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SEWARD, Neb. – For the third-straight year, the Omaha World-Herald has named Philly Lammers its honorary captain of the All-Nebraska Midlands College Women’s Basketball Team for the NAIA/NCAA Division III level. As part of the Saturday (April 11) release, Lammers was joined on the first team by Grace Barry. The top-ranked Concordia University women’s basketball team was also represented by four honorable mention choices: seniors Colby Duvel, MacKenzie Helman and Riley Sibbel and sophomore Mackenzie Koepke.
Lammers’ honors as a senior have included recognition as an NAIA first team All-American, first team All-GPAC, GPAC Defensive Player of the Year and CoSIDA First Team Academic All-American. Also the NAIA Liston Award winner, the Millard West High School product appeared in 146 collegiate games and helped the program to a four-year record of 137-10 during a stretch that also included four GPAC regular-season titles, four GPAC tournament championships and a national title. The four-time first team All-GPAC selection and four-time NAIA All-American concluded her career with school all-time rankings of second in points (2,033), second in blocked shots (181), third in rebounds (1,026) and fourth in steals (357).
After transferring in from the University of Nebraska-Kearney, Barry proved to be the final piece that solved the national championship puzzle for Concordia. The Lincoln East High School graduate received plenty of attention recently for her mature handling of the cancellation of the national tournament. The 2019 national tournament MVP averaged 13.9 points, 5.8 assists and 3.2 steals per game as a senior and was named the CoSIDA Academic All-American of the Year for NAIA women’s basketball. Including her two seasons at UNK, Barry totaled 1,081 points, 521 assists, 302 rebounds and 291 steals over 126 collegiate games.
Koepke transitioned into a starting role as a sophomore and earned second team All-GPAC honors. She averaged 8.2 points, 3.3 rebounds and 2.0 steals per game while shooting 32.2 percent from 3-point range. Koepke’s 66 3-point field goals were most on the team. Duvel, Helman and Sibbel were each honorable mention All-GPAC choices. Duvel averaged 8.0 points and 4.5 rebounds while pushing her career totals to 792 points and 639 rebounds. Helman averaged 5.2 points and 3.0 assists and shot 41.0 percent from beyond the arc. Finally, Sibbel produced 5.9 points and 2.0 steals per game and shot 42.1 percent from the field.
NAIA/NCAA D-III All-Nebraska Midlands College Women’s Basketball Team
First Team
G - Grace Barry, 5-6, sr., Concordia
*G - Shandra Farmer, 5-3, sr., Hastings
G - Caitlin Navratil, 5-3, sr., Nebraska Wesleyan
F - Gabby Grasso, 5-11, sr., Hastings
*C - Philly Lammers, 5-11, sr., Concordia
Second Team
G - Amanda Hansen, 5-7, sr., Midland
G - Alyssa Marsh-Contreras, 5-7, so., Peru State
G - Sophia Pankratz, 5-7, sr., Hastings
F - Haylee Heits, 6-0, jr., Doane
F - Elexis Martinez, 5-11, jr., Bellevue
Honorable mention: Bellevue: Brittany Hill, Faith Ross; Concordia: Colby Duvel, MacKenzie Helman, Mackenzie Koepke, Riley Sibbel; Doane: Cheyenne Ostrander; Hastings: Taylor Beacom, Emma Grenfell, Kaitlyn Schmit; Midland: Katy Gathje, Makenna Sullivan; Nebraska Wesleyan: Mikenzie Delgado; Peru State: Claire Cudney; Saint Mary: Clare Lewandowski, Trista Merrival; York: Amaia Diez.
* - honorary captain