UNI women's basketball adds Rachael Heittola to roster
4/11/2022 1:15:00 PM | Women's Basketball
CEDAR FALLS, Iowa -- The UNI women's basketball program has announced the addition of forward/center Rachael Heittola to its roster on Monday afternoon.
"We are beyond thrilled to have Rachael join our program for the next two years," says Head Coach Tanya Warren. "She has had an impressive career at Bemidji State and we can't wait to have her in a Panther uniform next year. She is a very talented post player who can score on the block and has the ability to step out and shoot the 3. She is a perfect fit for how we like to play and I expect her to make an immediate impact for us next year."
Heittola is a sophomore transfer from Division II Bemidji State and will have two years of eligibility starting with the 2022-2023 season. In the past year, Heittola averaged 15.5Â points, 7.7 rebounds, and 1.85 assists in over 24 minutes of play per game. Heittola led the Beavers in points and rebounds per game through the 2021-2022 season with 27 games played.Â
Along with her consistent play with the Beavers, Heittola was recognized by the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference on multiple occasions. In 2020, Heittola was named to the NSIC All-Freshman Team following the conclusion of the 2019-2020 season. In both 2021 and 2022 Heittola was named to the NSIC All-Conference First Team and to the NSIC Winter All Academic Team.
Heittola is a native of Belleville, Wisconsin and was a letter winner with Belleville High School under head coach Sean Greenleaf. While at Belleville, Heittola set the school record for most rebounds with 876 over her four year career. Hiettola was also a three sport athlete in high school, playing volleyball and soccer along with basketball.Â
"We are beyond thrilled to have Rachael join our program for the next two years," says Head Coach Tanya Warren. "She has had an impressive career at Bemidji State and we can't wait to have her in a Panther uniform next year. She is a very talented post player who can score on the block and has the ability to step out and shoot the 3. She is a perfect fit for how we like to play and I expect her to make an immediate impact for us next year."
Heittola is a sophomore transfer from Division II Bemidji State and will have two years of eligibility starting with the 2022-2023 season. In the past year, Heittola averaged 15.5Â points, 7.7 rebounds, and 1.85 assists in over 24 minutes of play per game. Heittola led the Beavers in points and rebounds per game through the 2021-2022 season with 27 games played.Â
Along with her consistent play with the Beavers, Heittola was recognized by the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference on multiple occasions. In 2020, Heittola was named to the NSIC All-Freshman Team following the conclusion of the 2019-2020 season. In both 2021 and 2022 Heittola was named to the NSIC All-Conference First Team and to the NSIC Winter All Academic Team.
Heittola is a native of Belleville, Wisconsin and was a letter winner with Belleville High School under head coach Sean Greenleaf. While at Belleville, Heittola set the school record for most rebounds with 876 over her four year career. Hiettola was also a three sport athlete in high school, playing volleyball and soccer along with basketball.Â
UNI Panther Football: The Best Pod of your Day (Episode 4)
Wednesday, September 17
UNI Football Highlights vs. Eastern Washington (Sept. 13, 2025)
Tuesday, September 16
UNI volleyball tops Iowa State at home
Friday, September 12
UNI Panther Football: The Best Pod of your Day (Episode 3)
Wednesday, September 10