Frontier Preview: Some of the NAIA's best women's teams reside in the Frontier

In women’s basketball, the Frontier Conference has been as good as any league in the NAIA for a long time now. And, the last two years, it’s been on full display with the national tournament being held in Billings.

The only thing missing from the Frontier’s resume is a national championship, but with a league so deep in talent, that could change in the Metra in March. Entering conference play, the Frontier has four teams ranked inside the NAIA Top 25, and two more knocking on the door. No team finished non-conference play below .500 and that’s saying something considering the tough schedules that everybody in the league played this fall.

In other words, there’s no denying that the Frontier is one of the best leagues, if not the best, in the NAIA again this season, and over the next two months, it’s going to be awfully exciting to see how it all plays out.

Here’s a team-by-team look at Frontier Women’s Basketball with teams listed in the order they were picked in the Preseason Coaches Poll.

#8 Carroll College

Fighting Saints

2018-19: 3-0, 11-3

2017-18: 14-4, 25-8, 1st in Frontier

Head Coach: Rachelle Sayers

Arena: Carroll P.E. Center

OUTLOOK: The Fighting Saints enter the new year on a roll. And the defending Frontier champions should be, given the firepower they have at head coach Rachelle Sayers disposal. Hannah Dean (6-1) is a star in the post for Carroll, while Brittney Johnson (5-7) is as dangerous an inside-out threat as there is in the Frontier. Dani Wagner (5-9) and Jayden Lyman (5-3) are also a great backcourt combo, and when you factor in how dominant Carroll’s defense is, allowing just 52 ppg, the Saints are going to be awfully hard to dethrone this winter.

#9 UM-Western

Bulldogs

2018-19: 2-0, 11-0

2017-18: 13-5, 27-9, 2nd in Frontier

Head Coach: Lindsay Woolley

Arena: Straugh Gym

OUTLOOK: No team in the NAIA has had a faster rise to glory than that of Western. The Bulldogs have always been stout in the Frontier, but nothing like what they’ve got going under Lindsay Woolley right now. A national tournament team a year ago, Western is loaded to the gills with talent again this season, including the return of All-American Bri King (). But while King and her 21 ppg are the catalyst for the Dawgs, their lineup is incredible. Veterans Cierra Lamey (5-10), Britt Cooper )5-10) and Brandy Bookout (5-10) give the Dawgs tremendous length, and Paige Holmes (5-6) and Savanna Bignell (5-6) along with Darby Schye (6-0) give Western the deepest team in the league. The Dawgs also average an incredible 91 ppg, while only allowing an NAIA best 48 per night, so, they’re by no means one dimensional. And, like the Saints, Western is a legitimate national championship contender.

#13 University of

Providence Argos

2018-19: 0-2, 11-3

2017-18: 10-8, 20-12, 4th in Frontier

Head Coach: Bill Himmelberg

Arena: McLaughlin Center

OUTLOOK: The Argos have been a force now in the Frontier for some time and have been going to national tournament after national tournament under Bill Himmelberg. And 2019 will likely be no different. With the return of super sophomore Parker Easy (6-1), arguably one of the best forwards in the country, as well as Emilee Maldonado (), and a deep roster that includes the likes of Tristan Murphy (6-1), Reed Hazard (5-10) and others, UP is once again right in the thick of the Frontier race. An injury to Jenna Randich does hurt, but that shouldn’t keep the Argos from getting back to Billings for another NAIA Big Dance.

#18 Rocky Mountain

Battlin’ Bears

2018-19: 2-0, 11-3

2017-18: 11-7, 23-9, 3rd in Frontier

Head Coach: Wes Keller

Arena: Fortin Center

OUTLOOK: Like Western, Rocky has quickly risen up the ranks of the Frontier under Wes Keller. The Bears will play in their third straight national tourney in March, and while their spot in the field is automatic due to being the hosts, the Bears are good enough that they’d earn their way there regardless. Rocky is built on pressure defense, allowing just 50 ppg, but the Bears are equally as good on offense. Veterans Alecia Chamberlain (5-10), Justyn Juhl (6-0) and Brooke Jones (5-11) are back, as is Markaela Francis (6-0), giving the Bears one of the bigger front lines in the league. Add in the emergence of Alyssa Big Man and Marissa Van Atta (5-11), and Rocky has built a squad that can not only contend for a Frontier title but also go deep into March in their hometown.

Lewis-Clark State

Warriors

2018-19: 1-1, 11-2

2017-18: 8-10, 18-13

Head Coach: Brian Orr

Arena: LCSC Activity Center

OUTLOOK: The Frontier has been so good recently that, the Warriors tend to get overlooked. And yet, they are still the most successful program in the league over the last decade. And while head coach Brian Orr’s squad had a down year last season, that trend is unlikely to continue. LCSC is off to a hot start this season and is centered around a strong post game with Jossilyn Blackman (6-0), Abbie Johnson (6-2) and (Hailey Turner (6-1). The return of Peyton Souvenir (5-5) is also key for the Warriors, who could be the dark horse in the Frontier title race this season and could find themselves back in the national tourney, too.

MSU-Northern

Skylights

2018-19: 0-2, 8-6

2017-18: 3-15, 11-19, 6th in Frontier

Head Coach: Chris Mouat

Arena: Armory Gymnasium

OUTLOOK: Injuries ended Northern’s run of consecutive national tournaments last year. And the Skylights have started the 2018-19 season injury-plagued, as well. Northern played almost the entire non-conference season without starters Hailey Nicholson and Tiara Gilham. The Skylights are also a young squad overall as graduation hit Chris Mouat’s team hard. Still, sophomore Peyton Kehr has been sensational this season, as has sophomore transfer Sydney Hovde. Point guard Gokce Aslan is also getting more comfortable at this point, and red-shirt freshman Allix Goldhahn is emerging as well. Now, entering Frontier play, with a healthy Nicholson and Gilham, the Skylights will be completely capable of making plenty of noise the next two months.

Montana Tech

Orediggers

2018-19: 0-3, 10-4

2017-18: 4-14, 14-17, 5th in Frontier

Head Coach: Carly VanDyke

OUTLOOK: Montana Tech had its share of struggles a year ago, but those struggles are gone now, and Tech is a serious threat once again. Tech enters league play averaging nearly 80 ppg, and the Diggers have six players scoring in double figures. Mesa Williams (5-10) has been the catalyst, but Kaylee Zard (6-0), Mollie Peoples (5-8) and Dani Urick (5-10) have been outstanding, as well, and as a result, Tech is poised to finish this season anywhere but where the Frontier coaches picked them.