2023-24 Women's Basketball Coaches Poll

from Montana State University-Northern

The 2023-24 Coaches Poll has been released and their predicted order of finish for women's basketball is as follows:

1. Carroll College

The Saints were picked to win the league in the annual coaches poll. Under Head Coach Rachelle Sayers, the Saints have qualified for the past six NAIA National Tournament. Last season, the Saints put together a 27-6 season and advanced to the 16th round in the NAIA National Tournament. They were the Frontier Conference regular season and tournament champions.

Carroll returns NAIA First Team All-American Jamie Pickens for her final season. Pickens, a 6-foot-2 post from Helena, made an immediate impact on the Saints after transferring from University of Montana. Pickens is joined by Maddie Geritz, a 6-foot-1 post, who has been a mainstay in the paint for Carroll, and Kyndall Keller, another transfer from U of M. Keller was named a Second-Team All-Conference performer a year ago and has proven she can play about anywhere the Saints need her. Carroll is also boosted by Addie Eckstrom, who will be returning from a knee injury last season. Eckstrom proved her worth in the 2022-23 season as a versatile scorer and lock-down defender.

Carroll is also welcoming the addition of newcomer Willa Albrecht, a 6-foot-0 transfer from U of M.

Major losses for the Saints include All-Conference guards Sienna Swannack and Kamden Hilborn as well as forward Genesis Wilkinson.

2T. Rocky Mountain College

Under the direction of Coach Wes Keller, the Battlin' Bears advanced to round 32 at the 2023 NAIA National Tournament, their fifth straight appearance. While they must deal with the losses of Mackenzie Dethman and All-American Khloie Thatcher, the Bears return plenty and had a quality recruiting class.

Gracee Lekvold and Ky (Buell) Oliver are two dynamic guards with plenty of experience for the Battlin' Bears. Lekvold was a Second Team All-Conference selection a year ago. In the paint, Dominique Stephens and Morgan Baird both had strong seasons last season. Baird, a transfer from Portland State University, was the co-6th Man of the Year in the Frontier. Newcomer Angie Cavanaugh is a player to keep an eye on for the Battlin' Bears.

2T. University of Providence

Head Coach Bill Himmelberg's Argos were picked in a tie with Rocky Mountain in the coaches poll. One major reason for that is the addition of Ashlee Maldonado, a 5-foot-9 transfer from NCAA Division I Santa Clara University. Frontier fans should recognize the Maldonado name, as her sister Emilee recently finished a standout career, earning All-American honors three times. Maldonado will be an immediate impact player for the Argos. She joins First Team All-Conference forward Maddy Dixon as well as forwards McKenna Reggear and Alicia Oatis and guard Kolby Pimperton.

As far as newcomers to watch, Maldonado is not alone. The Argos added Keanna Salave'a, a 6-foot-0 post, and guards Monique Carter and Taliah Lee who are all expected to make an impact as freshmen for the Argos.

4. University of Montana Western

After the departure of former head coach Lindsay Woolley to Utah State University, former Bulldog standout and assistant coach Britt Cooper was handed the reins of the Bulldog program. Head Coach Cooper is no stranger to success, helping the Bulldogs to a 2019 NAIA National Championship. She has been on the bench with Woolley for two seasons and returns a plethora of players who came up just shy of another spot in the NAIA Final Four a year ago.

The Bulldogs are led by Second Team All-American Jordan Sweeney, an Idaho State University transfer who did great things for Western in her first season. Sweeney is a proven scorer and shined at the national tournament, earning All-Tournament honors. The Bulldogs return a good deal of depth on the perimeter in addition to Sweeney. Shainy Mack has been a mainstay at guard for the Bulldogs, and last year's recruiting class proved to be full of talented perimeter players.

The Bulldogs will, for the first time in four years, be without Brynley Fitzgerald, one of the most prolific scorers in Frontier history. Fitzgerald finished her career as a First-Team All-American. The Bulldogs also lost Mesa King, who was a great all-purpose player at both ends of the floor.

5. Montana State-University-Northern

Head Coach Chris Mouat's Skylights were one of the youngest teams in the conference a year ago. The Skylights return 10 players who all gained valuable experience in 2022-2023.

The Skylights return with young depth in the post, as 6-foot-0 Savannah Toms and 6-foot-2 Shyan Krass got plenty of minutes a year ago. Forward Ryley Kehr, 5-foot-10, averaged double-figure points and has been a regular in the Skylight lineup for the past four years. On the perimeter, the Skylights return L'Tia Lawrence, who missed the 2022-23 season, as well as fellow Harlem High School grad Taya Trottier, who played in just seven games a year ago. During the 2021-2022 season, Lawrence was a double-figure scorer for the Skylights and she is a former Freshman of the Year and 6th Man of the Year.

The Skylights added a pair of junior college guards who will be expected to make an immediate impact. McKenzie Long and Karina Cabrera are new additions who have had great success at the junior college level, and both should bring some added shooting to the lineup. Savannah Seiler, a 6-foot-1 post transfer, averaged 9 rebounds a game a year ago at Orange Coast College.

The Skylights lost Honorable Mention All-Conference guard Briaunna McCullough, who put up good numbers scoring and rebounding a year ago.

6. Montana Tech University

Head Coach Jeff Graham's Orediggers return a great deal of talent and have added to their roster with a strong recruiting class.

The Diggers returning team members are headlined by 6-foot-0 post Aubrie Rademacher.  Rademacher scored nearly 10 points a game a year ago and proved to be a threat from the perimeter as well as on the block. Soda Rice is a versatile guard/forward for the Diggers. She can stretch defenses with the 3-point shot and can finish at the rim. Tech also returns experienced guards in Ally Cleverly and Liv Wangerin.

The Diggers lost Tavia Rooney and Dani Urick. Rooney is a former All-American - multiple times - and set numerous records at Montana Tech. Urick, the former Belt standout, finished her career with over 1,000 points and was a multiple-time All-Conference selection.

Montana Tech has plenty of newcomers to keep an eye on. Brooklynn Hankwitz is a 6-foot-0 forward who comes to Tech after a stellar career at Linn-Benton Community College. Chloe Santeford is a 5-foot-5 point guard from Stanwood High School in Washington state.