redshirted her freshman year in order to hone her skills and knowledge of the game.
"I was willing to do what I could to play. I thought I was good, but I realized I was untamed. They changed my shot four different times. My shot and ball handling have come a long way. The same with my 3-point shooting," she said. "Everything was new. I've had to work 10 times harder than ever before. You have to earn your playing time."
This season, the now redshirt-junior has started all 19 games for the Phoenix, which boasts a 17-2 record overall, are tied for first in the Horizon League and are currently ranked 22nd in the nation, according to the Associated Press, and No. 21 in the USA Today Coaches Poll.
"Right now, it's all about conference play," she said. "We want to win the conference, or at least the conference tournament to make the NCAA Tournament. That's every team's goal."
Wellnitz is averaging 5.6 points per game this season, shooting 48.4 percent from the field. She also is averaging two rebounds per game and leads the team in both assists (78) and steals (49). In her most recent game against Oakland, Wellnitz scored 11 points and had nine assists - the second time this season she's reached both those marks.
Senior teammate Jessica Lindstrom leads the team in scoring (14.6 ppg) and rebounds (9.8 ppg) and was named Horizon League Player of the Week last week. Another senior, Allie LeClaire is averaging 12.7 ppg and scored a season high 28 against Milwaukee on Jan. 6.
"Jess and Ali are our focal points. We want to get them the ball as much as possible," Wellnitz said.
The Green Bay program has developed a sense of stability and quality play. According to ESPN, the program has now eclipsed 41 consecutive winning seasons - more than every other women's college basketball program outside of Tennessee, which was led for much of the same stretch by the late Pat Summit, a Hall of Famer.
"That's a great accomplishment," Wellnitz said. Green Bay has also won 19 straight conference titles.
By winning the conference tournament, a team is automatically in the NCAA Tournament, also dubbed "March Madness" by its fans. Even if Green Bay loses in the conference tournament, the Phoenix are primed for an at-large bid. Green Bay has solid wins over Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, then-No. 23 Marquette and No. 24 Arizona State.
"We have a good chance for an at-large bid, but we want to take care of business," she said, alluding to wanting to win the conference tournament.
In her time at Green Bay, her squad has taken on programs like Tennessee, Princeton and Purdue.
"It's so cool to play those teams. We're a mid-major playing Power 5 teams in the tournament," Wellnitz said.
Green Bay's only two losses this season have come against 7th-ranked Mississippi State and a huge upset by Northern Kentucky.
"Mississippi State is really good. They have one girl who is 6-7 - it's hard to score against someone that size," Wellnitz said. "Northern Kentucky, we were out of sorts that night."
Coming up next for Green Bay is bottom-feeder Illinois-Chicago (7-12, 0-8) tomorrow, and then a battle against IUPUI (15-4, 7-1) at home on Sunday for sole possession of first place in the Horizon League. Nine days ago, the Phoenix blasted IUPUI 60-34.
Wellnitz, though not the focal point of the Phoenix, has had success on the court in the college game throughout her career. After the 2016-17 season, she was named to the All-Horizon League Defensive Team. And in her first year of action she knocked down the game-winning shot to beat Northern Kentucky in the Horizon League semifinal on March 12, 2016.
What she's looking forward to next year is to be the leader on the court and the person her teammates look up to.
"I want to be a captain next year," she said.
Wellnitz, a business administration major with two emphases and a plan for a master's degree after graduating, isn't sure what the future holds after college. She's thought of possibly playing professionally in Europe but is unsure of the safety given the world's current social climate. Coaching is something she'd think of, but it would have to be at the right place and probably in the high school level.
"The main thing for me is I don't want to sit behind a desk," she said. "I come from a family of nine, and I want to have my own someday. I know coaches, especially at this level, spend a lot of time away from their family, and I wouldn't want that."
Her large family plays a big role in her life. Wellnitz is glad Green Bay is just a few hours away - she's able to come home often, and her family is able to go watch her play. That is, when one of her younger sisters isn't playing in a basketball tournament somewhere.
"There's always someone at my home games. I love the support. I have four younger sisters, and I FaceTime with them a lot," Wellnitz said, referring to the video calling app.
Her four younger sisters are between kindergarten and seventh grade, and their father helps coach basketball and softball.
Wellnitz also appreciates having played for Flanagan at Black Hawk.
"Flan did his best to prep me, but this is a whole different game," she said. "I used to be the big fish in a small pond, now I'm a small fish in a big ocean."
Flanagan said that Wellnitz means a lot to the Black Hawk community, including his current team that is unbeaten and ranked No. 1 in the state in Division 5.
"It's an honor for all the people at Black Hawk. She means so many things to so many people. Our current players looked up to her when she was here and saw everything that she accomplished," Flanagan said.
Wellnitz has also been trying to give back to her high school in other ways. She's leading the charge of her current program to scout the roster of her former squad.
"I play a big part in that. Bailey Butler is really talented. She's going to play Division 1 basketball someday. The coaches are really impressed," Wellnitz said. "I'm hoping the Black Hawk girls make state. I'd love to watch them on the big stage."
That big stage for the WIAA girls basketball tournament? The Resch Center: Home of the UW-Green Bay Phoenix.
Despite winning multiple conference titles in volleyball and state titles in track and field, basketball was her sport - and she seemed to know it all along. After four successful years under coach Mike Flanagan, the three-time all-state guard took her talents to the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay.
"Overall, it's been great," she said. "I couldn't have imagined it any better. Green Bay has a small school feel to it, and that reminds me of Black Hawk."
Flanagan knew his star pupil would go through an early adjustment period at the collegiate level, but he also knew her intangibles.
"Her motor is second to none," Flanagan said. "That's what separates her. As a coach you just try to prepare them for whatever is next. She was going to struggle a bit at the next level. But she needed to be patient and trust the process."
Despite starring for one of the state's top teams for four years in high school, college basketball was on an entirely different level.
"It's a night-and-day difference," she said. "Everyone is great. There are so many weapons at this level. It didn't take long for me to see how raw I was. I was like a fifth-grader playing varsity."
Wellnitz redshirted her freshman year in order to hone her skills and knowledge of the game.
"I was willing to do what I could to play. I thought I was good, but I realized I was untamed. They changed my shot four different times. My shot and ball handling have come a long way. The same with my 3-point shooting," she said. "Everything was new. I've had to work 10 times harder than ever before. You have to earn your playing time."
This season, the now redshirt-junior has started all 19 games for the Phoenix, which boasts a 17-2 record overall, are tied for first in the Horizon League and are currently ranked 22nd in the nation, according to the Associated Press, and No. 21 in the USA Today Coaches Poll.
"Right now, it's all about conference play," she said. "We want to win the conference, or at least the conference tournament to make the NCAA Tournament. That's every team's goal."
Wellnitz is averaging 5.6 points per game this season, shooting 48.4 percent from the field. She also is averaging two rebounds per game and leads the team in both assists (78) and steals (49). In her most recent game against Oakland, Wellnitz scored 11 points and had nine assists - the second time this season she's reached both those marks.
Senior teammate Jessica Lindstrom leads the team in scoring (14.6 ppg) and rebounds (9.8 ppg) and was named Horizon League Player of the Week last week. Another senior, Allie LeClaire is averaging 12.7 ppg and scored a season high 28 against Milwaukee on Jan. 6.
"Jess and Ali are our focal points. We want to get them the ball as much as possible," Wellnitz said.
The Green Bay program has developed a sense of stability and quality play. According to ESPN, the program has now eclipsed 41 consecutive winning seasons - more than every other women's college basketball program outside of Tennessee, which was led for much of the same stretch by the late Pat Summit, a Hall of Famer.
"That's a great accomplishment," Wellnitz said. Green Bay has also won 19 straight conference titles.
By winning the conference tournament, a team is automatically in the NCAA Tournament, also dubbed "March Madness" by its fans. Even if Green Bay loses in the conference tournament, the Phoenix are primed for an at-large bid. Green Bay has solid wins over Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, then-No. 23 Marquette and No. 24 Arizona State.
"We have a good chance for an at-large bid, but we want to take care of business," she said, alluding to wanting to win the conference tournament.
In her time at Green Bay, her squad has taken on programs like Tennessee, Princeton and Purdue.
"It's so cool to play those teams. We're a mid-major playing Power 5 teams in the tournament," Wellnitz said.
Green Bay's only two losses this season have come against 7th-ranked Mississippi State and a huge upset by Northern Kentucky.
"Mississippi State is really good. They have one girl who is 6-7 - it's hard to score against someone that size," Wellnitz said. "Northern Kentucky, we were out of sorts that night."
Coming up next for Green Bay is bottom-feeder Illinois-Chicago (7-12, 0-8) tomorrow, and then a battle against IUPUI (15-4, 7-1) at home on Sunday for sole possession of first place in the Horizon League. Nine days ago, the Phoenix blasted IUPUI 60-34.
Wellnitz, though not the focal point of the Phoenix, has had success on the court in the college game throughout her career. After the 2016-17 season, she was named to the All-Horizon League Defensive Team. And in her first year of action she knocked down the game-winning shot to beat Northern Kentucky in the Horizon League semifinal on March 12, 2016.
What she's looking forward to next year is to be the leader on the court and the person her teammates look up to.
"I want to be a captain next year," she said.
Wellnitz, a business administration major with two emphases and a plan for a master's degree after graduating, isn't sure what the future holds after college. She's thought of possibly playing professionally in Europe but is unsure of the safety given the world's current social climate. Coaching is something she'd think of, but it would have to be at the right place and probably in the high school level.
"The main thing for me is I don't want to sit behind a desk," she said. "I come from a family of nine, and I want to have my own someday. I know coaches, especially at this level, spend a lot of time away from their family, and I wouldn't want that."
Her large family plays a big role in her life. Wellnitz is glad Green Bay is just a few hours away - she's able to come home often, and her family is able to go watch her play. That is, when one of her younger sisters isn't playing in a basketball tournament somewhere.
"There's always someone at my home games. I love the support. I have four younger sisters, and I FaceTime with them a lot," Wellnitz said, referring to the video calling app.
Her four younger sisters are between kindergarten and seventh grade, and their father helps coach basketball and softball.
Wellnitz also appreciates having played for Flanagan at Black Hawk.
"Flan did his best to prep me, but this is a whole different game," she said. "I used to be the big fish in a small pond, now I'm a small fish in a big ocean."
Flanagan said that Wellnitz means a lot to the Black Hawk community, including his current team that is unbeaten and ranked No. 1 in the state in Division 5.
"It's an honor for all the people at Black Hawk. She means so many things to so many people. Our current players looked up to her when she was here and saw everything that she accomplished," Flanagan said.
Wellnitz has also been trying to give back to her high school in other ways. She's leading the charge of her current program to scout the roster of her former squad.
"I play a big part in that. Bailey Butler is really talented. She's going to play Division 1 basketball someday. The coaches are really impressed," Wellnitz said. "I'm hoping the Black Hawk girls make state. I'd love to watch them on the big stage."
That big stage for the WIAA girls basketball tournament? The Resch Center: Home of the UW-Green Bay Phoenix.
