It’s the final postseason run for Onalaska native Lexi Donarski, who has been a starter all five seasons of her collegiate career and made the NCAA tournament each year with either Iowa State or her current team, North Carolina.
The shooting guard is playing her second season with the the Tar Heels and they have a solid chance to make a deep run.
The 14th-ranked Tar Heels (27-7) are coming off a 66-55 loss to No. 7 NC State (26-5) in the ACC tournament. Donarski had nine points on 3-for-8 shooting (2 of 7 from deep) in the loss.
Now, North Carolina and all women’s basketball fans will have to wait until the March Madness selection show at 7 p.m. March 16 on ESPN.
Last season, North Carolina lost to eventual National Champions, South Carolina, in the second round of the NCAA tournament. The Gamecocks were 34-0 in winning the title.
Donarski played her first three seasons at Iowa State.
In 2022-23, the No. 5-seeded Cyclones lost in the first round to 12th-seeded Toledo. Donarski scored 13 on 5-of-12 shooting, but went 1 of 7 from deep. She added seven rebounds in 37 minutes.
In 2021-22, third-seeded Iowa State got to the third round, before losing to No. 10 Creighton 76-68. Donarski played all 40 minutes in that one, scoring 11 on 4-of-14 shooting.
And, in her freshman 2020-21 season, seventh-seeded Iowa State lost to No. 2 Texas A&M 84-82 in overtime. Donarski had 18 points on 6-of-14 shooting, going 4-for-8 from deep to go with three assists and three rebounds.