By: Evan O'Kelly, Director of Communications
MSUB SPORTS – The reserve and honorable mention forwards on the women's basketball all-decade team represent some of the top-performing scorers and defensive players of the 2010s.
Two of the top forwards from the decade made the bench unit, and three more deserving candidates were listed on the honorable mention.
This Week's Schedule
| Day |
Release |
| Monday, October 12, 2020 |
Forwards - Reserves & Honorable Mention |
| Tuesday, October 13, 2020 |
Guards - Reserves & Honorable Mention |
| Wednesday, October 14, 2020 |
Forwards - Starters |
| Thursday, October 15, 2020 |
Guards - Starters |
| Friday, October 16, 2020 |
Full Team |
The Reserves
Vanessa Stavish
Position: Forward
Hometown: Frenchtown, Montana
Playing Years: 2014-2019 (5 seasons)
Feature Story: Be Brave: A Tribute To Lori Stavish
An anchor in the Yellowjackets' lineup for four seasons, Stavish was part of two NCAA regional tournament teams including the 2017-18 regional championship squad. She played in 123 games – the third-most in school history – and was a regular in the team's starting lineup during her junior and senior seasons.
Stavish finished her career with 152 made 3-pointers – the eighth-most in school history. She scored 893 points for an average of 7.3 points per game, and her career free-throw percentage of 77.1 ranks her ninth in school history. Starting all 37 games of her junior season in 2017-18, Stavish was a crucial presence during MSUB's history-making playoff run. She saved perhaps the best individual performance of her career for the regional title game, when she had a 17-point, 10-rebound double-double while making five 3-pointers to help the 'Jackets beat Alaska Anchorage by one point.
Stavish capped her career by earning honorable mention all-GNAC as a senior, and she was a three-time academic all-conference selection as well.
Stavish on her fondest MSUB memories: "My fondest memories at MSUB are all of the lifelong friendships that I created and going to the Elite Eight in 2018."
Kevin Woodin (Stavish's Head Coach, 2014-2019): "Vanessa was a very consistent and key player during her MSUB career for us. She could really stretch the floor on the offensive end with her ability to shoot the 3. Vanessa's five threes in the west regional championship game against UAA were a huge factor in sending us to the Elite Eight for the first time since 1999."
Where is she now? Stavish resides in Billings and is an eighth grade math teacher at Lewis and Clark Middle School. She is also pursuing her master's degree in educational leadership.
Taryn Shelley
Position: Forward
Hometown: Shoreline, Washington
Playing Years: 2018-Current (2 seasons)
Feature Story: New Faces: MSUB Women's Basketball Freshman Taryn Shelley
Quickly establishing herself as one of the most dominant inside presences in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference, Shelley has earned honorable mention all-league in each of her first two seasons in the Yellowjacket program. She followed a stellar freshman campaign in 2018-19 with an even better performance last winter, and MSUB stands to benefit from having her presence in the lineup for two more years.
Shelley has already totaled 694 points for an average of 12.4 per game, while grabbing 466 rebounds for an average of 8.3 per game. Shelley's average of 8.5 rebounds per game ranked her fourth in the GNAC last year, and she also ranked No. 9 in the league in scoring with 13.5 points per game.
Shelley also has 85 career blocks, putting her No. 6 in school history in that category. Shelley has started 51 of the 56 games she has played thus far, and she holds a career field-goal percentage of 48.0.
Shelley on her fondest MSUB memories thus far: "Being able to spend time with my team! I have made so many great relationships over the past three years. One experience that was super fun to have with my team was to go to the GNAC tournament last year."
Kevin Woodin (Shelley's Head Coach 2018-2020): "Taryn has enjoyed two solid seasons already as a Yellowjacket and I expect her to leave MSUB as one of the greatest post players in school history. She has all of the shots and an amazing touch around the basket. I am excited about her new leadership role on this year's team, and I think she is ready to have her best year ever."
Where is she now? Shelley is an elementary education major at MSUB, and will begin her third season in the program when the Yellowjackets return to the court. She has ambitions to become a teacher either in Montana or in her home state of Washington upon completing her degree.
Honorable Mention
Kayla Ryan
Position: Forward
Hometown: Big Timber, Montana
Playing Years: 2007-2011 (4 seasons)
Feature Story: Ryan Becomes One Of The Top Players In MSUB History (Joe Kusek/Billings Gazette)
One of the top post players in school history, Ryan put together a solid four-year career spent mostly in the previous decade. She earned honorable mention to the 2010s all-decade team by virtue of her second-team all-GNAC senior season in the first year of the decade, and overall she was a three-time all-conference pick.
Ryan scored 1,134 points in her career, and her field-goal percentage of 48.6 ranked her No. 8 in school history. She is also No. 5 in free throws made with 308, and No. 4 in blocked shots with 109. She was a first-team academic all-district selection as well.
Kevin Woodin (Ryan's Head Coach 2007-2011): "Kayla's low post game was so impressive. She could score with both hands over both shoulders and probably even preferred using her left hand. I always thought Kayla elevated her game in pressure situations too."
Tiana Hanson
Position: Forward
Hometown: Shepherd, Montana
Playing Years: 2015-2017 (2 seasons)
Feature Story: Hanson Continues Shepherd Legacy As One Of MSUB's Best
After transferring to MSUB from Sheridan College, Hanson immediately became a go-to player over her final two collegiate seasons with the 'Jackets. She racked up 657 points for an average of 11.0 per game, while also chipping in 4.8 rebounds per contest. Hanson also broke the MSUB career record for free-throw percentage, hitting at an incredible clip of 86.7 percent as she made 228 of 263 attempts in her two years. Hanson also finished her career No. 10 in school history with a field goal percentage of 47.8.
Academically, the second-team all-GNAC pick was second-to-none as she etched her name in the school record books by earning Academic All-America honors her senior season.
Kevin Woodin (Hanson's Head Coach, 2015-2017): "Tiana had a solid two-year career for us and her senior season was simply outstanding. Unfortunately we had a lot of injuries her senior year to key players that limited our team, but Tiana continued to improve each month and she posted great numbers."
Taylor Cunningham
Position: Forward
Hometown: Spokane, Washington
Playing Years: 2016-2020 (4 seasons)
Feature Story: New Faces: MSUB Women's Basketball Freshman Taylor Cunningham
A dedicated four-year player in the Yellowjacket lineup, Cunningham is tied for No. 10 in school history with 115 games played while starting 87 of them. Her career 3-point field-goal percentage of 35.3 is tied for eighth in school history, and her mark of 42.7 percent from the arc during her junior season was the fifth-best in program history. Cunningham started 33 games during the Yellowjackets' regional championship run in her sophomore season, playing a key role in helping the team deliver conference and regional titles.
Kevin Woodin (Cunningham's Head Coach 2016-2020): "Taylor was a key four-year player and three-year starter for us. She could adjust her game to whatever we needed from her. Her versatility and ability to play multiple positions was critical to our team's success. She always put her team first."
About the MSUB All-Decade Team Project
The top student-athletes from each of Montana State University Billings' current varsity athletic teams from 2010-2019 have been selected, and 14 all-decade teams will be revealed throughout the course of the fall of 2020. Each sport's all-decade team is comprised of the top-performing student-athletes, with weight given to individual athletic achievement and accolades, team achievement, academic achievement, as well as community service. For more information on MSUB's all-decade project, and to view each sport's all-decade teams, view the all-decade project webpage online here.
