Bobcat Women Open 2021-22 Preseason Drills

9/28/2021 2:15:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Montana State head coach Tricia Binford begins her 17th year at the helm of the Bobcat women’s basketball program on Tuesday afternoon just as excited and filled with anticipation as she was in the fall of 2005.

By: Tom Schulz

Montana State head coach Tricia Binford begins her 17^th year at the helm of the Bobcat women's basketball program on Tuesday afternoon just as excited and filled with anticipation as she was in the fall of 2005.

Binford returns 11 letterwinners, including four starters from last season's squad. During the 2020-21 campaign, the Bobcats featured one of the youngest squads in the nation. The team recorded a 17-7 overall mark and a 13-3 Big Sky Conference slate. For her efforts, Binford garnered co-Big Sky Conference Coach of the Year honors, despite a third-place league finish.

"We're super excited to get going," Binford said. "This team is hungry and has taken every day to win the day. They're filled with champion habits, and we'll use this time to continue building chemistry and preparing ourselves to beat the best. We have a preseason schedule filled with top 50 programs. We've got no games off, which is going to prepare ourselves for the Big Sky Conference no games off."

Highlighting the 2021-22 returners will be reigning Big Sky Defensive Player of the Year Darian White. Last season, the Boise, Idaho product led the Bobcats in scoring (14.5 ppg), rebounding (5.1 rpg), assists (91), steals (65) and free throws made (101). White was an all-Big Sky First-Team selection.

Also returning to the starting line-up are Gabby Mocchi, Kola Bad Bear and Katelynn Limardo. Mocchi, a 6-1 senior from Champlin, Minn., entered MSU's starting rotation against Northern Colorado on Jan. 7 last season and finished with 17 starts, averaging 6.4 points and 3.1 rebounds per contest.

Bad Bear, a junior forward from Billings, started 21 of 24 games, and chipped in 5.0 points and 3.0 rebounds per outing. Limardo, a 6-2 forward from Silver City, N.M., started all 24 games as a true-freshman and averaged 6.6 points and 4.5 rebounds, while finishing second on the squad with 33 triples.

Binford also welcomes back letterwinners Lexi Deden, Taylor Janssen, Madison Jackson, Leia Beattie, Ava Ranson, Ashley Van Sickle, and Kenzie Stumne. Mocchi and Van Sickle will be MSU's lone seniors on a still, young squad.

"After having a such a young squad last season, we're really focusing on our consistency," Binford said. "We're becoming more vocal, and I feel we are further ahead at this time than last year. The returners know what the expectations are, and the newcomers are benefitting from the veterans helping them with the dynamics of practice, which in turn allows them to compete and go hard."

The three newcomers adding to the mix include Lindsey Hein, a 6-6 center from Forsyth, Mia Hughes, a 5-10 forward from Woodinville, Wash., and Casey Ardern, a 5-5 guard from Wodonga, Australia.

MSU graduated Tori Martell and Sidney Zieske from last year's squad, while Sydney Stensgard transferred to Northern Colorado, and Skye Lindsay-Rogers, retired from the game.

Binford's also excited with two additions to the coaching staff. Former Bobcat Katie Bussey joined the program as an assistant coach in June, while Rhema Gardner will replace Peyton Ferris as Director of Basketball Operations. Gardner was part of UCLA's program from 2010-2015. She also served as an assistant coach at Cal Poly Pomona.

Ferris left the Bobcat program in early September to pursue teaching and counseling opportunities in the Belt school district.

TRANSACTIONS: Montana State named Rhema Gardner (RAY-mah Gardner) Director of Basketball Operations. Announced junior Skye Lindsay-Rogers has retired from the program.