The regular season is over. The postseason tournament is over, and several Frontier Conference teams, including the Montana State University-Northern men’s basketball are headed to the NAIA national tournament.
On the men’s side, the Frontier champion Lights had four all-conference selections for the second year in a row, while three Skylights earned all-conference honors.
Northern senior Joe Simpson, a 6-4 native of Pittsburg, Calif., not only earned Frontier Second-Team All-Conference, but he was also named the league’s Defensive Player of the Year. Simpson becomes the second Light in three years to win the honor, as Andrew Sellars earned the same award back in 2010.
Simpson repeated as an all-conference honoree, as did Northern senior LaVon Myers and Shaun Tatarka, as well as junior Devin Jackson. The trio all earned Frontier First-Team All Conference this season. A year ago, Jackson and Simpson earned first-team honors, while Myers and Tatarka were second team. Tatarka finished fourth in the Frontier in scoring, while Jackson was sixth. Myers also averaged 11 points per game, while finishing third in the league in assists. Simpson averaged 11 points and seven rebounds per game, but upped his scoring and rebounding in three postseason games to 18 points and nine rebounds per.
Northern senior Laramie Schwenke earned Frontier First Team women’s honors this year, after garnering second-team honors a year ago. Schwenke was third in the Frontier in scoring at 16 points per game and she was among the league leaders in rebounding and steals as well. She also was the top 3-point shooter in the Frontier and was among the national leaders in that category.
Fellow Skylights Jordan Bruursema and Nikki Tresch both earned second-team all-conference honors. Bruursema, a junior, scored 13 points and grabbed seven rebounds per game for a Skylight team which went 21-9 this season. Tresch averaged 12 points per game, and the trio of Schwenke, Bruursema and Tresch were all among the top 3-point shooters in the league.
UM-Western’s Brandon Brown and Lewis-Clark State’s Jasmine Stohr repeated as Frontier Player’s of the Year. Brown, who averaged 23 points per game won the same honor a year ago, as did Stohr, who averaged 20 points per night, despite missing several games due to injury.
While Simpson was named defensive MVP on the men’s side, the women’s honor went to Rocky Mountain College’s Allie Blake. Blake was also named Newcomer of the Year. Lewis-Clark State’s Brittaney Niebergall was named Freshman of the Year, while UGF’s Sarah Sciascia was named Six-Player of the Year on the women’s side. LC State’s P.J. Bolt was named Newcomer of the Year on the side, Montana Tech’s Adam Greger earned the nod as Freshman of the Year and UGF’s Leon Sutton was named Six-Man of the Year.
On the men’s side, Northern and Westminster each had four players selected to the all-conference team, while LC State had the most on the women’s side with four.
Frontier Women’s Honors
First Team All-Conference
Alyssa Fierro Lewis-Clark State 6-2 Sr. P Big Fork, Mont; Jasmine Stohr Lewis-Clark State 6-0 Sr. G Yakima, Wash; Kirsi Voshell Lewis-Clark State 6-3 Sr. P Pullman, Wash; Laramie Schwenke MSU-Northern 5-8 Sr. G Malta, Mont; Kelsey DeWit Montana Tech 6-2 So. P Columbia Falls, Mont; Sammi Bignell Montana Western 5-10 So. G Avon, Mont; Hayley Pettit Montana Western 6-2 Jr. C Dillon, Mont; Allison Blake Rocky Mountain 5-11 Jr. G/F Kaysville, Utah; Austin Hanser Rocky Mountain 5-8 So. G Billings, Mont; Dana Bates Westminster College 5-9 Sr. G Warden, Wash; Cydney Tibbitts Westminster College 6-1 Jr. F Pasco, Wash; Nicole Yazzie Westminster College 5-7 Jr. G West Valley City, Utah
Second Team All-Conference
Torrie Cahill Carroll College 5-11 Jr. G Miles City, Mont; Jeni Guertin Carroll College 6-1 Sr. P Bozeman, Mont; Brittaney Niebergall Lewis-Clark State 5-3 Fr. G Portland, Ore; Jordan Bruuresma MSU-Northern 6-0 Jr. F Reed Point, Mont; Nikki Tresch MSU-Northern 5-5 Jr. G Glenrock, Wyo; Bryn Hasquet Montana Tech 6-0 So. G Missoula, Mont; Mandy Machinal Montana Tech 5-7 Fr. G Richland, Wash; Nicole Tams Montana Western 5-9 Sr. G Lincoln, Mont; Micki Scally Rocky Mountain 5-8 Sr. G/F Billings, Mont; Kezia Ford University of Great Falls 5-9 Sr. G Great Falls, Mont; Sarah Sciascia University of Great Falls 5-9 So. F Granite Bay, Calif; Jenteal Jackson Westminster College 5-7 Jr. G Salt Lake City, Utah.
Player of the Year: Jasmine Stohr, Lewis-Clark State; Newcomer of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year: Allie Blake, RMC; Freshman of the Year: Brittaney Nibergall, Lewis-Clark State; Sixth-Player of the Year: Sarah Sciascia, UGF; Coach of the Year: Shelley Jarrard, Westminster.
Frontier Conference Men’s Honors
First Team All-Conference
Ben Cutler Carroll College 5-11 Jr. G Kalispell, Mont; Andy Garland Carroll College 6-5 Sr. F Missoula, Mont; P.J. Bolte Lewis-Clark State 6-5 Jr. F Tacoma, Wash; Devin Jackson MSU-Northern 6-1 Jr. G Denver, Colo; LaVon Myers MSU-Northern 6-2 Sr. G Los Angeles, Calif; Shaun Tatarka MSU-Northern 6-1 Sr. G Great Falls, Mont; Brandon Brown Montana Western 5-10 Sr. G Tacoma, Wash; Kyle Erickson Montana Western 6-4 Sr. F Broadview, Mont; Tyler Hurley Montana Western 6-5 Sr. G/P Anaconda, Mont; Marcel Townes University of Great Falls 6-2 So. G Phoenix, Ariz; Jake Orchard Westminster College 6-4 Jr. G Salt Lake City, Utah; Ben Walker Westminster College 6-7 Sr. P Lehi, Utah
Second Team All-Conference
Tony Dalton Carroll College 6-6 Sr. F Moab, Utah; Donte Archie Lewis-Clark State 6-3 Jr. G Los Angeles, Calif; Joe Simpson MSU-Northern 6-4 Sr. F Pittsburgh, Calif; Adam Greger Montana Tech 6-6 Fr. G/F Florence, Mont; Tyree Haynie Montana Tech 5-9 Sr. G Chico, Calif; Daniel Simon Montana Tech 6-6 Jr. F Ephrata, Wash; Matt Fogarty Rocky Mountain 6-7 Sr. F Palo Cedro, Calif; Sergio Trocha Rocky Mountain 6-9 Sr. C Cartenga, Columbia; Ken Anderson University of Great Falls 6-8 Sr. C Houston, Texas; Melvin Williams University of Great Falls 6-2 Sr. G Philadelphia, Pa; Jordan Hayter Westminster College 6-3 Jr. G Grants Pass, Ore; A.J. Reilly Westminster College 5-10 Sr. G San Diego, Calif.
Player of the Year: Brandon Brown, UM-Western; Defensive Player of the Year: Joe Simpson, MSU-Northern; Newcomer of the Year: P.J. Bolte, Lewis-Clark State; Freshman of the Year: Adam Greger, Montana Tech; Coach of the Year: Steve Keller, UM-Western.
Send-off for Lights is set for Sunday
Fans of the Montana State University-Northern men's basketball team are invited to send the Lights off to the NAIA national tournament on Sunday afternoon from 2-4 p.m. at the Armory Gymnasium. Fans can come watch the second half of the Lights' final practice in Havre. After the practice is over, there will be a chili feed, and there will be t-shirts and other Northern memorable available, and the Lights will be signing autographs. Northern leaves for Kansas City on Monday morning.
