NAIA National Tournament: These Skylights forged their own identity

The 2015 Montana State University-Northern Skylights couldn’t have possibly dreamed of the amazing success they would have. Well, maybe they did dream it, but dreaming is one thing — making those dreams come true is quite another.

Yet that’s exactly what the Skylights did. They won 30 games, they came within one point of beating vaunted Westminster College for the Frontier Conference championship, and, they not only went to their second straight NAIA national tournament, they won two games while there, and came within a blink of an eye of reaching the Final Four.

Not only that, but Northern had its first-ever NAIA First-Team All-American in A’Jha Edwards, as well as fellow seniors Taylor Cummings, the true leader and point guard, along with hardworking forward Megan Feldman, another All-Conference standout, and Taybra Teeters, all who helped lead the veteran Skylights to an incredible and unforgettable season.

So when the 2015-16 season dawned back in October, there was no way the Skylights were up for an encore performance. Right? After all, all those seniors were gone. The dominance of Edwards was gone. And, so was the magic that helped the Skylights put together a season for the ages.

Wrong.

Now, one year later, Northern is right back in the same gymnasium in Independence, Missouri, where the magical 2015 season ended. It’s a different Northern team, but the program is still thriving, and head coach Chris Mouat is again pushing all the right buttons. And, now, MSU-N is ready to put the finishing touches on yet another magical campaign, one that included Northern reaching the No. 2 ranking in the NAIA at one point, again contending for a Frontier title, winning 23 games, beating nationally ranked Carroll, UGF and Lewis-Clark State a combined five times, and reaching the Frontier semifinals.

For good measure, Northern also had the Frontier MVP for the second straight year in junior Natalee Faupel, as well as the league’s Defensive Player of the Year in Jacy Thompson. They also had new stars emerge, like Molly Kreycik at the point, volleyball player turned hoops star Cydney Auzenne, and transfer Sierra Richards to name a few. Oh yeah, and the return of senior leader Rachelle Bennett from not one, but two knee injuries.

Yes, this Skylight team might be different, but the results are certainly the same.

“We’re a different team than last year, but this team has been successful in so many of its own ways,” Mouat said before Northern departed for its third straight national tourney. “This group found its own identity. Some of the things we are doing this year are different, and adjustments were made. But this team just kept at it, kept on building, and their success is their own. It’s not based on the past. And I’m really proud of this group for that. They’ve really became their own team, with their own identity.

“I’m so proud of these girls,” Bennett added. “Every year, you lose great players, and you have to adjust, and everything coach Mouat has done, it’s all worked really well. We’ve adjusted well. It’s been different this season, but it hasn’t mattered. This team has just kept finding ways to win. And I think the biggest reason is because we’ve come together so well. This is a very tight group.”

Now that group is ready to forge their own destiny at the national tournament level, as the Skylights prepare to face Benedictine in the opening round Wednesday morning. But before MSU-N left for Missouri, the team answered five questions for the Havre Daily News.

HDN: Three straight trips to nationals for the Skylights now. Is it more business now, or is it still as exciting and fun as the first time?

Molly Kreycik: "The goal is definitely to win, five games if we can. But each time is a new and exciting experience. And it's something we're going to enjoy and embrace. There's new challenges, and each year is different. But it's also a new excitement and even though we're all about business down there, it's going to be a lot of fun too."

HDN: How is this team different than it was back in October?

Jacy Thompson: "This team has come a long ways. We are a much different team this year, we play a lot more zone defense, but the things we've done, the changes we've made, they have really been good adjustments for us, and they've helped us win a lot of games. But, the biggest thing is, I think every single player on this team accepted and embraced their individual roles, right from the start of the season. And that's made us a very cohesive team. Everyone plays their part and plays it very well."

HDN: (Sierra Richards) Being a new member of the team, how great is this for you, going to the national tournament?

Sierra Richards: "I knew right away, I had some big shoes to fill after A'Jha (Edwards). She was a great player and dominated every game. But I have enjoyed the challenges. And it's been an honor to play with this team. It's really exciting to be a part of all of this my first year here."

HDN: (Cydney Auzenne's) impact on this team has been huge. What's that like for you, coming from volleyball to now being such a big part of this season?

Cydney Auzenne: "I'm just extremely grateful for this opportunity. I felt horrible when Rachelle went down. She's such a great leader and great player. So my job has just been to do whatever I can to help us win, and I've just tried to take advantage of every opportunity that comes my way. But it's such a privilege to play with this team. And to get to go back to nationals again with these girls, it's so exciting."

HDN: This team is different, but so good all season long. So, are the goals the same at the national tournaments as they were last year?

Natalee Faupel: "It is a new team, we are different, and it started as a new year. When the season started, what we did last year wasn't on our minds anymore. And we're right back to where we started, 0-0 and a brand new season. So our goal is to go down there and win as many games as we can. Our goal is always to keep on playing. We'll take it one game at a time, but we have the confidence to know we can go far in this tournament."