Senior leadership was crucial to a stellar season for Winfield-Mount Union girls’ basketball, and two of those veteran leaders are receiving more postseason recognition. Bradie Buffington and Melina Oepping represent WMU on the All-Region 8 team in Class 1A as voted on by the Iowa Basketball Coaches Association.

This is the third straight all-region selection for Buffington, who was named the 2023 Super Conference North Player of the Year after leading the Wolves in scoring with 14 points per game. Buffington also pulled down better than eight rebounds per contest and had the second-most blocked shots in the conference, a centerpiece of a dominant defensive team that went undefeated in league play and won 22 games overall.

Oepping put up more than 13 points, nine rebounds and three steals a game while hitting over 54 percent of her shot attempts this season. But she saved her best for last. Oepping averaged 19-and-a-half points and 9.5 boards while shooting 55% in four postseason games, leading Winfield-Mount Union to the Region 8 championship and their first trip to the state tournament in 25 years.