FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT Evan O’Kelly Director of Communications O: (406) 657-2130 E: evan.okelly@msubillings.edu Wednesday, December 9, 2015 By: Guido Riffeser, Media Relations Intern New Faces: MSUB women’s basketball freshman Cierra Lamey
Feature story on new MSUB women’s basketball freshman Cierra Lamey, who is in her first season with the ‘Jackets after growing up in Wise River, Mont. MSUB SPORTS – “I don’t know my way around Billings, it’s so big.” This quote comes from Montana State University Billings women’s basketball freshman Cierra Lamey, a native of Wise River, Mont. Growing up in a town of around 250 people, Lamey had spent her entire life on a ranch prior to enrolling at MSU Billings this fall. Lamey has had a passion for basketball since kindergarten, and she realized that she wanted to play basketball in college when she was in eighth grade. “I made a poster with my future goals and that was one of them,” Lamey said. Besides playing basketball, she played volleyball and ran track in high school. Lamey helped the Beavers’ basketball team compile a 48-38 overall record playing as a power forward. She was awarded first-team all-conference honors her junior and senior years and was a third-team all-conference honoree her sophomore season. In her senior season, Lamey
averaged 16.0 points per game with 6.8 rebounds. She was awarded first-team all-conference and first-team all-state. Lamey’s biggest moment of success was when she was named the Southwestern Class A MVP. Lamey faced her biggest challenge in her basketball career as a sophomore in high school. “We lost our five-post and I was 100 pounds and had to play the low post,” Lamey recalled. “It was a really big adjustment, but my coach worked with me a lot and showed me tons of post moves. I learned how to use my advantages of being a smaller post against the big girls. That was definitely a changeup.” MSUB head coach Kevin Woodin learned about Lamey through one of his players from last year, Quinn Peoples. Peoples saw Lamey play in Dillon, Mont., and recommended her to Woodin. “I saw Cierra play in Butte and was pretty impressed,” said Coach Woodin. “I am pleased that Cierra chose to come to MSUB.” Lamey is also very glad that she chose MSUB. “I like the size of MSUB,” said Lamey. “It’s not too big, the classrooms are small, and the professors know who I am. Basketball is very competitive and I love it. The relationship with the girls on the team is very good, they are fun.” Lamey found school a little bit more challenging than she expected, although she knew that basketball was going to be a big time commitment. “I want to keep improving my weaknesses and try to become a better player,” said Lamey. “To improve myself I play and work on specific drills like ball handling, pull up jumpers, and trying to sink down open shots.” Lamey plays mostly on a wing position offensively (2-3 position), and defensively she has the ability to guard a 1-2-3. “Cierra is a versatile player,” said Woodin. “Her athleticism and length are very important to us. I expect her to help us down the road. It is hard when you are an incoming freshman, it takes so much time to learn the new ins and outs of the offense and the defense, but she is progressing well and is extremely coachable.” Lamey is competing to earn more minutes as her young college career gets underway, and Woodin predicts a bright future for her. “I am starting to see Cierra grasp things at a better level,” Woodin said on the freshman’s progression. “She fits in very well with our program and I am confident that she will do big things here at MSUB.” Lamey is studying biology and would like to go to veterinary school after graduating from MSUB. In her free time she likes to ride horses, participate in rodeo, and fish. *MSUB’s ‘New Faces’ series will run throughout the 2015-16 men’s and women’s basketball seasons, introducing the newest additions to the Yellowjacket programs. --@MSUBSports | #JacketNation--