MSU-Northern's Edwards reaches another milestone

Montana State University-Northern senior A’Jha Edwards has achieved a lot in a short amount of time as a Skylight. But on Wednesday night, Edwards found out she achieved one of the highest honors a basketball player at her level can.

The NAIA released its 2014-15 All-American Team, and as expected, Edwards was a part of it. She was also a part of the top of the list as she was named an NAIA First-Team All-American which, according to the record books, is the first time a Skylight has ever received that honor. Edwards was also named a WBCA First-Team NAIA All-American, and that was a prestigious one as well, considering it combines both NAIA Division I and Division II to form a 10-player All-American list.

The 6-5 native of Sierra Vista, Arizona, is also only the third Skylight, joining Samm Schermele and Dani Davison, to be named an All-American twice in a career.

“It’s all amazing,” Northern head coach Chris Mouat said. “She is only the third Skylight to become a two-time All-American and that’s an incredible thing. I think the fact that she also became a WBCA First-Team All-American is also very special, because that’s a really hard list to make. And then, for her to become the first Skylight to ever be First-Team NAIA All-American, that’s really special. When you look at the list of All-Americans this program has had, it’s an incredible list, and those that came before her, A’Jha has a lot of respect for those players. She knows about them, and has met some of them, and she is very proud to be on that list.”

Edwards is now at the top of a prestigious list in the history of Skylight greats. And in her senior season, she compiled a list of achievements few basketball players ever experience. To go along with her All-American accolades, Edwards was also named the Frontier Conference Player of the Year, and became a two-time First-Team All-Conference performer. She finished the season averaging 19 points and 14 rebounds per game, and she set several different Skylight rebounding records along the way.

She also saved her best for last, as she averaged 22 points and an incredible 17 rebounds at the NAIA national tournament last week, and with her 35-point, 28-rebound game against Southern-New Orleans, she shattered the NAIA tournament record for rebounds in a single game. And when it was all said and done, Edwards was named to the NAIA All-Tournament team, which is just another incredible and rare feat for a Skylight.

“A’Jha’s awards and accomplishments are a great honor, and they’re very important, and well-deserved,” Mouat said. “And they truly speak to how great of a player she has been for us, and how much we’ll miss her. But, what’s always been most important to A’Jha is her team and her teammates, and I think she would gladly share these awards with them. Those awards are also a tribute to her teammates for getting her the ball in the right ways, and for how much we’ve improved as a team over the last year, and I know A’Jha would share all of these honors with them, and that speaks volumes about the kind of person and team player she is.”

Skylight All-Americans

A'Jha Edwards NAIA First-Team All-American, WBCA 1st Team 2015; A'Jha Edwards Honorable Mention 2014; Laramie Schwenke Honorable Mention 2012; Samm Schermele Honorable Mention 2011; Samm Schermele Honorable Mention 2010; Stacie Barker WBCA 1st Team 2009; DeLayne Johnston 3rd Team 2007; Jaci Heny 2nd Team 2006; Sheila Green Kodak All-American 2002; Lana Quintyne 2nd Team 2001; Missy Ross 3rd Team 1999; Charleen Noreen 2nd Team 1999; Dani Davison 2nd Team 1999; Dani Davison Honorable Mention 1998; Jody Kruta Honorable Mention 1996; Kristin Lawrence 2nd Team 1993;Shelly Hermanson 3rd Team 1991.