Southeast Montana News

Six Yellowjackets Earn All-Conference Honors; Woodin Coach of the Year

In a season where numerous players stepped up to make an impact in a deep rotation, the Montana State University Billings women's basketball team were awarded fittingly, with six different players earning all-GNAC honors, and head coach Kevin Woodin selected as the Great Northwest Athletic Conference's Coach of the Year.

 

Kortney Nelson and Cariann Kunkel were selected to the all-GNAC second team. Meanwhile Dyauni Boyce, Aspen Giese, Shayla Montague, and Taryn Shelley were chosen as honorable mentions. The 'Jackets six recipients were the most of any GNAC team, a testament to the depth and ability of this MSUB team.

 

"I was pleased to learn that MSUB had six players selected for all-conference honors." Said Woodin. "All of them are worthy of this great recognition. Our team motto this year has been Stronger Together, and I believe this proves how we represent that phrase. The strengths of our team all season have been our balance and versatility. These recognitions reflect how all six of them and our entire team and program has truly bought in to our team first philosophy.  I am very proud of each of them, and our entire team."

 

A sophomore from Scobey, Montana, Nelson is receiving GNAC honors for the second time in her career after being selected as an honorable mention for the 2021-2022 season. The guard has excelled in her role as the team's starting point guard, leading the Yellowjackets attack with her strength and aggressiveness on both ends of the court. Nelson played in every single game this season, despite a midseason broken nose. She averaged 7.9 points per game this season, adding in 5.1 rebounds and 3.2 assists. She also added 34 steals, third most on the team. In the 'Jackets first victory over then #6 Western Washington, Nelson came up big, finishing with 16 points, 11 rebounds, six assists, four steals and a block.

 

Kunkel earned second team all-GNAC honors for the second consecutive year. The senior from Hamilton, Montana played the most minutes this season in MSUB's frontcourt. Kunkel averaged 9.9 points per game, adding 4.3 rebounds and 1.8 assists, while playing excellent post defense. Kunkel has also been the surest free throw shooter for the Yellowjackets this season, going 83.7% from the line, tied for the ninth best single season mark in program history. In her top scoring performance this season, Kunkel had 21 points against Alaska Fairbanks on the road, going 11-12 from the free throw line as MSUB pulled off a 67-61 win.

 

A sophomore from Winifred, Montana, this is Boyce's first ever all-GNAC honor. She took a major step forward from her previous season, becoming the 'Jackets leader in total points and starting all 29 games. Boyce averaged 10.9 points per game, 5.6 rebounds and 1.9 assists, while adding 1.2 steals, all career highs. Her highlight game came against Post University in November, where she scored a career high 26 points, collecting her first career double-double.

 

Another sophomore, Giese is likewise being honored for the first time in her career. The leader in minutes played for the 'Jackets this season, the Fort Benton, Montana native has come up big for the 'Jackets especially late in the season. Giese averaged 9.1 points per game, with 4.7 rebounds and 2.3 assists, and leading the Yellowjackets in steals with 36. Giese had a number of big games this season, but none bigger than when the 'Jackets upset Western Washington for the second time this season. Facing the Vikings on their home court, Giese shot 10-11 from the field, scoring a career high 25 points, including a buzzer beating three pointer in overtime to give the Yellowjackets their second win against the ranked Vikings this season.

 

A Billings local, Montague is the 'Jackets final first time selection. The junior continued to shine in her role as one of MSUB's strongest shooters, averaging 8.8 points a game while leading the Yellowjackets in three pointers. Montague shot 39.6% from beyond the arc this season, and 44.8% from the field. In both games against Alaska Fairbanks this season, Montague hit a combined 11 three pointers between the two games, shooting 52.4% from beyond the arc against the Nanooks. Montague scored 19 in the first matchup in Fairbanks before finishing with 17 in the rematch at Alterowitz, both MSUB wins.

 

Shelley was an honorable mention for the third time in her career, and received all-GNAC honors for the fourth time after being selected to the first team last season. A preseason selection to the all-Conference team, Shelley's season faced adversity before it even started, when she broke a bone in her foot in the preseason that held the senior out until late December. Shelley returned in a bench role, something she hadn't done since 2019, and responded by scoring double digit points in nine of her 16 games this season. Shelley averaged a team high 11.1 points per game after returning, with 4.1 rebounds. She scored a season high 19 points twice this season, against Western Oregon and Simon Fraser. This season, Shelley moved up to eighth on the programs all-time scoring list, and fourth in rebounds.

 

Woodin was selected as the GNAC's Coach of the Year after guiding the Yellowjackets to a 23-6 overall record, their best since 2017-2018, and a 14-4 mark in GNAC play, the most wins since the 'Jacket's 2013-2014 season. Despite beginning the season without Shelley and Danielle Zahn due to injuries, Woodin guided his squad to an 11-2 start without two key pieces of the Yellowjackets rotation. With 13 players playing more than ten games this season, the Yellowjackets finished with the top defense in the GNAC, allowing just 58.1 points per game while scoring 68.4 points per game. MSUB's scoring was evenly distributed, with six players averaging over seven points per game, and ten players finishing at least one game in double digits.

 

The 'Jackets finished a historic regular season with four wins over ranked opponents and reached as high as 20th in the WBCA coaches poll this season. Between January 5 and February 16, the Yellowjackets went on an 11 game winning streak, all against GNAC opponents. On December 8 against Rocky Mountain College, Woodin picked up his 300th career win, a total that now sits at 314.

 

This is Woodin's third GNAC Coach of the Year award after winning for the 2013-2014 and 2015-2016 seasons. It is the fifth of his career at MSUB, with awards in 2004-20005 for the Independents Collegiate Athletic Association, and in 2006-2007 when MSUB was a member of the Heartland Conference.

Samantha Bowman of Central Washington was selected as GNAC Player of the Year. She is joined by teammate Valerie "Sunshine" Huerta, Western Washington's Brooke Walling and Avery Dykstra, Simon Fraser's Jessica Wisotzki and Alaska Anchorage's Vishe' Rabb on the all-GNAC first team. Dykstra was also selected as the Defensive Player of the Year, while Rabb was the Newcomer of the Year. Asher Cai of Central Washington was chosen as the Freshman of the Year.

Original source can be found here.