Montana Lady Griz Boast Big Sky Conference Freshman of the Year

The last time? The 2005-2006 season. And unlike the last time, the award isn't shared.

University of Montana Women's Sports Information Director Joel Carlson tells us that today (Thursday), it was announced that four Montana Lady Griz basketball players were honored by the Big Sky Conference, as the league announced its All-Big Sky teams and individual award winners.

In voting by the league’s coaches, Lady Griz point guard Mack Konig was named Freshman of the Year! Not since Mandy Morales was named a co-winner after the '06-'07 season has a Lady Griz player earned that award, and the sixth overall.

Mack (unless you're her dad, who prefers to call her Mackendra) was inserted into the starting lineup at point guard in late January. She had 21 points and six assists in her first game in that starting role. She averaged 10.2 points and 2.9 assists in 18 conference games, shot 41.2 percent from the 3-point line, and 90.3 percent from the free throw line.

Three other Lady Griz players also earned conference recognition. Forward Carmen Gfeller was named second team All-Big Sky, Sammy Fatkin third team and Gina Marxen honorable mention.

Gfeller was named All-Big Sky for the third time in three seasons. She is Montana’s first three-time All-Big Sky selection since Katie Baker. AND She will have a chance to become a four-time selection next season, as she has announced that she’ll return for one more year.

Sammy Fatkin received recognition for the first time in her career, as she averaged 12 points and a career-best 6.0 rebounds. She had games of 20 or more points seven times this season.

Regardless of how good a basketball player is (including being named the Big Sky Conference Freshman of the Year a few seasons back), when they take a year off from the sport, there's going to be some rust and readjusting. And Gina Marxen, who took a year off from basketball after leaving the University of Idaho's team and then transferring to Montana, found her stride during the conference season, enough so to earn a conference Honorable Mention.

Of those four recipients, only Sammy Fatkin has exhausted all of her eligibility. The other three players will be returning for the 2023-24 season.

The future is bright for Lady Griz basketball.

Here are all the team and individual honor recipients:

Most Valuable Player: Kahlaijah Dean, Sacramento State

Defensive Player of the Year: Jamie Loera, Eastern Washington

Newcomer of the Year: Kahlaijah Dean, Sacramento State

Top Reserve: Leia Beattie, Montana State

Freshman of the Year: Mack Konig, Montana

2022-23 All-Big Sky Conference Teams

First Team:

Beyonce Bea, Idaho

Kahlaijah Dean, Sacramento State