NEW GLARUS —  After losing to eventual Division 4 state champions Mineral Point in the sectional final, New Glarus is coming back this season with high hopes.

“We were playing really good team basketball at the end of last year,” head coach Kevin Parman said. “We look to build from last year’s success and see what happens. We are all very excited for this season to get underway.”

With junior Lindsey Schadewalt returning, the Glarner Knights are poised for success. As a sophomore, Schadewalt was named the Capitol South Conference Player of the Year, averaging 19.8 points, 6.4 rebounds 1.6 steals and 1.9 assists per game.

Entering the 2022 season, she is 96 points away from reaching the 1,0000-point career milestone and getting attention from Division I and II programs. 

Senior Alex Atwell also made first-team all-conference with a team-leading 6.8 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game. Guard Elle Lancaster returns after her second-team all-conference performance as a freshman.

With five other returners and three impactful newcomers, Parman is excited about how his depth will benefit the team.

One area he looks to improve on, though, is defense. The Knights had 218 steals compared to their opponents at 267.

“We really want to step up our game on defense and look to have everyone aggressive on the offensive end,” Parman said.

With a 7-3 conference record, New Glarus finished in a three-way tie for the title with Belleville and Cambridge last year. This year, Parman believes his team is better prepared to win. The biggest challenges, in his eyes, will be Cambridge, Waterloo and Marshall.