10 sensational sophomores making their mark in 2017-18 NCAA.com

CHAMPS

PRESENTED BY RELATED: Ashland is on a run of historic proportions. Both Johnson and fellow sophomore Renee Stimpert have left their mark on this team, but Johnson is quietly becoming one of the leaders, which speaks volumes of her play. RELATED: The Wallen triplets have made an impact since they stepped on the court in Florence, Alabama. The Lions improved from a five-win to 19-win team last year, and are currently 18-2 and the No. 22 team in DII women's basketball. MORE: Emma is second in the Gulf South Conference, scoring 18.7 points per game. Ivy Wallen has become one of the premier point guards in the division, scoring 17.5 points per game and leading DII in assists with 9.4 per game. The third Wallen, Ella, plays a more limited role off the bench, but her contributions can't be overlooked. “They’re all completely different,” Lions head coach Missy Tiber . “Ivy is a true point guard and then you got Emma and Ella as wing players. Ella is the only lefty out of the group, which is kind of funny how that worked out. Ella is definitely in charge of the group. She does a lot of the talking for them. Ivy may have been thrown into a leadership role because she is the point guard, but I really think Ella is in charge and gets stuff done.” It shouldn't be a surprise to see Bildner's name on this list. She's coming off a freshman campaign that ended with Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association Freshman of the Year honors. This year, she's taken it to another level. Bildner is second in the MIAA in scoring, dropping 18.8 points per game. She's fifth in DII in rebounding, ripping down 12.7 rebounds per game. “Kallie’s talent on the court and the numbers she puts up speak volumes in regards to her basketball abilities," head coach Tony Francis said. "Even more impressive is her consistency of effort to make those around her better. Kallie is an exceptional teammate and is respected by all members of her team. Her 3.94 cumulative GPA demonstrates her drive to pursue excellence in all endeavors.” Hailey Diestelkamp, Drury The Drury Panthers have been ranked in the Top 25 for 73 consecutive weeks. This is a powerhouse program, so the fact that Diestelkamp is one of the Panthers leaders is very notable. Lexy Hightower, West Texas A&M The No. 17 Lady Bluffs may be in a rough patch, but Hightower is one of the driving forces behind a team that has been to three Elite Eights in the past four seasons. Savanna Hanson and Zoe March, Azusa Pacific This dynamic duo has the Cougars out to a 21-3 start. Both Hanson and March are the only two Cougars to start every game. March is leading DII in assist-to-turnover ratio (4.11) and Hanson leads the team in rebounding. Hanson puts up the bigger numbers, scoring 14.9 points and pulling down nine rebounds per game. She's third on the team in assists, steals and blocks as well. March puts up 9.3 points per game, but her ability to distribute the ball evenly and not turn it over is invaluable. "We run a very fast offense and [Hanson's] versatility allows her to do a wide variety of things within the offense," APU SID Stephen Hinkel said. "She can put the ball in the hoop on the drive, from the catch-and-shoot or pull-up for a mid-range shot. Also, she draws defenders to her and she can find the open teammate." "Savanna is a coaches dream," head coach T.J. Hardeman added. "Savanna spends hours outside practice working on her ball handling and shooting. She is relentless while playing. Her ability to handle the ball and score from 3 makes her a hard guard for bigs and her size is a tough match up for anyone small. She leads us in rebounding because her motor is always going." Karen Donehew, North Greenville North Greenville may not be heading to a postseason run, sitting at 4-15, now into Conference Carolina play. But Donehew's name will likely end up on a few lists when the season concludes. Donehew made an impact last season, walking away with Conference Carolina Freshman of the Year honors. This year, her 19.4 points per game are tops amongst all sophomores, second to only Mount Olive's Felicity Havens 22.9 per game in the conference. She also leads the Crusaders in rebounds (7.6 per game) and assists (2.7 per game). "I'm not sure I've watched a basketball game in which Karen does not give 100 percent," Crusaders' SID Robbie Gawrys said. "Which shows a lot considering she plays the entire game. Karen is always the first one to the floor to chase a loose ball, or crashing the lane from outside to grab a rebound." Morgan Greene, Cal State East Bay Greene has become one of the dominant presences in the paint in all of DII basketball. She's coming of a redshirt-freshman campaign in which she led the California Collegiate Athletic Association in rebounding, and has transformed into a double-double machine. The 5-foot-10 forward is leading all sophomores in double-doubles with 16, good for second in all of DII. Greene is leading the Pioneers in points (15.1 per game) and rebounding, her 13.0 per game best in the CCAA once again. Notables: Kayla Marosites, Carson-Newman - Destiny Castro, Chaminade -

DII women' s basketball programs with the most NCAA DII national championships

Here's a look at the programs that have won multiple DII women's basketball championships.