Yellowjacket women’s basketball adds 4 recruits

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT Birgitta Gray O: (406) 896-5917 E: birgitta.gray@msubillings.edu April 28, 2016 Yellowjacket women’s basketball adds 4 recruits Women’s Basketball on Facebook | MSUB Women’s Basketball on ISSUU | MSUB Letter of Intent Signings

MSUB women’s basketball head coach Kevin Woodin is bolstering the roster this season with four more recruits.

MSUB women’s basketball head coach Kevin Woodin is announcing the signing of four recruits for the 2016-17 season.

BILLINGS, Mont. – Yellowjacket women’s basketball coach Kevin Woodin is announcing the addition of four recruits for the 2016-17 season the Montana State University Billings athletic department released Thursday.

The Yellowjackets are welcoming two student-athletes from Montana and one each from Washington and South Dakota.

Three of the new members are incoming freshman while one is a transfer. They are joining Abbie Lohof from Laurel, Mont., who signed to the MSU Billings program during the fall season.

“I am very excited about our entire recruiting class for the upcoming 2016-2017 season,” Woodin said. All of them are outstanding student-athletes and I look forward to coaching each of them. Together they provide us with great depth and talent at multiple positions and when you combine them with our nine returning letter winners, I believe we have the potential to have a successful year.”

Taylor Cunningham Spokane, Washington Lewis and Clark High School 5-foot-11 Forward Major: Undecided Cunningham becomes a member of the Yellowjacket program after a stellar senior campaign at Lewis and Clark High School. The forward let her team to a 20-8 overall record and a 16-2 mark in the Washington 4A GSL. She was instrumental in a runner-up finish at the divisional tournament and a sixth place result at the state level.

During the season, Cunningham averaged 14.8 point and 6.1 rebounds per game. She shot the ball at a 48.0 percent clip from the field (156-326), and an efficient 56-78 for 78.0 percent mark from the free-throw line. She was also effective from the 3-point arc, finishing the year 32-67 and 47.8 percent.

For the team, Cunningham posted 23 games in double-figures. She had a standout outing against Chiawana High School at the regional tournament, logging 28 points and eight rebounds, shooting 4-4 from the 3-point arc and was 7-7 from the free-throw line. Against her team’s rival Ferris High School, Cunningham produced another 28 points, this time on 10-12 shooting from the floor.

The Washington native was named the Greater Spokane League’s Student-Athlete of the Year. She was selected a second -team allconference pick and was included as a WSGBCA all-state honoree.

In addition to her prowess on the court, Cunningham was a fouryear honor roll member.

Coach Woodin on Cunningham: “Taylor is an exceptional studentathlete. She is very versatile, has the ability to guard anyone on the court, and can play multiple positions on offense. She had a huge senior season at Lewis & Clark and I look for her to make an immediate, positive impact on our program.”

Taylor Cunningham

Cunningham on choosing MSUB: “After my visit, the players and coaches at MSUB made me feel like family. It felt like a home away from home. I am excited to start playing for Coach Woodin and to become a student at MSUB. Go ‘Jackets!”

Grace Weeks Rapid City, South Dakota Rapid City High School/Casper College 6-foot-2 Post Major: Elementary Education

Weeks is joining the Yellowjacket roster after two seasons at Casper College in Wyoming. The post player was a two-sport athlete during her prep career at Rapid City High School before joining the Thunderbirds.

Weeks earned six varsity letters during her high career. Under Coach Dave Dolan, Weeks qualified for state during two consecutive season as a sprinter for the track and field team.

Earning three letters under the direction of head coach Kraig Bloome, Weeks completed an exceptional prep basketball career. She was named the team’s Most Valuable Player twice, earned the Cobbler Spirit award, and was team captain her senior campaign. Her final season, Weeks recorded the most points (250) on the highest shooting percentage on the team and collected a record-breaking number of rebounds (181). She was selected for the All-Star game and graduated from Rapid City High School with top academic honors.

Grace Weeks

The post player began her collegiate career at Casper College. Under the guidance of head coach Dwight Gunnare, the Thunderbirds finished last year with a 28-5 overall record and a 19-2 conference mark. Last season competing in the NJCAA District IX, Weeks averaged 6.2 points on 46.5 percent shooting from the field and 3.5 rebounds per game. She competed in 26 contests for the Thunderbirds, averaging 14.7 minutes per game.

At Casper College, Weeks continued her academic success. She has been on the honor roll every semester and is on track to finish her last year as an Academic All-American. A well-rounded individual, Weeks was presented with the Jean Wheatley Award for her excellence that included her time spent as a community coach for the Special Olympics.

Coach Woodin on Weeks: “Grace has been very successful at both Rapid City (High School) and at Casper College. She has excellent size and length and will provide us with much needed depth on the interior. I like her offensive skill set as well, she has the ability to score around the basket but can also step away from the hoop and be effective there too. I am pleased she chose MSUB to further her playing career.”

Weeks on choosing MSUB: “I chose MSUB because talking to Coach Woodin on the phone when he was trying to recruit me and I just knew that he was the coach for me. When I got on campus I just knew that this was the right place for me.

I am excited to continue playing the game I love and I get to have a great education! I am very excited to finish my elementary education degree and also become a Yellowjacket. I feel very blessed to Coach Woodin for giving me this opportunity to play my last two year of collegiate basketball.”

Sophia Wass Manhattan, Montana Manhattan High School 6-foot-1 Forward Major: Biology Wass is joining the Yellowjackets from Manhattan High School. A two-sport athlete, Wass was a three-year letter winner in volleyball and a four-year honoree in basketball.

Last season on the basketball court, the forward led the Tigers in points (361), rebounds (113), free-throws (76.0 percent), and blocked shots (21). She was a team captain during her final prep campaign, guiding Manhattan to a place in the divisional tournament.

Wass was a member of three standout teams. Her sophomore season, the Tigers were participants at the state tournament. Her junior season, the Manhattan team was undefeated until the divisional tournament when the Tigers placed fifth at state.

The incoming freshman played in both the Treasure State and Gallatin Valley Hoops games. Wass earned all-state honors in basketball her senior season. She was a three-year all-conference award winner and a four-year academic all-state honoree in both basketball and volleyball.

Coach Woodin on Wass: “Sophia is a tremendous athlete with great size, length, and versatility. She really impacted the game on both ends when I watched her play at Manhattan. I believe she has the potential to be an awesome player at our level and know she will improve at a quick rate once she gets here this fall.”

Sophia Wass

Wass on choosing MSUB: “I chose MSU Billings because it's a beautiful campus and the opportunity to play with other Montana girls. It is a winning program and you are assigned with a personal counselor for four years to make sure that the ultimate goal is getting a degree. I felt they cared about me academically and athletically.”

Jeanann Lemelin Billings, Montana Billings Senior High School 5-foot-6 Guard Major: Communications A dynamite athlete from Billings Senior High School, Lemelin comes to MSU Billings a well-versed all-around standout.

She was a nine-time varsity letter-winner for the Broncs, earning accolades as a four-year member of the basketball and volleyball teams and played three years for the BSHS softball team.

Her leadership abilities spanned all three areas as Lemelin was named a team captain in each of her three sports.

Under head coach Lisa Shuland, Lemelin recorded a season batting average of .318 in 2013 and .410 in 2014. She is a center fielder for the Broncs’ softball program and a two-year academic all-state honoree in the spring sport.

Lemelin was a setter for the Senior High School dynastic volleyball program. Under head coach Jeff Carroll, the Broncs finished 14-2 last season. Lemelin was a member of two state tournament champion teams. She was named an honorable mention all-state recipient her senior season. Her last two seasons with the volleyball squad, she recorded 617 assists, 241 digs, and 57 service aces. Lemelin was a two-time Most Inspirational honoree for the volleyball program and a double academic all-state award winner.

Jeanann Lemelin

A four-year varsity member of the basketball program, Lemelin guided BSHS to a third place finish at the state tournament. She was a two-year second team all-conference player and a fouryear academic all-state honoree. She was voted Most Inspirational and the MVP of the team. Her senior season, Lemelin averaged 10.5 points and 3.7 rebounds per game. She contributed 3.14 assists and two steals per game and shot a solid 74.0 percent from the free-throw line.

Coach Woodin on Lemelin: “I have known Jeanann for years and I love the enthusiasm, intensity, and passion she plays with. I believe her best basketball is in front of her and I am excited to work with her. She can play both guard positions and I really like her ability to make a difference on both ends of the court.”

Lemelin on choosing MSUB: “I am overjoyed to be able to call myself a Yellowjackets. It has always been a dream of mine to play basketball at the NCAA level and MSU Billings is giving me that opportunity. Coach Woodin’s reputation and record speak for themselves, and I am looking forward to being a part of such a successful program. I am also looking forward to getting a well-rounded education and getting a degree that will set me up for success in my future.”

Last season, the Yellowjackets ended the year with a 21-11 overall record, finishing the Great Northwest Athletic Conference regular season with a mark of 15-5. MSUB entered the conference tournament as the third seed, winning games against Northwest Nazarene and Western Washington and finishing up as the runner-up to the eventual national runner-up Alaska Anchorage. During the NCAA selection show, for the second time in the last three years, MSU Billings was awarded an at-large big to the national tournament. The Yellowjackets were given the No. 8 seed, playing host and No. 1 seed Azusa Pacific in California during the NCAA Division II west region tournament.

--@MSUBSports | #JacketNation--