FARMINGTON, Utah (Jan. 6, 2026) – The Big Sky Conference announced its Player of the Week honors, presented by
JAMBAR, with men’s basketball and women's basketball all in action.
Big Sky Women's Basketball Player of the Week (Jan. 6, 2026)
Women’s Basketball Player of the Week: Taylee Chirrick, Montana State (G, So., Roberts, Mont.)
Sophomore guard Taylee Chirrick scored 42 points with 15 rebounds and six steals, leading Montana State to its first 2-0 start in Big Sky play with both contests on the road since 2010-11. The Bobcats topped Northern Colorado 88-79 on Thursday, with Chirrick scoring 15 points while collecting seven caroms. On Saturday, she scored nine of MSU’s points in an 11-0 first quarter run that essentially decided the game. She had five steals in Flagstaff, and contributed two assists. Her 27 points there came on only 19 field goal tries and a pair of free throws. On the weekend, she shot 17-for-31 from the floor, 2-for-5 from the arc, and 6-for-8 from the free throw line. It was her 10th career game with at least five steals, and her fifth in 13 games this season. She has 50 steals in 2025-26, 163 in her career.
Other’s Nominated for Women’s Basketball Player of the Week
Kourtney Grossman (EWU), Mack Konig (UM), Naomi White (NAU), Heather Baymon (UNC), Cici Ellington (PSU), Benthe Versteeg (SAC)
Big Sky Men’s Basketball Player of the Week (Jan. 6, 2026)
Men’s Basketball Player of the Week: Jaylin Henderson, Portland State (G, Sr., Wichita, Kan.)
With very impressive performances in back-to-back overtime contests on the road, Portland State’s Jaylin Henderson has been named Big Sky Conference Men’s Basketball Player of the Week. In Ogden against Weber State, Henderson finished with 34 points, seven assists in six rebounds to help push the Vikings past the Wildcats. He was the catalyst to force OT, tying the game with just two seconds left on the clock in regulation. Including overtime, he scored 16 points in the final six minutes. His 34 points in that game ties him for the single-game high this season amongst Big Sky players. Against Idaho State, he finished with 19 points, while dishing out seven assists for the second-straight game. He also came up huge in the clutch against the Bengals, with five points and three assists in overtime. Across both contests, he averaged 25.5 points per game, 7.0 assists per game and 6.0 rebounds per game. For the Vikings, it was their first road sweep in six years of Big Sky Conference action. This marks Henderson’s second-career Player of the Week title from the conference office.
Other’s Nominated for Men’s Basketball Player of the Week
Kolton Mitchell (UI), Caleb Van De Griend (ISU), Money Williams (UM), Jed Miller (MSU), Zach Bloch (UNC), Mikey Williams (SAC), Tijan Saine Jr. (WSU)
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