1997 Women's Basketball

The 1997 women’s soccer team may have been one of the best athletic teams in school history. Ranked second in the nation, they advanced to the NCAA National Division II Finals in Southern California under head coach Linda Bauer-John ’95. The Lady ‘Cats defeated Lynn University by a 1-0 score in the national semi-finals before dropping a 3-0 decision to Franklin Pierce in the title game. The team posted 14 shutouts as they compiled a 22-2-1 record. Bauer-John was named the NCAA Division II Women’s Soccer Coach of the Year while senior Jenny Newkirk was named to the All-American first team and Juli Hanrath was honored on the All-American second team. Wesleyan had five players make the All-Region team and nine members selected on either the first or second All-West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Team.