TRAPPER WOMEN RETURN THREE

BY SETH ROMSA TRIBUNE SPORTS WRITER
Courtesy of the Powell Tribune

Following a 17-14 season and a difficult play-in loss, Northwest College women's basketball returns three players from last year's team heading into the 2025-26 season.

The top returner for the Trapper and lone starter back on the team is Emma Pique, a sophomore from Llavaneres, Spain.

During her first season as a Trapper, Pique primarily played as a forward, with coach Cody Helenbolt excited for her return. He may move her into a more guard centric role to help with the team's size next season.

"She's a really skilled player, a really good defender … So it's nice to have that coming back," Helenbolt said. "We're hoping this year we'll have a bit more size because she had to play the four last year, so we're hoping that she's more of a two or three this year. That's kind of the goal was to get bigger and longer."

Pique started in all but one game for Northwest, averaging nine points per game, as well as 3.8 rebounds per game while shooting 40.9% from the field and 31.3% from 3-point range.

Guard Elise Swan from Casper is the Trapper's second returner.

"Elise came in and I didn't know what to expect from her. She earned minutes by just working hard, getting in the gym, being really coachable and playing great defense," Helenbolt said. "So that's a valuable kid that kind of knows the expectation going forward and can contribute at the two, three spot as well."

Swan averaged 2.7 points off the bench, shooting 36.1% from the field, 38.9% from 3-point range and 90% at the free throw line.

One final addition for the Trappers is a two sport athlete Helenbolt wasn't expecting to have on the team last year, as Taylee Carlson, of Blackfoot, Idaho, will again play basketball in addition to volleyball this year.

"Taylee was our biggest unexpected surprise, because we didn't really know that she was going to play," Helenbolt said. "I had actually tried to recruit her before, but I didn't realize the skill level that she had. So being another 6-foot kid that can jump through the roof. And when she heats up shooting wise, I've seen her make seven or eight in a row, and that's just fun to be a part of, so I think she's got tons of potential. She's obviously going to start off the year playing volleyball, so she'll be kind of late getting in here, but she can really be an X-factor at the four or five spot for us."

With this being Helenbolt's second year at the helm, he is hopeful this group will welcome in a large freshman class and help build up the program.

"I want them to welcome the new kids into the program and show what the expectations are and then just help me build a cohesive team and help everything kind of mesh together with that many new kids," Helenbolt said. "We don't have a huge returning class, but it's going to be nice having some of them so that they understand who I am as a person and as a coach. I think that just helps the process quite a bit."

Over the summer Helenbolt said that he and the returners went over what they are good at and what they need to get better at, with Helenbolt hoping they will continue working and come back better players next year.

"I expect them to be better players next year, and they were all three good for us this year," he said. "I'm excited to see them coming back, see what they can do and what they can add to their game, and what kind of players they can be."