Entering their seventh season in the GLIAC, the Parkside Rangers are projected to finish fourth in the GLIAC Preseason Poll. Additionally, Sheridan Flauger and Cassidy Arni have been selected as Preseason Second Team honorees heading into the 2024-25 campaign.
As the Rangers enter season seven in the GLIAC, so does Head Coach Jen Conely at the helm. Conely, who has compiled 88 wins in her first six seasons with Parkside, is fresh off a trip to the GLIAC semifinals. After a rigorous non-conference and conference schedule, the Rangers completed the previous season with a 16-12 overall record and a 10-8 record in GLIAC play. After placing fifth in conference, the Rangers claimed a gutsy victory on the road in the GLIAC quarterfinals, defeating Michigan Tech 51-49 in a tense postseason battle. Their season concluded after a loss to Grand Valley State University, who went on to win the conference and reached the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16.
The Rangers will return a strong core of players, complemented by two transfer students and one new freshman. Among the returners, Sheridan Flauger leads the team after earning All-GLIAC Second Team honors in the 2023-24 season. Flauger led the Rangers in scoring, averaging 12.4 points per game, and also tallied a team-high 109 assists in the regular season—a career-best. She shot a career-high 41.1% from the field and showcased her scoring and playmaking abilities on February 3, 2024, with her first career double-double: 20 points, 10 rebounds, and four three-pointers against Saginaw Valley State.
Cassidy Arni, fresh off a season capped with GLIAC Freshman of the Year honors, also earned a spot on the Preseason All-GLIAC Second Team. Arni was Parkside’s first player to receive the Freshman of the Year award since the 2018-19 season. She averaged 8.3 points per game while shooting a GLIAC second-best and team-high 56.5% from the field. Arni also secured GLIAC Offensive Player of the Week honors after her career-high 22-point performance in a win over Purdue Northwest on January 14, 2024.
Parkside has welcomed three new players this season, including transfers Peighton Nelson and Kaayln Peterson. Freshman Elyse Wendler also joins as the only member of the Class of 2028. Nelson, though unrelated to legendary Ranger Alyssa Nelson, arrives from Hillsdale College with an impressive background and a strong determination to impact Parkside. During her time with the Hillsdale Chargers, she averaged 6.5 points, 3 assists, and 1.3 steals per game, earning G-MAC Freshman of the Year honors in 2022-23.
Peterson brings a family connection to the Rangers as the older sister of current player Lillie Peterson. Joining from Coe College, where she played for four years, Peterson is using her fifth year of eligibility with the Rangers to play alongside her sister. For the Coe Kohawks, Peterson was a reliable scorer and rebounder, achieving 1,000 career points and never shooting below 45% from the floor across four seasons. In her senior year, she averaged 13.3 points and 9.6 rebounds per game, helping Coe to a 21-6 record. With Lillie averaging 5.7 points and 6.7 rebounds per game last season, the Peterson sisters pose a rare sister duo that could be a powerful force in the GLIAC.
The Rangers are set to begin the 2024-25 season on November 8th on the road against Maryville. Their home schedule opens with a marquee matchup against reigning National Champions Minnesota State Mankato on November 16th at De Simone Arena. The conference opener is scheduled for December 5th with a rematch of the GLIAC quarterfinals against Michigan Tech on the road. For preseason updates and more, visit ParksideRangers.com.
