Henderson named second-team All-Big Sky

Montana senior Jace Henderson, who four years ago next month tried out for the Lady Griz basketball program after spending one season as a setter on the school's volleyball team, has been voted second-team All-Big Sky Conference by the league's coaches.

The award caps a four-year rise from raw prospect to polished performer.

"I'm just so proud of the effort she put in to make herself into a better player," said third-year Lady Griz coach Shannon Schweyen.

Henderson scored just 107 points her first two years in a reserve role. She had a breakout junior campaign last winter, then improved upon that this season while starting all 29 regular-season games and averaging nearly 34 minutes.

She is the only player in the Big Sky who ranks in the top 20 in the league in scoring (12.0/g) and also the top 10 in both rebounding (8.6/g) and assists (3.8/g). And she leads the league in shooting percentage at .570.

What likely stood out to the coaches of the Big Sky is that Henderson always plays both within herself and within the game as it presents itself.

There are limits to her skillset. She knows what they are and plays accordingly, without ever forcing anything. And each defensive game plan she faces challenges her to operate within its constraints. She always adapts. She always finds a way to contribute and be effective.

In Montana's home win over Big Sky champion Idaho in January, Henderson scored a career-high 31 points on 13-of-17 shooting. She felt guilty about taking that many shots, but that's what was needed for her team to pull off the upset.

She also had eight league games when she didn't even score 10. But those rarely resulted from poor shooting. She remarkably shot 50 percent or better in 16 of Montana's 20 Big Sky games.

She took just three shots in one of Montana's wins. Any more would have been playing right into the defense's scheme. She took five in another. Of course she made seven of those eight shots.

Henderson scored when her team needed it. When the Lady Griz were facing double and triple teams in the post, she became a distributor. She would end up matching point guard McKenzie Johnston with 110 assists during the regular season.

And she boarded it throughout, grabbing 10 or more rebounds in 11 league games and finishing with seven double-doubles. Her sweat equity rewarded her at a high rate of return.

"Jace was just unbelievably consistent this year. The other thing that makes her special is how she makes everyone around her better," said Schweyen.

It was the Year of the Senior in the Big Sky, with 13 of the 15 players making up the first, second and third teams in their final season. The other two players were juniors.

The first team was a who's who of recent Big Sky women's basketball, with Mikayla Ferenz, of regular-season champion Idaho, and Savannah Smith, of Northern Colorado, serving as headliners.

Ferenz, who also was voted Most Valuable Player, became the league's all-time leading scorer last month. Smith, last year's MVP, heads to the Big Sky tournament in Boise 34 points shy of reaching 2,000 for her career.

Also making first team were Taylor Pierce, of Idaho, a 1,800-point scorer who has made 447 career 3-pointers, Grace Kenyon, of Idaho State, and Sidney Rielly, of Portland State.

Joining Henderson on the second team were Violet Kapri Morrow, of Eastern Washington, Hannah Friend, of Sacramento State, Ashley Bolston, of Portland State and Saylair Grandon, of Idaho State.

Friend, a junior, and Montana State junior Oliana Squires, one of five players on the third team, were the only non-seniors to earn All-Big Sky honors.

Portland State senior Courtney West was voted the Defensive Player of the Year, Montana State senior Claire Lundberg the Newcomer of the Year and Idaho's Gina Marxen the Freshman of the Year.

Eastern Washington's Uriah Howard and Portland State's Desirae Hansen shared Top Reserve honors.

2018-19 All-Big Sky Conference Teams and Awards

First Team:
Savannah Smith, Northern Colorado
Taylor Pierce, Idaho
Mikayla Ferenz, Idaho
Grace Kenyon, Idaho State
Sidney Rielly, Portland State

Second Team:
Violet Kapri Morrow, Eastern Washington
Hannah Friend, Sacramento State
Ashley Bolston, Portland State
Saylair Grandon, Idaho State
Jace Henderson, Montana

Third Team:
Kaleigh Paplow, Northern Arizona
Claire Lundberg, Montana State
Oliana Squires, Montana State
Ali Meyer, Northern Colorado
J'aiamoni Welch-Coleman, Weber State

Honorable Mention: Rebecca Cardenas (SUU), Krystal Leger-Walker (UNC), Kylie Jimenez (PSU), Kennedy Nicholas (SAC), Estafania Ors (ISU), Grace Kirscher (EWU)

Most Valuable Player: Mikayla Ferenz (UI)

Newcomer of the Year: Claire Lundberg (MSU)

Freshman of the Year: Gina Marxen (UI)

Defensive Player of the Year: Courtney West (PSU)

Top Reserve: Uriah Howard (EWU), Desirae Hansen (PSU)

University of Montana Athletics

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