File photo by Travis Rosenau Martin Luther College’s Wilhelmina Wenz dribbles to ball up the floor during an Upper Midwest Athletic Conference women’s basketball game against Bethany Lutheran College on Jan 21 at Martin Luther College.

NEW ULM — In her first season starting for the Martin Luther College women’s basketball team, sophomore guard Wilhelmina Wenz is turning heads.

Not only is Wenz leading the team in assists, second in scoring and second in steals, she is also leading the team and the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference in rebounding with 10.2 boards per game, all while standing at just 5-5.

“In high school I was always running in for rebounds too,” the Shepherd, MT native said. “But in college, [assistant coach Todd] Schoof would say, ‘Just run in there, just run in there.’ He always thought I was very good at running in. And I can’t stop it, I guess. I try at practice sometimes to let them get the rebounds or something. I don’t want to say it’s an instinct, but I always just run in there. I want to have the ball in my hands I guess. It’s funny at practice too, because people on my own team, I’m taking out of my teammate’s hands and I’m saying, ‘I’m so sorry.’ I’m just always going for the ball I guess.”

Wenz grabbed 20 rebounds in a game against the University of Northwestern on Jan. 14, which tied a school record.

“It’s a very cool blessing that I was able to do that,” Wenz said. “I was honestly kind of shocked, because I didn’t even realize, then at halftime they were like, ‘Oh, you have 12 rebounds.’ It never seems like it’s very much. Like 12 rebounds, that’s it? Or even after a game and I have 15, I feel like I can always get more. But it’s just really cool. I’m very surprised, not going to lie.”

Wenz’s motor on the court is next-level, both on the offensive and defensive end, leading to stats racking up game in and game out.

“I think it’s just the mindset that you’re only out there for 40 minutes,” Wenz said. “So you might as well give it you’re all. There’s going to be breaks at some point, so if you’re working your hardest at all times, good things will come of it. It will just work out better if you’re always working hard. I think working hard at practice at all times too, pushing hard in practice, even when it seems like we’re doing the same thing, or we’re playing against the same people all the time, just working hard like it’s a game in practice helps a lot too, because then it’s not that different when you get into the game. You’re still having to push yourself just as hard.”

While the rebounding numbers are what stand out the most about Wenz’s play, Wenz finds ways to contribute all over, leading to her well-rounded game.

“Before thinking that I need to shoot it or that I need to get some points up, I try and think of how I can be the best team player I can be,” Wenz said. “So assists are a huge thing I think. They’re so rewarding, because you’re helping with the points, and it’s almost like you’re getting the points too. Just being the team player, making that extra pass and in the end it will all come back to you at some point and you’ll benefit from it too. Just making sure that I’m putting the team first before thinking that I need to score or I need to drive it or get the ball there. Defense I think is also a huge thing, with steals, and defense wins games a lot of the time. Focusing on that, it’s not always about the points, but if you can play defense.”

Wenz has started 16 of 18 games so far this season after coming off the bench for 19 games as a freshman. Wenz has played the most minutes of any player for MLC, a testament to the work she put in during the offseason.

“After the season last year, I was just in the gym a lot,” Wenz said. “Because after school, me and Anna Kieselhorst would go and just shoot for like three hours. I don’t know how we didn’t have anything else to do. But definitely putting in a lot of shots in the offseason was good. Staying active and working out a lot over the summer.

“I don’t have access to a gym a lot in the summer because of where I’m at, but just staying consistent and always whenever I get a chance to get shots up and work on that, or work on ballhandling, that was a big thing in the summer when I can’t get shots up a lot. But just the routine of always making time to get in and put some work in.”

MLC stands at a 10-9 record with six games left to play in the regular season, with its next game at home against the University of Northwestern on Jan. 31. Wenz finds herself in an even bigger role for the team after its leading scorer, Mya Morris, went down with a torn ACL earlier this season.

“I think as a team, we’re just working on staying together and staying healthy for sure,” Wenz said. “We have a very short bench right now, which is hard and good all at the same time. But just being connected and working together as a unit and as Knights is something that we’re going to be working for. Individually, I would just say just pushing myself every game. Just the next-play mindset, after mistakes knowing it doesn’t matter, there’s always another play ahead that needs to be made. And being a leader. We lost a big leader without Mya right now, so just stepping up into that role, being a leader for everyone out there and helping in any way on the court and on the bench.”