Morgan Warburton and Kalee Whipple. Get used to hearing those names, because they will be repeated a lot during the upcoming women’s basketball season. These veteran players are the reason Utah is expected to continue right where it left off from last year and resume its dominance in the Mountain West Conference.
Warburton, a native of Helper, Utah, was named this year’s preseason MWC player of the year. Last season, she led Utah and the MWC in points scored per game with 17.2. Whipple was named a first-team all-conference player. She showed off her versatility last year, leading the Utes in rebounding at 7.3 per game and tallying a league-high 10 double-doubles last year. If Utah meets its lofty expectations this year and makes a deep run in the NCAA tournament, just think of those two names.
For a player as decorated as Warburton has been during her collegiate career, it would be easy for her to become a little complacent. After all, she’s been selected to the all-MWC team twice, has led the league in points scored per game and has passed the 1,000 career point mark.
However, Warburton still has a lot to fight for this season. Although the MWC regular season was a success last year, the Utes were surprised against Colorado State in the first round of the conference tournament. Couple that with a first-round exit in the NCAA tournament at the hands of Purdue and it’s clear what Warburton’s goal is this year.
“We want to end the season better,” Warburton said. “We need to focus on the conference tournament and we want to play longer in the NCAA tournament.”
As for being named the preseason pick for MWC Player of the Year, Warburton had only gracious things to say.
“It’s a real honor,” Warburton said. “A lot of players from Utah have been named it before, and it’s good to know that they have confidence in my abilities.”
Many felt that Whipple deserved a first-team all-MWC selection last year. She ranked in the top five in five statistical categories last season in the MWC. There should be no debate this year as to whether the junior from Hiko, Nev., should be on the first team or not.
“It’s an honor to be named on the team,” Whipple said of her preseason first-team nomination. “I’m happy to be called that.”
Whipple said she felt a little pressure that came with the title, but tries not to think much about it.
As for the team’s goals this year, Whipple’s words echoed that of Warburton’s.
“It’s important that we bring it together as a team,” Whipple said. “We have a whole bunch of new kids this year, and we know we can be good.”
The MWC will have very talented and deep players this year, but Utah is the only team in the conference that can boast having two players on the all-conference team. It’s returning talent like these two that made voters select the Utes as the favorite to win the conference again. You can see Warburton and Whipple take the court along with the rest of team Nov. 8, as they host Southern Oregon in the team’s first and only exhibition game.
Morgan Warburton along with teammate Kalee Whipple are expected to help the Utes pick up right where they left off last season, dominating the MWC.