SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – Senior guard
Heaven Hamling has been named to the All-Summit League First Team, while Freshman guard
Elle Evans has been tabbed the Freshman of the Year to go along with earning a spot on the All-Defensive Team, All-Newcomer Team and picking up Honorable Mention All-Summit League honors, the league office announced on Thursday afternoon.
The duo helped power NDSU to win its most games in a single-season since 2004-05 with a 18-10 (12-6 Summit) overall record and total its most Summit League victories since 2008-09. The Bison completed regular season play earning the second seed in the Summit League Tournament, which is the highest seed since joining the league in 2007-08.
Evans becomes the first player in program history to be named the Summit League Freshman of the Year and is also the first Bison player to earn Summit League All-Defensive Team honors in program history. Additionally, she is the only freshman to earn All-Defensive Team accolades this season. Evans led all freshmen and ranked 11th in conference games averaging 13.8 points per game. She also paced all freshmen and ranked second in the Summit League in blocks with 32.
Evans reached double figures in scoring in 15 of 18 conference games, including two 20-point performances and a streak of 12 straight games to end the regular season. The Edwardsville, Ill., native notched her first career double-double with 16 points and 15 rebounds at Omaha and collected the most rebounds by a Bison player in a single-game since 2020.
On the defensive side of the court, Evans contributed three or more blocks in five games, including a season-high five in the win over Oral Roberts, which marked the most blocks by a Bison player in a single-game since 2018. She also disrupted opposing offenses creating 19 steals and notched at least two in eight games.
Hamling becomes the first NDSU player to earn All-Summit League First Team honors since 2016 after ranking in the top five in three-pointers (2nd, 48), steals (2nd, 2.3), three-point percentage (4th, .353), points per game (4th, 17.02) and assists (5th, 70) in league play. She was also named the Summit League Peak Performer of the Week three times this season.
Hamling reached double figures in scoring in 13 of 18 Summit League games, including seven 20-point performances and one 30-point game. The Grand Rapids, Minn., native created 41 total steals and notched three or more in seven games. She also hauled in 91 rebounds and passed out 70 assists.
Second-seeded NDSU will be back in action at the Summit League Tournament on Saturday at 3:00 p.m. in the quarterfinal round at Denny Sanford PREMIER Center. The Bison will face the winner of seventh-seeded Denver and 10th-seeded Kansas City.
