Hi-Line Athlete Profile: For one week, MSU-N's Brandy Lambourne trades basketballs for tennis balls

During her days at Havre High, Brandy Lambourne was always a versatile athlete that played and excelled in multiple sports. Obviously, as a college athlete, playing more than one sport isn't really possible, yet that hasn't stopped Lambourne from staying involved in tennis, as well as basketball.

Lambourne is best known as a Blue Pony, for her contributions on the basketball floor, where she earned Central A All-Conference and Class A All-State honors. She also helped lead the Ponies to the Class A state championship back in 2014 and, in fact, was named the MVP of the state tournament after she scored 25 points in the title game against Hamilton.

Those skills led Lambourne to earn a scholarship offer from Montana State University-Northern, where she has played the last three seasons under head coach Chris Mouat. During that time, Lambourne has been part of three teams that advanced to the NAIA National Tournament, including the 2015 squad that made it all the way to the final eight.

However, in some ways, Lambourne has been a victim of the Skylights success and of the talented roster of players assembled in each of the past few seasons by Mouat. It has made playing time hard to come by for Lambourne, who has averaged two points per game during her career at MSU-N, while shooting 31 percent from 3-point range.

Yet with the graduation of some key players from last year's team, Lambourne could be in line for a bigger role this season, which will be her final one as a Skylight.

"I have just been trying to work hard and get better," Lambourne said. "My biggest focus is improving and helping my teammates improve."

Lambourne and the Skylights still have a couple of months before the season starts and with some of her free time in the summer, Lambourne once again volunteered to be a coach at the Havre Tennis Camp, run by HHS head coach George Ferguson.

For Lambourne, who said she was interested in coaching someday, the camp is a perfect fit. As a four-time letter winner in tennis for HHS and a Class A All-State performer her senior year, finishing third in singles that season, she was excited to pass on her knowledge to a younger group of current and future Pony tennis players.

"Brandy is one of the best girls players I've ever coached," Ferguson said at his camp earlier this week. "So it makes sense that she does a great job helping and coaching this sport. She has a lot of knowledge, and even though she doesn't get out and play much anymore, she's still a really good player.

"But one of the biggest reasons she's been so great helping with camp every year is, Brandy is just a really good person, and she's great with the kids. They barely know her at the start of every camp, and by the time it's over, they are already looking up to her like a big sister. She's just that kind of person, and she's done such a great job with tennis camp over the years."

With her final season of college basketball on the horizon, the Havre Daily News caught up with Lambourne during the final day of the Havre High tennis camp earlier this week.

HDN: How have you enjoyed being at tennis camp?

Lambourne: "It has been really fun. There is a lot of energy down here with the kids. They are learning and progressing and that's the most important thing. I love seeing the kids have fun and watching them improve. Seeing the smiles on their faces when they actually get the ball over the net and in the court, that's exciting."

HDN: Do you see yourself coaching one day?

Lambourne: "Yeah, I would love to coach tennis one day. I think it's something that would just be along for the ride, but I would love to coach and would really like coaching basketball."

HDN: When did you start playing tennis?

Lambourne: "I first started playing when I was a freshman in high school. I am not a huge track fan and tennis is fun, plus my grandpa played tennis, so that was huge too."

HDN: What is it like to know this is your last year playing college basketball?

Lambourne: "It's kind of crazy knowing this is my last year. It has went by so fast, so it's kind of bittersweet. But I think that this year will end pretty well. I have been in the gym quite a bit and have seen my teammates in the gym, so I am looking forward to it. It hasn't hit me quite yet, but it's my last run."

HDN: What has been your favorite part about playing basketball for Northern?

Lambourne: "My teammates. They are awesome. Everyone comes from different towns and different cultures and it's just awesome getting to know everyone. How we come together and how we are really there for each other. It's the best."