GREAT FALLS, Mont. - The College of Idaho women's basketball team is set to compete in the NAIA First and Second Round, facing a thrilling challenge as they head to Great Falls, Montana. As a No. 12 seed, the Yotes will take on the No. 5 seed and host team, University of Providence, on Friday, March 14th. The winner of this matchup will advance to face either No. 4 seed Georgetown (Ky.) or No. 13 seed Jamestown (N.D.) on Saturday, with a coveted spot at the NAIA Final Site in Sioux City, Iowa, on the line.
College of Idaho (Yotes) 17-12 (14-8 CCC)
The Yotes are making their first appearance in the NAIA Championship tournament's opening round since the merger of the first and second divisions. It's a return to the national stage for the first time since 2013 under the leadership of then-head coach Reagan Rossi. This season, the College of Idaho finished 17-12 overall and 14-8 in Cascade Collegiate Conference (CCC) play, securing a fifth-place finish. The team gained momentum late in the season, winning six of their last seven games and reaching the CCC semifinals for the first time in six years, ultimately falling to the only undefeated team in the nation Southern Oregon University.
Key players for the Yotes include Brooke Beresford, who averages 10.5 points and 6.4 rebounds per game, and Mia Austin, adding 9.1 points per contest while shooting 35.5% from beyond the arc. Anna Mooney also plays a vital role, contributing 8.8 points and 3.4 rebounds per game.
University of Providence (Argos) 22-7 (10-5 Frontier)
The No. 21-ranked University of Providence women's basketball team enters the tournament as the Frontier Conference Tournament Champions, having secured back-to-back titles with a 69-50 victory over Rocky Mountain College. The Argos concluded the regular season in second place in the Frontier Conference with a 22-7 overall record and a 10-5 mark in conference play.
Providence boasts standout performances from Keanna Salave'a, who leads the team with 16.5 points and 10.3 rebounds per game, and Ashlee Maldonado, averaging 15.5 points per game and dishing out 140 assists this season. Their defensive strength is highlighted by Salave'a's presence on the Frontier Conference All-Defensive Team.
Georgetown (Ky.) (Tigers) 20-8 (6-6 MSC)
Georgetown College returns to the NAIA Tournament for the 19th time in program history, entering as an at-large bid from the Mid-South Conference (MSC). The Tigers are ranked No. 11 in the NAIA Coaches' Poll and finished fourth in the MSC regular season standings. Despite falling to Bethel (Tenn.) 84-58 in the MSC quarterfinals, the Tigers have a strong roster led by Teionni McDaniel, the MSC Defensive Player of the Year and a First-Team All-Conference selection.
Supporting McDaniel are Izzy Lamparty and AJ Stevenson, both Second-Team All-Conference picks, as Georgetown looks to push through the opening rounds and advance to Sioux City.
Jamestown (N.D.) (Jimmies) 19-10 (7-8 NSAA)
The Jamestown Jimmies, making their 14th appearance at the NAIA Tournament, earned an at-large bid after finishing third in the North Star Athletic Association (NSAA) with a 19-10 overall record and a 7-8 mark in conference play. They narrowly missed out on a conference title, falling 65-59 to Dakota State University in the NSAA championship game.
Jamestown's offense runs through Kate Cordes, who averages an impressive 19.8 points per game while shooting 45.9% from the field and a stellar 41.9% from three-point range. Hannah Hagel adds 8.2 points and 4.3 rebounds per game, while Jessika Lofstrom contributes 8.5 points per game.
Road to Sioux City
With four talented teams set to battle it out in Great Falls, only one will advance to the NAIA Final Site at the Tyson Events Center in Sioux City, Iowa, from March 20-25. The stakes are high, and the competition fierce, as each team aims to secure its place among the nation's best.
