Yellowjacket WBB Players Earn All-Independent Honors (Mar. 30, 2005)
Kevin Woodin Named Independent Coach of the Year

BILLINGS, MT – Montana State-Billings women’s basketball players Robyn Milne and Tanya Petersen were named to the NCAA Division II All-Independent Team on Wednesday.  There are 10 Division II independents in the nation and each of the 10 nominated players for the all-independent team.  Representatives of Grand Canyon, Palm Beach Atlantic, Columbia Union, Oakland City, Pitt-Johnstown, Florida Gulf Coast, Tiffin, Converse, Western New Mexico, Montana State-Billings and Cal State-Monterey Bay voted the team and awards.  The balloting was coordinated by Mike Bond of Cal State-Monterey Bay.

Milne, a senior from Richey, MT, was named to the All-Independent First Team along with Melissa Patterson (Pitt-Johnsotown), Kelly McRee (Grand Canyon), Melanie Cleusix (Western New Mexico), and Erin Evans (Oakland City).  Milne was named the DII Independent Defensive Player of the Year.  Patterson was selected as the DII Independent Player of the Year.

Milne was an All-West Region second team selection for the second-straight year this season.  She averaged a double-double of 12.9 points and 10.1 rebounds a game through the regular season and steadily climbed the school record list for career points, rebounds and blocks.  She finished her career as the school’s all-time leading rebounder (957) and shot blocker (278).  She also scored 1,066 career points, sixteenth most in school history.  She is only the second player in school history with over 1,000 points and 900 rebounds.  In addition to her All-Independent and All-Region honors, Milne was an ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America third team selection.

Tanya Petersen was named to the All-Independent Second Team along with Shaunda Gallon (Palm Beach Atlantic), Jada Richardson (Columbia Union), Anna Orr (Palm Beach Atlantic), Jennifer Cobb (Grand Canyon), and Lauren Mueller (Converse).  Petersen, a junior forward from Billings, led the Yellowjackets in scoring for the second year in a row averaging 15.4 points per game.  In three seasons she has scored 941 points, ranking her eighteenth in school history.  Petersen will need 314 points as a senior to break into the top ten on the all-time Yellowjacket scoring list.  She scored 431 points as a junior.

MSU Billings head coach Kevin Woodin was honored as the DII Independent Coach of the Year after guiding the Yellowjackets to a 21-7 record and a berth to the NCAA Tournament.  This was Woodin’s first year at the helm of the Yellowjackets following many successful years as the head coach at Billings West High School.  Of the 10 independent schools, the Yellowjackets were the only team to earn a spot in the NCAA Tournament.  There are 279 Division II institutions that sponsor women’s basketball, and to reach the NCAA Tournament independents must receive an at-large bid.  The 2004-2005 season will be the final season as an independent for MSU Billings, which moves into the Heartland Conference beginning in 2005-2006.  The Yellowjackets will play in the South Central Region, home of NCAA II National Champion Washburn University.

2004-05 NCAA Division II Women’s Basketball All-Independent

First Team
Name                                                          Pos.    Yr.       Hometown
Melissa Patterson – Pitt-Johnstown         F       Sr.      Alexandria, Pa.
Kelly McRee – Grand Canyon                  F       Sr.      Phoenix, Ariz.
Melanie Cleusix – Western New Mexico     G       Jr.      Martigny, Swizterland
Robyn Milne – Montana State-Billings       C       Sr.      Richey, Mont.
Erin Evans – Oakland City                      G       Sr.      Fort Branch, Ind.

Second Team
Name                                                          Pos.    Yr.      Hometown
Shaunda Gallon – Palm Beach Atlantic        F     Sr.      Madison, Fla.
Tanya Petersen – Montana State-Billings    F     Jr.      Billings, Mont.
Jada Richardson – Columbia Union             G     Fr.      Silver Spring, Md.
Anna Orr – Palm Beach Atlantic                G     So.     Young Harris, Ga.
Jennifer Cobb – Grand Canyon                  F     Jr.      Casa Grande, Ariz.
Lauren Mueller - Converse                       F     So.      Foley, Ala.

Third Team
Name                                                          Pos.    Yr.      Hometown
Natalie Lara – Western New Mexico          G     So.      El Paso, Texas
Andrea Clarke – Florida Gulf Coast            F     Sr.      Guelph, Ontario, Canada
Katie Miller – Oakland City                     G/F    Sr.      St. Anthony, Ind.
Crystal Payne – Columbia Union               G     So.      Oxon Hill, Md.
Allison Krischer – Pitt-Johnstown             G      So.      Johnstown, Pa.
Brienne Beaschler – Tiffin                       F      Jr.      Findlay, Ohio

All-Freshman
Name                                                          Pos.    Yr.      Hometown
Jada Richardson – Columbia Union            G      Fr.      Silver Spring, Md.
Bethany Sloat – Columbia Union              G/F    Fr.      Baltimore, Md.
Amber Bishko – Florida Gulf Coast             F      Fr.      Orlando, Fla.
Whitney Card – Western New Mexico        G      Fr.      Tucson, Ariz.
Jodi Hobbs – Oakland City                       F      Fr.      Oaktown, Ind.

Player of the Year – Melissa Patterson, Pitt-Johnstown
Defensive Player of the Year – Robyn Milne, Montana State-Billings
Freshman of the Year – Jada Richardson, Columbia Union
Most Inspirational Award – Erin Yiakos, Western New Mexico