FARMINGTON, Utah (Dec. 2, 2025) – A clash between the Big Sky and Summit League will take place around the conference slate as both sides battle for the trophy.
Big Sky Women's Basketball Weekly Notes (Summit League)
Big Sky – Summit Challenge: Volume 3
For the third-consecutive season, the Big Sky Conference and the Summit League are going head-to-head with a two-day men's and women's basketball challenge. Games will take place on Wednesday, December 3 and Saturday, December 6.
The two leagues will be playing for a combined trophy, taking both men's and women's results into consideration equally from 36 total games.
Victories in the challenge will be weighted differently based on whether they occur at home or on the road. Teams will be awarded one (1) point for a victory on their home floor, while if a road team emerges with a win, it will be awarded one and one-half (1.5) points for the result.
The conference with the most total points combined between men's and women's results will be declared the winner.
If there is a tie in points following the conclusion of all contests, the first tiebreaker will be total margin of victory. If there is still a tie following the calculation of margin of victory, the two commissioners will compete in an arm-wrestling contest at the Final Four to determine the champion.
The Summit League currently has possession of the trophy, after winning the challenge for two-consecutive seasons.
A full schedule for the weekend can be found below.
Chirrick Named Player of the Week
Chirrick's basket with 1.7 seconds remaining gave Montana State a 71-70 victory over Colorado at the CU Events Center on Sunday afternoon. Chirrick, led all scorers with a game-high 21 points, which included a seven-of-seven effort from the line.
She played an integral role scoring nine points and pulling down three rebounds as the Bobcats overcame a 12-point fourth quarter deficit. Chirrick stuffed the stat sheet against CU, adding a game-high six rebounds to go along with four steals and three assists.
She is currently averaging 19.8 points, 6.5 rebounds, 4.5 steals and 3.7 assists per game. Chirrick is ranked No. 2 in the nation averaging 4.50 steals per game, and No. 13 in total steals with 27.
Other’s Nominated for Women’s Basketball Player of the Week
Ella Gallatin (EWU), Rubi Gray (SAC), Tatum West (UNC), Hope Hassmann (UI)
Vandals Lead Standings Through Four Weeks
The Idaho Vandals find themselves at the top of the Big Sky Women’s Basketball season through the first three weeks of the hoops season.
The Vandals are currently on a six-game winning streak, most recently coming off of a 83-61 win against Wichita State.
Idaho looks to keep their winning ways going through the Summit League Challenge as the squad takes on Oral Roberts and Denver.
Idaho’s lone loss of the season has come against UC Davis, the second game of the season.
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 eight games, White leads both the Lumberjacks and the Big Sky in scoring averaging 21.9 points per game.
She recorded six consecutive 20+ point games to open the season, with her season high being 28, coming against in-state foe Arizona.
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 (Summit Challenge)
Wednesday, Dec. 3
Northern Arizona at St. Thomas // 10:00 a.m. MT (SL Network)
Oral Roberts at Idaho // 12:00 p.m. MT (ESPN+)
Kansas City at Northern Colorado // 6:00 p.m. MT (ESPN+)
Weber State at South Dakota State // 6:00 p.m. MT (SL Network)
Montana at North Dakota // 6:00 p.m. MT (SL Network)
Montana State at North Dakota State // 6:00 p.m. MT (CBS Sports Network)
Denver at Eastern Washington // 7:00 p.m. MT (ESPN+)
Omaha at Idaho State // 7:00 p.m. MT (ESPN+)
South Dakota at Portland State // 8:00 p.m. MT (ESPN+)
Thursday, Dec. 4
Sacramento State at Pacific // 7:00 p.m. MT (ESPN+)
Wednesday, Dec. 3
Idaho at Denver // 12:00 p.m. MT (SL Network)
Northern Colorado at Omaha // 12:00 p.m. MT (SL Network)
North Dakota State at Weber State // 12:00 p.m. MT (ESPN+)
Portland State at Kansas City // 1:00 p.m. MT (SL Network)
Idaho State at Oral Roberts // 1:00 p.m. MT (SL Network)
Eastern Washington at South Dakota // 2:00 p.m. MT (SL Network)
South Dakota State at Northern Arizona // 2:00 p.m. MT (ESPN+)
North Dakota at Montana State // 6:00 p.m. MT (ESPN+)
St. Thomas at Montana // 7:00 p.m. MT (ESPN+)
Tuesday, Dec. 9
Montana Western at Weber State // 11:00 a.m. MT (ESPN+)
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