FARMINGTON, Utah (Dec. 16, 2025) – The preparation for the final week of the non-conference slate has begun as teams around the league look to gain momentum heading into league play.
Big Sky Women's Basketball Weekly Notes (Week 7)
Bowers Named Player of the Week
Elyn Bowers filled up the stat sheet against Washington State this past week, help Eastern to its first win over the Cougars since 2015. Bowers scored 20 points, shooting 9-of-17 from the floor and was 2-of-5 on three-point shots. Bowers added 7 rebounds, second on the team, while leading with 4 assists and 3 steals.
Bowers has scored in double figures in 8-of-10 of EWU’s games this season and is tied for the team lead with 14.0 points per game. She is tied for 9th in scoring in Big Sky and ranks 7th with a 42.7 shooting percentage. Bowers averages 1.5 made threes a game, tying for 11th in the conference. Her 2.4 assists per game ranks 16th.
Other’s Nominated for Women’s Basketball Player of the Week
Tasia Jordan (ISU), Hannah Chicken (PSU), Lauro Paris (WSU)
Bears Lead Standings Through Five Weeks
The Northern Colorado Bears find themselves at the top of the Big Sky Women’s Basketball standings through the first six weeks of the hoops season.
The Bears have won five of their last six games, most recently coming off of a Summit League sweep over Omaha and Kansas City.
Northern Colorado looks to keep their winning ways going through the homestretch of non-conference play with games remaining against Colorado, UC Davis and Sam Houston.
Leading the Lumberjacks, and the Big Sky
Naomi White has been a lethal force for the Lumberjack offense in her first few games in Flagstaff.
Through 11 games, White leads both the Lumberjacks and the Big Sky in scoring averaging 22.6 points per game.
She recorded six consecutive 20+ point games to open the season, with her season high being 30, coming in the Lumberjack’s most recent contest against Park.
This is White’s first season of collegiate action after redshirting her freshman year at Grand Canyon as a season ago.
Montana State Sweeps Preseason Polls
After a 30-win campaign a season ago, the Bobcats begin their title defense as preseason favorites of both the Coaches' Poll and Media Poll leading up to the 2025-26 Women's Basketball season, the conference office announced.
The Bobcats received five first-place votes in the coaches’ poll and 11 in the media poll compared to Montana three first-place votes in the coaches' poll and seven in the media poll. Idaho and Idaho State gathered the final two first place votes in the coaches poll.
Montana State finished its last campaign with a 30-4 overall record, the first Big Sky team to reach the 30-win mark, and a 17-1 mark in Big Sky action. The Bobcats swept the Big Sky titles, earning their eight regular season crown and its fourth tournament title. The season came to a close in Columbus where the Bobcats faced the Buckeyes of Ohio State in the first round of the NCAA tournament.
2025-26 Big Sky Women’s Basketball Preseason Coaches’ Poll
1: Montana State (5) – 74
2: Montana (3) – 72
3: Idaho (1) – 65
4: Idaho State (1) – 57
5: Sacramento State – 50
6: Eastern Washington – 38
7: Northern Colorado – 36
8: Weber State – 28
T9: Northern Arizona – 15
T9: Portland State – 15
() – Denotes First-Place Votes
2025-26 Big Sky Women’s Basketball Preseason Media Poll
1: Montana State (11) – 238
2: Montana (7) – 224
3: Idaho (7) – 220
4: Sacramento State (2) – 177
5: Idaho State – 161
6: Eastern Washington – 123
7: Weber State – 120
8: Northern Arizona – 102
9: Northern Colorado – 86
10: Portland State – 34
() – Denotes First-Place Votes
Versteeg Headlines Preseason All-Conference Team
The 2025-26 Big Sky Women's Basketball Preseason Team has been revealed, the conference office announced. Sacramento State's Benthe Versteeg highlights the team, earning Preseason MVP honors.
Versteeg represents one of five schools through the six-member Preseason All-Conference Team.
Versteeg enters her redshirt senior season as one of the league's most impactful returners, collecting All-Big Sky First team honors a season ago. In her 2024-25 campaign, she led the conference in assists with 208, nearly 40 more than anyone else in the conference. The Hornet also ranked Top-10 in the conference in scoring (10th), total points (8th), field goals made (7th), assist-to-turnover ratio (7th), steals (8th) and minutes (2nd). Her defensive efforts have earned her a spot on the Big Sky All-Defensive team twice in as many years.
The Lady Griz of Montana are the only school represented on the Preseason All-Conference team twice in Mack Konig and Avery Waddington. The Lady Griz duo led the squad a season ago as the two highest-point scorers on the team, both averaging 10+ points per game. Montana enters the first full season of the Nate Harris era, who led the team to a championship appearance in Boise to close out the 2024-25 season.
2025-26 Big Sky Women’s Basketball Preseason All-Conference Team
Benthe Versteeg, Sacramento State (Preseason Most Valuable Player)
Mack Konig, Montana
Taylee Chirrick, Montana State
Kourtney Grossman, Eastern Washington
Avery Waddington, Montana
Hope Hassmann, Idaho
Starch Madness
The 2026 Big Sky Basketball Championships in Boise, Idaho will take place from March 7-11 inside Idaho Central Arena. Visit
StarchMadness.com for more details.
2025 Big Sky Women's Basketball Schedule (Week 7)
Wednesday, Dec. 17
Sacramento State at San Francisco // 5:00 p.m. MT (ESPN+)
La Sierra at Weber State // 6:00 p.m. MT (ESPN+)
Seattle at Portland State // 8:00 p.m. MT (ESPN+)
Thursday, Dec. 18
Eastern Washington at Santa Barbara // 7:00 p.m. MT (ESPN+)
Northern Arizona at CSUN // 7:00 p.m. MT (ESPN+)
Friday, Dec. 19
Montana at Abilene Christian // 4:30 p.m. MT (ESPN+)
Montana State vs Oregon State // 8:00 p.m. MT (Youtube)
Saturday, Dec. 20
Idaho State at Utah Valley // 12:00 p.m. MT (ESPN+)
Montana at Tarleton State // 12:00 p.m. MT (WAC TV)
Northern Arizona at UC San Diego // 2:00 p.m. MT (ESPN+)
Eastern Washington at Cal State Bakersfield // 3:00 p.m. MT (ESPN+)
Western Oregon at Idaho // 3:00 p.m. MT (WAC TV)
Northern Colorado at UC Davis // 3:00 p.m. MT (ESPN+)
Weber State at LMU // 4:30 p.m. MT (ESPN+)
Montana State at Hawaii // 6:30 p.m. MT (ESPN+)
Sunday, Dec. 21
Weber state vs Omaha // 1:00 p.m. MT
Sacramento State at San Jose State // 2:00 p.m. MT (MW Network)
Portland at Portland State // 3:00 p.m. MT (ESPN+)
Monday, Dec. 22
Northern Colorado at Sam Houston // 11:00 a.m. MT (ESPN+)
Monday, Dec. 29
Bushnell at Eastern Washington // 7:00 p.m. MT (ESPN+)
Follow the Big Sky Conference (@BigSkyConf) on X, Facebook, Instagram, Blue Sky, YouTube and TikTok for all the latest news around the league and use the hashtag #ExperienceElevated to stay connected.