(MSUB Athletics release)
PORTLAND, Ore. – All 10 of the Montana State University Billings women’s basketball players who were eligible for the Great Northwest Athletic Conference’s academic all-conference team earned the honor, announced by the conference office Tuesday.
To be eligible, a player must be in at least her second season at a school. Among MSUB’s 10 players in at least their second year, each of them had the required grade point average of 3.20 or higher as well.
“I am very proud of our women’s basketball team members who earned all-GNAC academic honors this year,” said MSUB head coach Kevin Woodin. “To have 100 percent of our eligible players receive this prestigious honor is really quite remarkable. Each of them has worked very hard in the classroom this year, and understands what it takes to be a successful student-athlete at MSU Billings.”
Among MSUB’s 10 selections, six were repeat selections and two were picked for the third time in their career. Seniors Alisha Breen and Lexi Prevost were two of 11 three-time selections among the entire conference field.
2017-18 MSUB Women’s Basketball Academic All-Conference Selections
Name Position Class GPA Major Hometown
+#Alisha Breen
Forward Senior 3.67 Health/Human Performance Choteau, MT
Taylor Cunningham
Forward Sophomore 3.39 Health/Human Performance Spokane, WA
*Taylor Edwards
Guard Junior 3.33 Health/Human Performance Great Falls, MT
*Brina Hull
Guard Junior 3.54 Biology Colstrip, MT
*Rylee Kane
Guard Senior 3.48 Health/Human Performance Red Lodge, MT
Jeanann Lemelin
Guard Sophomore 3.92 Public Relations Billings, MT
*+Lexi Prevost
Guard Senior 3.53 Health/Human Performance Sidney, MT
+Vanessa Stavish
Forward Junior 3.35 Mathematics Frenchtown, MT
Grace Weeks
Forward Senior 3.75 Elementary Education Rapid City, SD
Janessa Williams
Forward Sophomore 3.76 Elementary Education Clancy, MT
#-2014-15 All-Academic Selection +-2015-16 All-Academic Selection *-2016-17 All-Academic Selection
Breen first earned academic all-conference as a sophomore in 2014-15 and has been one of MSUB’s top performers in both the classroom and on the court ever since. The GNAC Preseason Player of the Year leads the GNAC with 19.9 points per game and ranks second with 9.7 rebounds per game. Breen is a fifth-year senior, majoring in health and human performance where she carries a cumulative GPA of 3.67.
A fourth-year senior, Prevost is fourth on the team this year with 6.2 points per game and has started all 26 contests along with Breen. The Sidney, Mont., native holds a 3.53 GPA while studying health and human performance, and earned academic all-conference as both a sophomore and junior.
Senior Rylee Kane and juniors Vanessa Stavish, Taylor Edwards, and Brina Hull were also repeat academic all-conference selections, after each earning the award last season. Completing one of the best careers in MSUB and GNAC history, Kane has started 118 consecutive games at point guard and is second on MSUB’s team with 12.2 points per game. The Red Lodge, Mont., native is also second in the GNAC with 4.9 assists per game. Kane holds a 3.48 GPA while studying health and human performance.
Stavish has started all 26 games for MSUB, and ranks third on the team with 9.3 points and second on the team with 4.7 rebounds. The Frenchtown, Mont., native is majoring in math and holds a 3.35 GPA.
Edwards, in her third season from Great Falls, Mont., has seen action in 23 games after rehabbing from an injury that ended her sophomore season early. Edwards is also a health and human performance major, and has a 3.33 grade point average. Hull has played in 24 of MSUB’s 26 games, and is shooting 35.5 percent from 3-point range. The Colstrip, Mont., native is a biology major with a GPA of 3.54.
Among MSUB’s first-time selections were senior Grace Weeks, and sophomores Taylor Cunningham, Jeanann Lemelin, and Janessa Williams.
Weeks is averaging 5.3 points and 2.9 rebounds in her final collegiate season, and has played in 26 games in her second year with the team after transferring from Gillette College. Weeks is an elementary education major with a 3.75 GPA.
Cunningham is another starter for the ‘Jackets, who is contributing 24.6 minutes per game while scoring 4.8 points and grabbing 3.8 rebounds. A native of Spokane, Wash., Cunningham holds a 3.39 GPA while studying health and human performance.
A guard from Billings, Lemelin has played in all 26 games this year and is shooting 41.4 percent from 3-point range (12-for-29). A public relations major, Lemelin has MSUB’s top GPA at 3.92 which is tied for fifth-highest in the GNAC.
Williams is a multi-sport athlete for the ‘Jackets, who also competes on the track and field team. The sophomore has seen time in 14 games, and has a 3.76 GPA while studying elementary education.
MSUB’s women’s basketball team is 17-9 overall and enters the week in a tie for fourth place in the GNAC at 10-6 in league play. The Yellowjackets have their final home games of the 2017-18 season this weekend, hosting Concordia University on Thursday night and Western Oregon University on Saturday with both games tipping off at 7:30 p.m.
