BOZEMAN — Natalie Picton, a guard who spent two seasons at Montana State and helped the Bobcats to a school-record 30 wins and a Big Sky Conference title in 2024-25, is transferring across Big Sky Conferences lines to Sacramento State.
Picton made the announcement via her Instagram account over the weekend. She originally announced her intention to leave Montana State and enter the transfer portal on March 26, writing: "I am beyond grateful for the memories, the friendships, and every moment on the court; we made history together."
Related: Montana State's Natalie Picton takes the mic to interview teammates at March Madness
Picton appeared in all 34 games for the Bobcats as a sophomore this past season, averaging 6.3 points and 1.5 assists in 15.8 minutes per game.
Her playing time took a dip upon the arrival of fellow point guard Esmeralda Morales, who transfer to MSU from Portland State in 2024. As a freshman Picton started in 33 games, averaging 7.3 points and 2.1 assists in 28.9 minutes per game.
Picton, from Welland, Ontario, Canada, joins a Sacramento State program that went 15-18 this past season under coach Aaron Kallhoff and advanced to the second round of the Big Sky Conference tournament in Boise, Idaho, before losing to Northern Arizona.
Picton is the first of three prominent Bobcats to announce a commitment after entering the transfer portal; forward and fellow Canadian Marah Dykstra also announced her intention to leave MSU on March 26 while forward Lexi Deden from Missoula did the same on Monday.
Dykstra scored a buzzer-beating layup to lift Montana State to a 58-57 victory over rival Montana in the championship game of the Big Sky tourney and vault the Cats into the NCAA tournament, where they lost in the first round to Ohio State.
