Women’s basketball ready for a Return to Glory

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT Birgitta Gray O: (406) 896-5917 E: birgitta.gray@msubillings.edu October 29, 2015 Women’s basketball ready for a Return to Glory Women’s Basketball on Facebook Interviews with senior Janiel Olson, junior Alisha Breen, sophomore Rylee Kane, and head coach Kevin Woodin 2015-16 MSUB Women’s Basketball Schedule 2015-16 MSUB Women’s Basketball Media Guide MSUB Women’s Basketball on ISSUU

Two-time preseason all-conference player Janiel Olson and the Yellowjackets return to the court for an exhibition game Nov. 3.

The 2015-16 MSUB women’s basketball team is ready for an action-packed schedule that includes a home tournament and a return to the Holiday Hoops event in Las Vegas.

BILLINGS, Mont. – The back of the 2015-16 MSUB women’s basketball warm-up shirts say “Return to Glory” and that is exactly what the Yellowjackets are working towards as they get set for an action-packed year. Head coach Kevin Woodin is expecting big things from a squad that is still young, but does have enough experience and talent to compete against any team they are up against this season.

“I think that anytime a season ends the way ours did last year when we didn’t qualify for the playoffs - which did sting, I would be lying if I didn’t say there wasn’t motivation to get back to the GNAC tournament this year,” Woodin said on what kind of effect last year’s overall record of 14-14 had on the program. “Last year’s seniors didn’t get to play in what was essentially a home tournament, so I know this year’s team really wants to make some noise in the conference season, and I think we can do that.”

The 2014-15 MSU Billings team missed the cut for the Great Northwest Athletic Conference tournament that was hosted at Alterowitz. Graduating from the team last year were All-American Kayleen Goggins, Quinn Peoples, and Annie DePuydt. Originally part of the same class, Janiel Olson and Monica Grimsrud are returning to the team this season for their fifth years. Grimsrud redshirted two seasons ago while Olson sat out last year as she was still recovering from multiple surgeries to her knee and ankle.

“We expected Janiel to come back last year and that would have given us more depth, so having her back this year is definitely a plus for this year’s team,” Woodin said. “I am proud of how hard she has worked to get back, and I think she will have her biggest season ever coming up. We will miss our three graduating seniors, together they combined for close to 40 points per game, so I think that is our the biggest challenge we face this year – to replace them from an offensive standpoint. I don’t think we need to have three people to do that, it could be several people filling in those spots.”

Olson has played a starting role on the MSUB team since her freshman season. The 5’10” forward averaged 7.8 points and 9.7 rebound her junior year and was ranked as high as No. 15 in the nation in rebounds. She was the 2013-14 GNAC Defensive Player of the Year and first team all-conference, and this season for the second time in her career was named to the GNAC preseason all-conference team.

“I think we have the potential to have a stronger defense this year and Janiel is a big factor in that,” Woodin continued “From my early season observations in regards to practice and workouts I think we will be stronger in a lot of areas.

Obviously Janiel is a big factor in that, bringing her back into the mix will make us better. I am impressed with many of our newcomers and our returners have worked really hard in the offseason as well. We have tremendous length and athleticism in our lineup which should help us defensively.”

For the first time in her collegiate career, Grimsrud has been able to solely focus on the basketball season. A dual-sport athlete the Montana City, Mont., native has been a member of the MSUB volleyball team and has gone straight from the fall season directly into the basketball year that has already been on the court for two weeks of play. Being able to go through a summer and fall preseason has been a huge benefit to the 6’1’’ forward.

“Monica being able to go through a preseason this year is a completely different player,” Woodin commented.

“Previously she had absolutely no time to rest and heal-up, no weekends off, so I see her as mentally and physically ready as I have ever seen.”

Grimsrud played in 26 games for MSUB last year, averaging 3.2 points and 3.8 rebounds per game. She also made 18 blocks on the season, ranking her 15th in the conference.

Even with the two fifth-year players and two juniors in Alisha Breen and transfer Tiana Hanson, the Yellowjackets are still a very young squad with the four upperclassmen and eight underclassmen on the roster this year.

“We have tremendous leadership from Janiel and Monica being fifth-year seniors on and off the court,” Woodin commented on the makeup of this year’s team. “They both already have their undergraduate degrees and are working on their master’s so from a maturity standpoint they are both extremely excited and want to leave their mark on the program.

“Also jumping into a strong leadership role for the team this year is Alisha Breen,” Woodin said. “She has a gift to lead others; she is the type of person you want to surround yourself with. She has the ability to make her teammates better both on and off the court.”

Breen joined Olson as a GNAC preseason all-conference selection this season. After averaging 15.5 points per game (seventh in the GNAC) and 7.6 rebounds (fifth in the GNAC) the junior was unanimously selected for the conference honor. Last year, Breen averaged 33.8 minutes per game while shooting 44.2 percent from the field. She finished the year shooting 83.4 percent (141169) from the free-throw line – sixth best all-time at MSUB. She was also first on the team in blocks (31), second in assists (78) and third in steals (29) and this season Coach Woodin is expecting big things from the all-around player.

Adding to the mix this year is junior transfer Hanson. The 6’2” forward from local Shepherd, Mont., enters the lineup after spending her first two seasons at Sheridan Community College.

Last year, Hanson averaged a double of 20.2 points and 10.5 rebounds. She finished the year ranked No. 1 in the nation in Junior Alisha Breen was unanimously voted to the preseason allfree-throw percentage making 228-288 for 79.2 percent and in conference team. the recent game against the Alumni, the junior was a perfect 9-for-9 from the free-throw line.

The largest class for MSUB is the five-member sophomore class. Two of the members redshirted their first season, and three are making their way back to the court after seeing action as true freshmen last season.

The class of second-year Yellowjackets is led by point guard Rylee Kane. After starting every game last season for the ‘Jackets, a role that was thrust upon the Red Lodge High School graduate after the void left from the loss of All-American Bobbi Knudsen, this year the 5’6” guard is expected to go beyond her previous contributions and be a more vocal leader on the court.

Kane averaged 5.0 points per game and 2.6 rebounds. She had 90 assists during her freshman campaign and was fifth overall in the GNAC in assist/turnover ratio at 1.5.

Second in minutes behind Kane is Billings, Mont., native and West High School graduate, Marissa Van Atta. The 5’11” guard played in all 28 games for MSUB last season averaging 10.9 minutes per game.

Also, coming back for their second season on the floor for MSUB are 5’7” guard Lexi Prevost, 6’0’’ forward Vanessa Stavish, and 6’0” forward Kasie Christensen.

“We need at least a couple members of this class to come forward and contribute to make our team better,” Woodin said on the sophomore class. “Rylee is much improved from last season and I can tell she put in a lot of time to make herself a better player. Starting as a freshman point guard in this league was a difficult task, but I think she improved throughout the season from a year ago, and I expect her to be more aggressive this year.

“From the other four, I think it is vital we get improved play from that class,” Woodin continued. “I really need at least 2-3 of them to step up into more important roles and if they can do that successfully our team will be much better because of that. It was a great benefit to redshirt Marissa and Kasie and also Monica two years ago. They learned a lot by playing around such great players as Bobbi Kundsen and Austin Hanser; they were especially able to see the type of intensity that is needed to play at this level.”

Heading for their first year with MSUB this season are freshmen Taylor Edwards, Brina Hull, and Cierra Lamey. The trio completes a Yellowjacket team whose roster is solely from the state of Montana. Edwards a 5’9” guard is from Great Falls, Mont., Hull a 5’8” guard hails from Colstrip, Mont., and Lamey is a 5’10” forward from Wise River, Mont.

Rylee Kane is returning as a sophomore with a year of experience under her belt as the starting point guard for MSUB.

“Our three freshmen have all impressed me in the preseason and I am optimistic that they will provide us with the depth needed to compete at a high level in our conference,” Woodin said.

The Yellowjackets have an action-packed schedule this year starting with two exhibition games against Billings rival Rocky Mountain College. MSUB travels to the Fortin Center on Tuesday, Nov. 3, followed by a rematch a week later on Nov. 10 in Alterowitz during Eastern Montana College Throwback Night.

“Having back-to-back exhibition games against RMC early in the season is good for us to see where we are at,” Woodin said on the opening games of the year. “They will get us ready for our regular season and I also believe playing Rocky is a positive for the Billings community and our players enjoy playing in those games a lot.”

Kicking off the regular season, MSU Billings turns to hosting the Yellowjacket Women’s Basketball Classic on Nov. 13-14.

Joining the Yellowjackets are fellow GNAC institution Simon Fraser University along with competition from west region and PacWest conference schools California Baptist University and Academy of Art University.

“I think that on paper this is going to be the best [one] ever,” Woodin said on the tournament. “I am very grateful to ExxonMobil and the Billings Hotel and Convention Center for sponsoring it again; without them I don’t think we would be able to attract these teams. That said, we open with Cal Bap, last year’s national runner-up so we will know how good we are right away. AAU has a tremendous program. They are consistent winners; two years ago we beat them by one point during the opening round of regionals. I expect them to be very good again. Plus, we will have a very good SFU team, people will have a tremendous opportunity to see very good basketball each night.”

The Yellowjackets’ first road trip is to California where the team will play the program that beat them in the NCAA west region title game two years ago – Cal Poly Pomona, followed by a game against Cal State San Bernardino. “Pomona is perennially a top-team in the region, and San Bernardino is a consistently solid team in their league, but we’ve never played them before,” Woodin said on the first road trip of the season.

Turning to the conference schedule, MSU Billings opens with Central Washington at home on Dec. 3, part of a 5-game home Freshman Taylor Edwards is one of three freshmen new to the stand in November and December. The Yellowjackets are also MSUB roster this season. returning to the South Point Holiday Hoops tournament in Las Vegas this year where the team will face two new opponents in Quincy and Tarleton State.

On the return to Las Vegas, Woodin is excited for the competition. “I thought two year ago when we went it was a great tournament. Both opponents we will see this year are quality teams, and it is always fun to go up against teams out of our region just to see different styles of play.”

“The GNAC will again have great depth of talent,” Woodin said turning to conference action. “Most of the teams return the majority of their players and each program has added some essential recruits and transfers. I think the race to be in the final six teams that make the conference tournament will be very competitive. I am also looking forward to playing Concordia (Ore.) as they have joined the conference this season and while are not tournament eligible, will play a factor in who does make the tournament this year.”

The Yellowjackets play six of their last eight conference games on the road. “I think it is important to play well early and establish ourselves as a contender. I would hate to have to run the table at the end of the season – that puts a lot of pressure on the players.”

Also, new to the season this year are several rule changes to the women’s game. Chief among those are the move to playing four 10-minute quarters, shooting double bonus after the fifth foul in each quarter, and a 10-second back court rule.

All of MSUB's home contests and most road contests will feature live video and statistics available via MSUB's Stretch Internet portal here. MSUB's Jeff Rosenberry and Aaron Like will serve as the play-by-play commentators for all Yellowjacket home men's and women's basketball games throughout the season.

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