Wisconsin women’s basketball recruiting: UW adds three new players in 2021 class

Along with most of the other teams on campus, the Wisconsin Badgers women’s basketball squad had their 2021 recruiting class sign on the dotted line Wednesday. The three woman class consists of in-state star Maty Wilke, a 5-foot-10 guard from Beaver Dam; Sacia Vanderpool, a 6-foot-4 forward from Byron, Minn.; and Krystyna Ellew, a 5-foot-10 guard from Chicago, Ill.

Krystyna Ellew, guard, 5-foot-10, Chicago, Ill.

As we said in our post when Ellew committed, she is a “walking bucket.” She is already her high school’s leading scorer with a full season left to be played (you know, if the season happens) and set an impressive single-game record of 58 pts on 25 FG for the Eagles vs. conference rival Lane Tech in 2019.

She was named to both the all-conference and the Chicago All-City teams three times (2017, 2018 and 2019) and was named All-State Third-Team in 2019 and 2018 and All-State honorable mention in 2017.

Coach Tsipis on Ellew: “Krystyna is a dynamic scoring guard who continues to add to her game offensively. She can create her own shot in both transition and in the half court. Krystyna brings a competitive fire to our perimeter group as she also excels on the defensive end with quick hands and a nose for the ball. Competing at a high level in AAU, she is prepared to impact our program and compete on a daily basis.”

Sacia Vanderpool, forward, 6-foot-4, Byron, Minn.

Vanderpool is the fourth generation of her family to attend the University of Wisconsin and has been coming to games in Madison since she was a child. She had a breakout junior season, during which she averaged 15.1 points, 9.3 rebounds and three blocks per game. She also showed off her versatility by shooting an impressive 44 percent behind the arc, 55 percent from the field, and 80 percent from the free-throw line.

Coach Tsipis on Vanderpool: “Sacia is a versatile post player who brings a great frame and skill set to our program. Sacia has really improved her offensive skill set, extending her range and her efficiency. She is a tenacious rebounder who will bring a strong presence in the paint with her shot blocking abilities. She comes from a long line of Badgers and has grown up in Badger Red, so we are happy to welcome Sacia and the Vanderpool family to Madison!”

Maty Wilke, guard, 5-foot-10, Beaver Dam

Wilke, was once rated as a 4-star prospect (94) and ESPN’s No. 76 player/No. 26 guard in the country for the 2021 class. Their most recent rankings, however, have her as a 3-star (90). A three-time First-team all-conference selection, as a junior, Wilke was named the 2020 Conference Player of the Year. That year she averaged 16.6 points, 7.4 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 3.6 steals per game.

Coach Tsipis on Wilke: “Maty is one of the most complete guards in the country. She sees the floor extremely well, shoots it from deep and always makes those around her better. She has won at the highest levels of competition in both high school and nationally in AAU. Maty is a winner who is staying home and bringing that mentality to our program. We have known Maty and her family since she was in 8th grade and she is a student-athlete who girls look up to and want to play with in the future. We are excited to welcome Maty and the entire Wilke family to our Badger family!”