Eastern Washington women: Eagles in rebuild mode after coming up short of NCAA Tournament

After narrowly missing a spot in the NCAA Tournament last year, the Eagles have some rebuilding ahead.

Gone is Violet Kapri-Morrow, who led EWU in scoring (18 ppg) and rebounding (6.4 rpg), and starters Alissa Sealby and Uriah Howard.

However, Eastern has a solid foundation in Grace Kirscher, a 6-foot sophomore from Sandpoint who made a big impression last year.

Kirscher played in all 33 games last year, making 25 starts and averaging 10.4 points, sixth-best among freshmen in EWU history. She also helped the Eagles (13-20, 9-11 Big Sky) reach the conference title game, where they fell in overtime to Portland State.

Picked to finish in the middle of the pack in coach Wendy Schuller’s 19th season, the Eagles will also count on sophomore guards Jessica McDowell-White (8.5 ppg, 2.8 apg) and Bella Cravens, junior Cailyn Francis and lone senior Leya DePriest.

Also back are redshirt freshmen Tatiana Reese, Tessa Burke, Trinity Golder and Millyu Knowles. Eastern also has four true freshmen.

“(Coming a win short of the NCAA Tournament) left a bad taste in our mouth, and we want to get back to the championship and finish the game,” Schuller said. “But we have to get there first.”