SAINT PAUL, Minn. – Wednesday morning the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) revealed its postseason awards in women's basketball, and three Yellowjackets were recognized.
 
Junior MyKenzie Leccia (Somerset, Wis./Somerset) was named the league's defensive player of the year while receiving a spot on the All-UMAC Defensive Team. Senior Elise Besonen (Ewen, Mich./Ewen-Trout Creek) was named to the All-UMAC First Team, while junior Elsa Olson (Cottage Grove, Minn./Park) gained an honorable mention nod.
 
Senior Hailie Evans (Proctor, Minn./Proctor) served as the Yellowjackets' representative on the All-UMAC Sportsmanship Team.
 
After a breakout season last year, Leccia posted another strong season in 2024-25. Seeing a career-high 735 minutes on the court to-date (27.2 minutes per game), she has garnered a 35.8 shooting percentage from field goal range and has sunk 41 shots from beyond the arc. At the line she is 25-for-30 (83.3 percent) and has surpassed triple digits in rebounds at 109. Leccia posted a pair of career-high scoring games this season, netting 21 at Martin Luther before scoring 24 against the Knights inside the Mertz.
 
Besonen once again paced the 'Jackets in her senior year. She started all 27 games so far this campaign, seeing 988 minutes on the court (36.6 minutes per game). Her field goal percentage stands at 47.3 percent and she's sunk 54 shots from three-point range. At the charity stripe Besonen has made 66-of-69 for a 95.7 shooting percentage while being tabbed with 77 boards. She has scored a career-high and team-leading 438 points to this point, surpassing 1,000 career points as a Yellowjacket in the process.
 
Olson transitioned into a starting role this season and has made a seamless transition. Playing in a career-high 714 minutes (27.5 minutes per game) she garnered a 36.7 shooting percentage while draining 21 triples. From the line Olson has made 44 shots while grabbing 83 rebounds to-date. She has scored a career-best 219 points in the 2024-25 season (averaging 8.4 per game), with her highest mark coming against North Central with 17.
 
The Yellowjackets captured the program's fourth UMAC postseason championship last week, defeating Northwestern 53-47. Earning the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament, they are set to face Whitman College this Friday. The opening tip is set for 4:45 p.m. at the Johnson Fieldhouse on the campus of UW-Stout.