PORTLAND, Ore. – Six players from the Montana State University Billings women's basketball team earned academic all-Great Northwest Athletic Conference honors, announced by the conference office on Thursday.
 
All six Yellowjackets to claim the award did so for at least the second time in their career, and MSUB was the only school in the conference to have all of its selections be multi-time award winners. Seniors Vanessa Stavish, Brina Hull, and Taylor Edwards earned the award for the third time, while juniors Taylor Cunningham, Jeanann Lemelin, and Janessa Williams were each repeat selections from last year.
 
"All of our academic all-conference players should be very proud of this accomplishment," said MSUB head coach Kevin Woodin. "It is not easy to obtain, and it takes a lot of discipline and hard work. Our program is built on academics first, and it is rewarding to see their hard work pay off."
 
Stavish holds a 3.4 grade point average, while completing her mathematics degree with a teaching option. The Frenchtown, Montana, native averages 11.0 points per game and 5.4 rebounds, and is in the top-10 in MSUB history in career made threes with 138.
 
Edwards is a senior from Great Falls, with a 3.35 GPA in health and human performance. Edwards has seen time in 18 games this season, and is averaging 3.4 points and 2.2 rebounds.
 
Hull, who hails from Colstrip, has a 3.56 GPA in biology. She is sixth on the team with 4.7 points per game, while shooting at a clip of 39.5 percent from 3-point territory.
 
Carrying the top GPA on the team is Lemelin, who has a 3.9 while studying public relations. The Billings native is averaging 5.6 points per game, while leading the team with 30 steals and ranking third with 45 assists.
 
Cunningham has a 3.59 GPA and is working towards her degree in health and human performance. A native of Spokane, Washington, Cunningham is second on the team with 12.2 points per game and is one of just four players in the GNAC to have at least one point, rebound, and assist in every game she has played this season.
 
Williams is an elementary education major, who has a 3.72 GPA. She is from Clancy, and has played in all 19 games while averaging 4.4 points and 2.4 rebounds.
 
Saint Martin's University and Concordia University led the GNAC with seven academic all-conference selections apiece. Senior Ali Nelke of Western Oregon holds the top GPA in the conference, with a perfect 4.0 while completing her business degree.
 
MSUB (10-9, 6-7 GNAC) knocked off the University of Alaska 84-65 on Thursday evening, and is next in action on Saturday night at home against No. 10 University of Alaska Anchorage. Tipoff is at 7 p.m., and live video with play-by-play commentary and live statistics will be available online through the MSUB Stretch Internet portal here.