Delaney Hodgins, a forward from Pasco, Wash., was voted Preseason MVP after leading Eastern Washington to a 12-6 Big Sky record and a first-round Big Sky tournament bye in 2017.
The senior earned first-team All Big-Sky honors last year by averaging 17.5 points, 6.2 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.4 blocks per game. Hodgins proved dependable for the Eagles as she played in all 33 contests and averaged 34.9 minutes a game in 2017. She also stretched the floor, hitting 3-pointers at an efficient 36.3 percent. On the defensive end, Hodgins’ ability to contest shots was key as she finished fourth in the conference in blocks per game.
Idaho guard Mikayla Ferenz drives to the hoop during the Big Sky Tournament
The 2017-18 Preseason All-Conference team consisted of three guards and two forwards. With Hodgins being named MVP, the team includes Northern Colorado’s Savannah Smith, Portland State’s Ashley Bolston, Idaho’s Mikayla Ferenz and North Dakota’s Lexi Klabo.
Junior guard Savannah Smith, was named to the preseason All-Big Sky team as she returns from a sophomore season where she averaged 15.9 points per game and picked up first-team All-Big Sky honors. Smith’s stats are well-rounded as the native of Fort Collins Colo., ranked fourth in the league in 3-pointers made (80), seventh in total steals (60) and 12th in free-throw percentage (76.8).
Junior guard Ashley Bolston earned second team All-Big Sky accolades as a sophomore and averaged 15.8 points per game. The native of Medford, Ore., was also named last year’s Top Newcomer. Bolston stuffed stat sheets all season long as she ranked third in the league in both assists (4.6 per game) and free-throw percentage (82.8), while she ranked fourth in steals (2.3 per game).
Mikayla Ferenz, a junior guard, led Idaho to an 11-7 conference record and averaged a Big Sky-best 18.5 points per game in 2017. The native of Walla Walla, Wash., ranked second in the conference and 10th in the NCAA in free-throw percentage (88.8), third in the league in 3-point FG’s made (91) and fourth in minutes (34.6 minutes per game).
Big Sky Newcomer of the Year Portland State’s Ashley Bolston (0)/by Brooks Nuanez
Junior forward Lexi Klabo, guided the Fighting Hawks to 15-3 conference record and a share of the 2017 Big Sky regular-season title. The 2017 Second-Team All-Big Sky selection pulled down 8.3 rebounds per game, which ranked second in the Big Sky last year. She also averaged 11.1 points per game and recorded six double-doubles on the campaign.
After the ballots were passed out and prior to the final count, Montana’s Kayleigh Valley sustained a season-ending injury. Because of the injury the conference decided to hold a re-vote for preseason MVP, an award Valley would have been awarded with. After the re-vote, Hodgins has been named this year’s preseason MVP.
The regular season starts on Nov. 10 with the Big Sky Men’s and Women’s Basketball Tournament set to take place in Reno, Nev. fromMarch 5-10, 2018.
2017-2018 Big-Sky All-Conference Team
Player Year Pos. School Hometown
MVP – Delaney Hodgins Sr. F Eastern Washington Pasco, Wash.
Savannah Smith Jr. G Northern Colorado Fort Collins, Colo.
Ashley Bolston Jr. G Portland State Medford, Ore.
Mikayla Ferenz Jr. G Idaho Walla Walla, Wash.
Lexi Klabo Jr. F North Dakota Fargo, N.D.
Photos by Brooks Nuanez. Press Release courtesy of Big Sky Conference media relations.
