MSUB SPORTS – MSUB's most successful sports program throughout the 2010s was the women's basketball team, which advanced to three NCAA regional tournaments and brought home the second NCAA west region title in program history.
 
The all-decade team is filled with players who rewrote the MSUB record books, and led the team to some of its most successful seasons in school history. Under the guidance of 16-year head coach Kevin Woodin, every player on the all-decade team also completed her undergraduate degree at MSUB.
 
"It is a great accomplishment to be selected to the MSUB women's basketball all-decade team," said Woodin. "The decade was a special one for MSUB women's basketball and all of the mentioned players were very successful both on and off the court. During the decade MSUB qualified for postseason play seven times, won a GNAC regular season and tournament championship, and qualified for the regionals three times."
 
The list features three All-Americans and three MSUB Hall of Fame inductees, among the cast of players who helped the team to sustained success over the course of the entire 10-year period.
 

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

 

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  The all-decade team includes 16 total players who competed during the 2010s decade. The starting lineup features a pair of guards and three forwards. The bench has three guards and two forwards, and the honorable mention section has three guards and three forwards.
 

Position	Name	Years
STARTING LINEUP
Guard	Bobbi Knudsen	2010-14
Guard	Rylee Kane	2014-18
Forward	Alisha Breen	2013-18
Forward	Kayleen (Goggins) Schultz	2011-15
Forward	Janiel (Olson) Begger	2011-16
BENCH
Guard	Annie (DePuydt) Capdeville	2011-15
Guard	Quinn (Peoples) Carter	2011-15
Guard	Hannah Collins	2017-20
Forward	Vanessa Stavish	2014-19
Forward	Taryn Shelley	2018-20
HONORABLE MENTION
Guard	Shantell (Marquis) Wirtzberger	2006-10
Guard	Kalli (Stanhope) Allen	2008-12
Guard	Jeanann Lemelin	2016-20
Forward	Kayla Ryan	2007-11
Forward	Taylor Cunningham	2016-20
Forward	Tiana (Hanson) Pearson	2015-17

Two of the best players in school history competed during the decade, in point guard Bobbi Knudsen and forward Alisha Breen. Both were even candidates when it came to selecting the Player of the Decade, and it's nearly impossible to discern which had a more impactful career.
 
Both players broke the GNAC all-time scoring record during their careers, were the GNAC Player of the Year, and led their teams to deep playoff runs. Knudsen earned the nod on this list, by virtue of earning All-American status in three different seasons, and being one of just two MSUB athletes in any sport to earn GNAC Athlete of the Year honors. At the end of her career, Knudsen was the GNAC's all-time leader in points and assists.
 
Breen undoubtedly had the greatest season not only of the decade, but arguably in school and GNAC history. As a senior in 2017-18, she earned first-team All-America honors while breaking numerous school and conference records including most points (791) with the second-highest total in the entire NCAA. Breen captained the team to its second NCAA west region title in school history, and finished her career as MSUB's and the GNAC's all-time leading scorer with 2,001 points.


 
The best part about the Player of the Decade debate is that Breen and Knudsen remain the closest of friends today, and each cite the other as a major influence on her own playing career. Knudsen, a 2020 MSUB Hall of Fame inductee, is quick to call Breen the GOAT (Greatest Of All Time). If you ask Breen, she never would have achieved what she did without the close tutelage and friendship of Knudsen.
 
Although it's difficult to break a virtual tie, for the sake of the all-decade project Knudsen was selected as the team captain. If you ask the players and their coach, it's too close to call. The scary part? They were on the floor together during Breen's freshman year and Knudsen's senior year in 2013-14. The all-decade team lends the enticing platform to imagine the possibilities if the 'Jacket lineup featured both players during their prime.
 

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Joining Knudsen in the starting lineup is the decade's other star point guard in four-year starter Rylee Kane. The Red Lodge native started all 125 games she played in during her career, becoming just the second player in GNAC history to start 100 percent of her team's games in a four-year career. Kane finished No. 2 in MSUB history with 563 assists, and was the MVP of the NCAA West Region Championships as she led the 'Jackets to the regional crown.
 
"I think I am most proud of what our team was able to accomplish during my career. Each of the two times we made it to regionals, we were not necessarily the most athletic team – we just had great chemistry on the court, and everyone accepted the job that was required of them. I'm very proud of the fact that I can say we were one of the top-eight teams in the country at the Division II level for my senior season." – Rylee Kane.
 
Playing alongside Breen are two more of the best forwards the program has ever seen in Kayleen Goggins and Janiel Olson. Goggins gives the 'Jackets three All-Americans in their starting lineup, after she averaged 20.0 points per game her senior season. The Shepherd native finished No. 8 in MSUB history with 1,456 points during her standout career.
 
"The postgame hugs with family and friends – I always had people at every home game to watch. That's immensely humbling now that I realize not everyone has that. I probably didn't realize it at the time, but it's pretty special to think back and know that after every game my parents and my four grandparents were going to be waiting for me with a hug. My grandpas aren't with me anymore, so a lot of those postgame moments and chats with them are my fondest memories. I also can't help but smile now at the memories that challenged me. The tough workouts that we finished, the hard practices, those are the ones that build character. I laugh with my old teammates rehashing the tough workout stories and I still drive down airport hill and I think about how bad I would stress before running it pre-season. Nate (Harris's) workouts freshman year when he came from coaching men's basketball were always a good time (insert sarcasm)!" – Kayleen Goggins on her favorite MSUB memories.
 
Olson meanwhile broke the school record with 1,001 rebounds in her career, and was the GNAC Defensive Player of the Year during the 2013-14 season. The four-year starter was a three-time all-conference pick, and finished her career with 880 points.
 
"The environment, the teams I got to be a part of, the girls I got to step onto the court with, the jokes on the plane rides, the jams in the minivans. MSUB truly gives you a smaller almost family environment. It gave me a chance to truly form one-on-one relationships instead of constantly being in a swarm of new people and large classrooms." – Janiel Olson on her fondest MSUB memories.
 

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MSUB's bench is primarily comprised of key players on each of the regional tournament teams. Annie DePuydt and Quinn Peoples were each important guards on the 2013-14 regional team, and both enjoyed standout four-year careers at MSUB. DePuydt was finding her stride in the starting lineup alongside Knudsen, when a devastating knee injury cut her junior year short after just 16 games. She was averaging career highs of 8.1 points and 1.6 assists and would have been a major asset for the 'Jackets had she been healthy at the regional tournament.
 
Peoples was one of the top shooters in school history, finishing her career No. 2 with 236 made 3-pointers. Peoples scored 1,101 points, and stepped up into a starting role on the regional runner-up team down the playoff stretch in her junior season.
 
As a true freshman in 2017-18, Hannah Collins helped spark the Yellowjackets during their most recent playoff run. Collins earned minutes in all 37 games that season, and was a difference maker at both the GNAC Championships and NCAA regional tournament. She was a two-time all-GNAC selection, and averaged 9.9 points and 2.3 assists in her 88-game career.
 
Vanessa Stavish started all 37 games during the Yellowjackets' regional title campaign, and finished her four-year career with 893 points and the third-most games played in school history with 123. Stavish's 152 made 3-pointers rank her eighth in school history, and she finished with 453 rebounds as well.

"What stood out the most to me was how close all of us were as teammates. We all valued school, family, and basketball and it made the transition to college so much easier. MSUB women's basketball brought me teammates that turned instantly into my lifelong friends and that's what I will treasure the most about my time at MSUB." – Vanessa Stavish.
 
Halfway through her career, Taryn Shelley has already become one of the top post players the Yellowjackets have ever seen. She has scored 694 points and added 466 rebounds, for averages of 12.4 points and 8.3 rebounds per game. Breen is the only other player whose career figures in those stat categories stack up to Shelley's, and her 85 blocked shots are already the sixth-most in program history.
 

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MSUB averaged 17 wins per season during the decade including 10.2 wins per season in conference play, and had an overall average winning percentage of .569. The Yellowjackets made it to the GNAC tournament in 7 of 10 seasons and the NCAA regional three times.
 
The first great season of the decade featured a roster containing six of the all-decade selections including four in the all-decade starting lineup. Behind GNAC Player of the Year Knudsen, MSUB tied the school record with 25 wins and stormed to their first and only GNAC regular-season title with a 15-3 mark in conference play.
 
Although MSUB suffered an upset in the second round of the conference tournament, the 'Jackets forged on as the No. 2 seed at the regional championships and made it all the way to the title game. Falling just short in a 75-68 loss to Cal Poly Pomona, the 'Jackets came up one game shy of matching the furthest advancement in program history.
 
"I think what stood out to me most my junior year was this unspoken knowledge that we all kind of knew our role. We were all pieces to a very special puzzle. We knew Bobbi was the leader and we each needed to contribute our part to make the puzzle work. We faced an enormous amount of hardship that year between injuries and personal losses that made us all grow up and step up in ways we probably never expected. We loved each other and it didn't matter what happened off the floor but once we stepped on we were a unit." – Kayleen Goggins on the 2013-14 regional runner-up team.
 
The 2013-14 season continues to be celebrated as one of the best in school history, however the players and coaches from that team can't help but wonder what could have been. By the start of the regional tournament, the squad was down two starters as DePuydt and Olson each had season-ending injuries. That was the season Olson had a conference-leading 9.7 rebounds per game, and DePuydt was a double-figure scorer. In a game where MSUB was out-rebounded 36-30, Olson's presence under the basket almost certainly would have had a significant impact.
 
"Our 2013-2014 team was very talented, and I felt we had a legitimate shot to win the national championship. We had great talent, amazing depth, and experience at every position. From January on, the team kept improving and dominated GNAC play, and to clinch the regular season GNAC championship in Billings will always be a great memory for me. I've never had a team go through so much adversity in one season. We had two season ending injuries to starters and also dealt with other difficult situations but the team continued to be tough and determined. Getting upset in the semifinals of the GNAC was tough as I believe we would have hosted the regional in Billings if we had won the GNAC tourney that year. However, our team regrouped and played great in California making it to the regional championship before losing to Cal Poly Pomona in a close game." – Kevin Woodin.
 
In Kane's sophomore season and with Breen beginning to peak as a junior, the Yellowjackets surged to a third-place regular-season finish by going 15-5 in conference play. MSUB then knocked off Northwest Nazarene and Western Washington at the GNAC Championships, and despite a loss to Alaska Anchorage in the title game they had done enough to earn the program's second regional berth of the 2010s.
 
As the No. 8 seed, MSUB faced top-seeded Azusa Pacific in the opening round and fell 83-75. Breen had 31 points and Olson and Monica Grimsrud each had double-doubles in the respectable showing against the hosts. It wouldn't be the last time the 'Jackets played at the Felix Event Center.
 
"The 2015-2016 team was a young team who liked to compete. I think it was one of our best defensive teams ever and I felt we took the GNAC by surprise that year. We advanced to the GNAC title game and gave a great effort before losing to #1 UAA. At regionals, we played well but lost to top-seeded Azusa Pacific in a hard-fought contest at their place." – Kevin Woodin.
 
The signature season of the 2010s almost never shaped out that way, as Breen suffered a devastating knee injury that cost her the entire 2016-17 season and left her health in question for the next year. Luckily for MSUB she came back even stronger, and her absence also allowed her to play with a senior Kane who had fully developed and matured into one of the best point guards in the region.
 
Breen's comeback, record-breaking season was the catalyst of the Yellowjackets' playoff run, as they embarked on a postseason tear unlike anything the program had seen before. Entering the conference tournament as the No. 4 seed, the 'Jackets kicked off a six-game winning streak and winning the final five games as the underdog.
 
A 24-point, 10-rebound double-double from Breen helped deliver the program's first conference tournament title, as she was named GNAC Championships MVP after a convincing 71-61 win over Seattle Pacific.
 
It was Kane's time to shine the following week, as the 'Jackets had better luck in Azusa the second time around. She started with 19 points in a 76-65 win over Hawaii Pacific, before MSUB needed every one of her career-high 31 points in a narrow 75-73 win over No. 23 UC San Diego. The biggest shots of Kane's career came at the foul line, as she helped clinch the regional title game with two makes in the waning seconds of a 71-70 win over No. 13 University of Alaska Anchorage.
 
MSUB entered the Elite Eight on a red hot winning spree and with the belief that as the underdog, there was no team that could stop them. As the eighth seed, MSUB was tasked with facing undefeated and nationally-No. 1 ranked Ashland University and the Eagles put and end to the Yellowjackets' dream season with a 91-73 triumph in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
 
Breen entered the national quarterfinal game needing 25 points to break Alira Carpenter's MSUB school record of 2,000. With 3:14 left in the game, Breen made the final two shots of her career – from the foul line – to give her 2,001 before she exited the court for the final time.
 
"Looking back on my senior year at MSUB, there wasn't a single person that we could have gone without in order to get as far as we did. I loved the fact that any of our players had the ability to turn it on and take over a game. Not only that, but each player had a unique role to fill on the court which made everyone irreplaceable. Whether it was Rachel rebounding, Vanessa hitting clutch shots, or Lexi matching up defensively with the best guard on the opposing team - we needed everyone." – Rylee Kane on her team's run her senior year.
 
"The 2017-2018 team and season was worthy of a movie script. Our team was very good and we had high expectations coming in. We finished fourth in our league but couldn't beat the top-three teams going 0-6 against them during the regular season. We got upset late in our season at home by Western Oregon and lost two of our final three games going into the GNAC tourney. After winning a very close game against Central Washington in the GNAC tournament quarterfinals, we upset higher seeds NNU and SPU to earn the GNAC tournament championship and the #7 seed to the West regional. The magic continued the following week, upsetting HPU and UCSD who had beaten us easily in a recent matchup. We then got a chance to play nationally-ranked UAA in the championship and I think they had beaten us nine straight times. Our team played so hard that day and found a way to win by one point and advance to the Elite 8. The 2017-2018 team got hot at the right time and loved being the underdog. It was an epic March Madness run I will never forget." – Kevin Woodin.

"I am most proud of representing MSUB at the Elite Eight my junior year. It was such a cool experience to be a small D2 college with most athletes from Montana to perform on that kind of stage in that atmosphere. Winning the GNAC and regionals that year and then going to the Elite Eight brought so much positive media and news to MSUB and it was so fun to see how much support we had from all over Montana. It is an experience that I will never forget and will forever be grateful for!" – Vanessa Stavish.
   

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March 12, 2018 – MSUB 71 – 70 No. 13 Alaska Anchorage (at Azusa, CA) – Box Score | Recap

With 9 seconds left in regulation, MSUB trailed the heavily favored Seawolves 70-69 and saw their title hopes dwindling. After a turnover however, Kane was fouled and sent to the line with 4 seconds remaining as she calmly sank the two biggest shots of the decade.
 
The Seawolves were able to advance the ball to half court after a timeout, but their final attempt to win the game was stifled. The final two lines of play-by-play from the game read:
 
00:01 – MISS LAYUP by WANDERSEE,HANNAH
00:01 – BLCOK by BREEN,ALISHA
00:00 – REBOUND DEF by BREEN,ALISHA
   

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January 8, 2011 – MSUB 59 – 50 No. 17 Seattle Pacific (at Seattle) – Box Score | Recap
Then-freshman Knudsen had 11 points while all-decade honorable mention Kayla Ryan added a team-high seven rebounds to help MSUB upset the nationally-ranked Falcons on the road.
 
January 22, 2011 – MSUB 62 – 61 Saint Martin's (at Billings, MT) – Box Score | Recap
Mandy Jacobs drained a buzzer-beating 3-pointer to lift MSUB to a come-from-behind home win. Ryan dominated with 19 points.
 
February 12, 2011 – MSUB 85 – 78 Northwest Nazarene (3OT) (at Billings, MT) – Box Score | Recap
MSUB won the first triple-overtime game in school and GNAC history, as Ryan had an 18-point, 19-rebound double-double and all-decade honorable mention Shantell Marquis added 13 boards, seven points, and seven assists.
 
February 28, 2011 – MSUB 55 – 53 Saint Martin's (at Billings, MT) – Box Score | Recap
In a hint of what was to come over the next four seasons, Knudsen led MSUB to its first-ever conference tournament win with a game-high 19 points.
 
December 15, 2011 – MSUB 72 – 69 Hawaii Pacific (at Honolulu, HI) – Box Score | Recap
In one of her first games, then-freshman Peoples scored 15 points thanks to four 3-pointers, and Knudsen added 17 to help the 'Jackets to a narrow road win over regional opponent Hawaii Pacific.
 
January 21, 2012 – MSUB 63 – 62 Seattle Pacific (OT) (at Seattle) – Box Score | Recap
Knudsen scored 18 points and Olson had an 11-point, 12-rebound double-double to pace the 'Jackets to a thrilling, one-point overtime win against the Falcons.
 
November 23, 2012 – MSUB 91 – 87 Dixie State (OT) (at Billings, MT) – Box Score | Recap
Knudsen had one of her four-career 30-point games, scoring 33 while adding eight boards; Goggins added 19 points and seven rebounds to push MSUB past Dixie State in overtime.


 
December 1, 2012 – MSUB 69 – 68 Northwest Nazarene (at Billings, MT) – Box Score | Recap
Monica Grimsrud scored the game-winning bucket with 16 seconds left, on a night where Knudsen scored 18 and Olson had 15 rebounds.


 
December 29, 2012 – MSUB 57 – 54 Montana State (at Bozeman, MT) – Box Score | Recap
MSUB shocked their Division I in-state foe in a low-scoring affair, with Knudsen scoring 15 and Goggins adding a dozen in the headline exhibition win.
 
March 1, 2014 – MSUB 75 – 72 Alaska Anchorage (at Billings, MT) – Box Score | Recap
Goggins scored a game-high 20 points and a freshman Alisha Breen added 15 in what proved to be the GNAC regular-season championship game. MSUB picked up a rare win over Alaska Anchorage, and completed a perfect 15-0 home record on the season. Although she scored just eight points in the game, Knudsen broke the GNAC all-time scoring record on Senior Night.
 
"Going undefeated at home was a big deal for us my senior year." – Bobbi Knudsen.
 
March 14, 2014 – MSUB 70 – 69 Academy of Art (at Pomona, CA) – Box Score | Recap
Knudsen hit the game-winning shot with 28 seconds left, and the 'Jackets held on to win the opening game of the regional. Breen had her first headline game with 14 rebounds.


 
March 15, 2014 – MSUB 76 – 68 Simon Fraser (at Pomona, CA) – Box Score | Recap
Playing with a chip after SFU bounced the 'Jackets from the conference tournament, MSUB got a vengeful victory thanks to 19 points from Goggins, 17 from Knudsen, and another monster rebound game from Breen with 13. Three straight GNAC all-time leading scorers played in this game: Knudsen broke the record in 2014, Erin Chambers of Simon Fraser (who had 33 points in the game) held the title from 2015-18, and Breen broke Chambers' record in 2018.



November 14, 2014 – MSUB 67 – Colorado State Pueblo 79 (at Pueblo, CO) – Box Score | Recap
Then-freshman Kane started her first collegiate game and scored 10 points. She started the next 124 games in-a-row, never missing a single start in four years.
 
November 22, 2014 – MSUB 64 – 54 Rocky Mountain College (at Billings, MT) – Box Score | Recap
Goggins had a game-high 19 points while adding nine boards to help the 'Jackets to an early-season win over their cross-town rivals.


 
January 24, 2015 – MSUB 59 – 57 Western Oregon (at Billings, MT) – Box Score | Recap
On a regional television stage, Goggins made a buzzer-beating layup on an assist from Breen to give the 'Jackets a dramatic win on ROOT Sports.
 
November 14, 2015 – MSUB 67 – 69 Academy of Art (at Billings, MT) – Box Score | Recap
Breen broke the GNAC record with 19 made free throws, and scored a career-high 37 points in the narrow home loss to the Urban Knights.
 
February 20, 2016 – MSUB 48 – 46 Western Washington (at Mount Vernon, WA) – Box Score | Recap
In the lowest-scoring win of the decade, MSUB edged the Vikings by two points to complete the season sweep and gain valuable positioning in an eventual third-place GNAC finish.
 
March 3, 2016 – MSUB 70 – 65 Northwest Nazarene (at Lacey, WA) – Box Score | Recap
Olson had a 14-point, 17-rebound double-double and Breen scored 24 to help MSUB to a GNAC tourney opening-round win.


 
March 4, 2016 – MSUB 78 – 60 Western Washington (at Lacey, WA) – Box Score | Recap
Breen led the team with a 23-point, 10-rebound double-double, and Kane had six assists to propel MSUB into the tournament title game. This is the victory that ultimately earned MSUB a spot in the NCAA regional championships.


 
December 3, 2016 – MSUB 65 – 62 Central Washington (at Ellensburg, WA) – Box Score | Recap
Honorable mention all-decade selection Tiana Hanson had 17 points and eight rebounds, while Kane had seven assists to help MSUB to a hard-fought GNAC road win.
 
December 17, 2016 – MSUB 68 – 65 Rocky Mountain College (at Billings, MT) – Box Score | Recap
Kane hit a buzzer-beating three to end the third quarter and tie the game, and Hanson iced it in the fourth with a pair of free throws in a prideful home victory over the rivals.


 
February 23, 2017 – MSUB 48 – 59 Central Washington (at Billings, MT) – Box Score | Recap
Kane tied the school record for assists with a career-high 13 in the late-season defeat.
 
February 25, 2017 – MSUB 53 – 63 Northwest Nazarene (at Billings, MT) – Box Score | Recap
In her final career game, Hanson made 14 of 15 free throws and broke the school record for career free-throw percentage at 86.7 (228-for-263). The record still stands.


 
November 10, 2017 – MSUB 68 – 65 Academy of Art (at San Francisco) – Box Score | Recap
In her first game back after suffering a torn ACL, Breen led the team with 25 points, five rebounds, and five assists as MSUB won its season opener on the road.


 
December 30, 2017 – MSUB 58 – 56 Saint Martin's (at Lacey, WA) – Box Score | Recap
Breen had a 19-point, 17-rebound double-double and Grace Weeks added 10 boards to help the 'Jackets to a narrow GNAC road win.


 
January 13, 2018 – MSUB 86 – 84 Central Washington (at Billings, MT) – Box Score | Recap
Breen had a 20-point, 13-rebound double-double and Kane added 17 points and nine assists as MSUB used a 28-point fourth quarter to come from behind and snag a win from Central Washington.


 
March 1, 2018 – MSUB 75 – 73 Central Washington (at Anchorage, AK) – Box Score | Recap
Breen had 26 points and Kane added 25, as MSUB staved off the Wildcats in the opening round of the conference tournament.
 
March 2, 2018 – MSUB 76 – 69 Northwest Nazarene (at Anchorage, AK) – Box Score | Recap
The 'Jackets avenged a pair of regular-season losses to the Nighthawks, as Breen scored 27 to lead MSUB into the GNAC title contest.


 
March 4, 2018 – MSUB 71 – 61 Seattle Pacific (at Anchorage, AK) – Box Score | Recap
Breen capped off her GNAC Championships MVP performance with a 24-point, 10-rebound double-double, and MSUB hoisted the conference tournament trophy for the first time in school history. A berth into the NCAA regional tournament was not guaranteed without this win.


 
March 9, 2018 – MSUB 76 – 65 No. 19 Hawaii Pacific (at Azusa, CA) – Box Score | Recap
Breen had another double-double while Kane added 19 points as MSUB began its three-game winning streak over nationally-ranked opponents. The 'Jackets also avenged an ugly 79-52 loss to the Sharks earlier that season in Honolulu.


 
March 10, 2018 – MSUB 75 – 3 No. 23 UC San Diego (at Azusa, CA) – Box Score | Recap
Breen broke the GNAC all-time scoring record, but it was a career-high 31 points from Kane that propelled MSUB past the Tritons in the regional semifinals.


 
March 12, 2018 – MSUB 71 – 70 No. 13 Alaska Anchorage (at Azusa, CA) – Box Score | Recap
A heroic career game of 17 points and 10 rebounds from Stavish kept MSUB in the game, Kane's last-second free throws gave her team the lead, and Breen's emphatic block at the buzzer sealed the best moment of the 2010s.


 
March 19, 2018 – MSUB 73 – 91 No. 1 Ashland (at Sioux Falls, SD) – Box Score | Recap
Despite trailing by just seven points going into the fourth quarter, the No. 1 team in the nation improved to 35-0 and ended the Yellowjackets' historic season. Breen broke the MSUB career scoring mark by one point, on the final shot of her legendary career.


 
November 6, 2018 – MSUB 63 – 62 No. 24 Rocky Mountain College (at Billings, MT) – Box Score | Recap
Collins sealed the game by making a free throw with 0.2 seconds left, and finished with a game-high 20 points.


 
November 25, 2018 – MSUB 63 – 61 No. 7 Carroll College (at Billings, MT) – Box Score | Recap
Collins earned Yellowjacket Classic tournament MVP honors after leading the 'Jackets to a narrow win over a top-10 NAIA opponent.
 


December 18, 2018 – MSUB 48 – 47 Maryville (at Daytona Beach, FL) – Box Score | Recap
Shelley emerged onto the scene early in her freshman year, with a 19-point, 15-rebound double-double.
 
January 16, 2020 – MSUB 70 – 68 Alaska (at Fairbanks, AK) – Box Score | Recap
Honorable mention all-decade pick Taylor Cunningham hit the game-winning shot with less than two seconds left, and Shelley had a game-high 27 points.
 
February 15, 2020 – MSUB 103 – 59 Alaska (at Billings, MT) – Box Score | Recap
MSUB reached the sixth-highest single-game point total in school history, as five players reached double figures.
 


February 22, 2020 – MSUB 91 – 66 Seattle Pacific (at Billings, MT) – Box Score | Recap
Honorable mention all-decade guard Jeanann Lemelin tied the GNAC record with 12 made 3-pointers, breaking her own school record of eight that she set earlier in the season. Lemelin had a career-high 32 points in the win.
 

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Leading the Yellowjacket program for all 10 seasons in the decade, head coach Kevin Woodin was selected as the all-decade team honorary team member. Woodin is the program's all-time wins leader with a mark of 269-197 (.577), and he is a four-time conference coach of the year. Woodin has guided the Yellowjackets to the postseason in 11 of the past 15 seasons, and his teams are 16-12 all-time in the playoffs.
 

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One of the highlights of the last decade was the Yellowjackets' spring trip to Barcelona, Spain in 2017. The 'Jackets got to compete against international teams, tour historic European cities, and bond as a team in advance of the record-breaking 2017-18 season.
 
Read more about the team's Spain trip on the Buzz In Barca blog online here.
   

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Throughout the decade, MSUB's women's basketball team has partnered with the St. Vincent Healthcare EVA Project to host an annual Pink Night contest. These games each year are centered around raising awareness for the fight against breast cancer, and a group of survivors are recognized and honored on the court prior to tipoff. The Yellowjackets have continued this tradition of supporting the local community, and dress in pink uniforms each year during this game.
   

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Every member of the all-decade team experienced the postseason, another factor indicating the sustained success enjoyed by Coach Woodin's Yellowjackets. Eleven of the 16 all-decade selections earned the title of GNAC Champion, as the two top seasons in the decade were covered by two standout groups of players.
 
"Not only did I love every minute I was there, but the experience and the people I met there have helped get me to where I am today." – Bobbi Knudsen.
 
"My role as a point guard required me to have a voice, and to be assertive and confident. I'd say when I came in my freshman year, I was none of those things. I now realize that each of those traits is essential in the professional world as well. I'm glad I was thrown into the fire athletically so that I don't have to experience such a huge learning curve in my career. I think another huge takeaway is that I have learned to handle mistakes differently - SO many mistakes will be made, but I have learned that they can be used to better yourself personally, professionally, and athletically. I wouldn't necessarily say I have lessened my mistakes, but I have learned to never make the same one twice." – Rylee Kane.
 
"My MSUB experience completely shaped where I am today. I learned what work ethic really was and I'd like to think that's helped me with my parenting and photography business. I am thankful for the life lessons, I grew up a ton, and met my best friends. I still can't seem to get away from the game either!" – Kayleen Goggins.
 
"Each team I was part of was a family. We spent so much time together, we really became best friends. I think everyone would agree each player wanted to make Montana proud, and prove to the rest of the conference that MSUB was something special." – Alisha Breen.
 
"MSUB was a great place to attend school and play college basketball. College athletics shaped me in more ways than I knew were possible. It taught me time management, discipline, and mental toughness. Most importantly it taught me how important it is to have good leadership in every aspect of my life. I use the leadership skills that I developed while playing every day in my profession as a teacher. It is also part of the reason I chose to pursue my master's degree in educational leadership this past fall to hopefully one day become a leader in the school as an administrator." – Vanessa Stavish.
 
"I believe my MSUB experience shaped me into the career and individual I am today by truly instilling a grind together work ethic. I've always been a team-orientated person but it also led me to a passion of helping others. I love helping others whether that is through helping people plan for retirement, helping individuals plan for their first home purchase, or education or simply offering skill sessions in the summer evenings to anyone who wants to get in the gym and get better. There were always coaches, athletic trainers, professors and players helping each other out to get better and achieve player goals on and off the court no matter the hour of day and that is the role model I want to be for others in whatever capacity I can be." – Janiel Olson.
 

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The all-decade selections are frequent attendees at MSUB's annual alumni game, as the players of the past remain closely connected to the program.
 
"It has taught me that if we don't work hard we can't get to where we want to be. It makes me want to work hard when I become a teacher because I want my students to succeed." – Taryn Shelley on how the MSUB experience has shaped her life.
 
"Being able to make an impact on and off the court. Leaving MSUB with a bachelor's degree and a master's degree. Don't get me wrong breaking records is an amazing feeling, but the lifelong skills I learned from being a student-athlete go far beyond breaking records. I developed life long relationships with my teammates and players from other sports that I wouldn't trade for the world." – Janiel Olson on what she is most proud of in her athletic career.
 
"MSUB really showed me what it means to be part of a family. Building relationships with my teammates as well as athletes on other teams has given me lifelong friendships." – Alisha Breen.
 
"Each year at MSUB was a completely different experience and environment to be in, but I would have to say my sophomore season (2015-16), and senior season (2017-18) stand out the most to me. I felt extremely close to my teammates and we were able to go to regionals both of those years. Even though basketball is what allowed us to do so many fun activities, it is the moments outside of the sport that I will definitely cherish the most. One of my favorite memories would have to be our trip to Spain. It is very cool to be able to see different parts of the world with your friends and to experience the style of basketball played in other countries." – Rylee Kane.
   

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As the women's basketball program forages onward into the next decade, it does so with a vision of continued success over the next 10 years. The 'Jackets have a young cast of talent on the 2020-21 roster, the centerpiece of which is Shelley as she begins the back half of her career.
 
"There are so many excellent other Yellowjacket players who aren't on this all-decade team. Each player on this team is very deserving of this recognition and I am reminded of how fortunate I have been to coach all of them. They have definitely left their mark on Yellowjacket women's basketball. The past decade was a special one and now it is time for our current team to start out our next decade on a high note. We have the youngest team in our league right now but I like the way they are practicing and treating one another. I expect the next decade to be a great one too and I thank all of our past players for setting the bar so high." – Kevin Woodin.
 
"We are like a family. We all get along really well and stick together through tough workouts and practices. We are all there for each other and want each other to succeed." – Taryn Shelley.
 
"I loved my time playing at MSUB. I was lucky to play with great players and the reason I was able to break records was because of the postseason run we made as a team my senior year." – Alisha Breen.
 
"Everyone has a different experience when it comes to playing college sports, but I will always be grateful to have had the opportunity to play basketball in college and I wouldn't change it for anything." – Rylee Kane.
 

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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.