Former M-ette, Lady Griz Standout Narrows it Down to Two Schools

Last Thursday, June 2, word came out that former Malta M-ette and University of Montana guard Sophia Stiles had entered the transfer portal with one season of eligibility left in her college basketball career.

The PCN caught up with Stiles, the daughter of Del and KayDel Stiles of Malta, to talk about her last season with the Lady Griz, entering the college transfer portal, and what may come next for her.

The 2017 MHS graduate first described her time with the Lady Griz, which started in 2017 and concluded after her redshirt senior season.

"It was honestly a very rewarding experience," Stiles said. "I grew up there wanting to play there and getting to live out that dream was awesome."

But her time with the U of M wasn't easy.

"There were definitely peaks and valleys," Stiles said. "Going through three head coaches was different and having two major injuries were also not in my plans, but I feel like I grew a lot as a player and a person and I made a lot of really amazing relationships with people."

From her freshman season to her third season as a redshirt sophomore, the Lady Griz were led by former head coach Shannon Schweyen, who was an assistant coach under legendary coach Robin Selvig. After three years under coach Schweyen, the Lady Griz were led by former interim head coach Mike Petrino. This past season, the team was led by current head coach Brian Holsinger.

"I think that the biggest thing is that (Coach Holsinger) instills so much confidence into every single one of us," Stiles said. "The older that I get, the more I realize that a lot of this game is based on confidence."

She said that his confidence in her opened up a new world, that allowed her to just play the game.

Coach Holsinger's confidence in the two-time Montana Gatorade Player of the year, was rewarded in Stiles' only game-winning shot of her career.

The shot was made on Thursday, February 3, earlier this year. Montana had trailed Weber State 52-41 heading into the fourth quarter. The team eventually closed the gap, and the game was eventually tied 59-all with six seconds left on the clock.

"I hadn't shot the ball well all game," Stiles said. "So, I don't know why coach Holsinger said, go ahead."

She said that she was in the moment and knew that she had to get a shot up.

With six seconds left, Stiles was able to create some space in the mid-range with a crossover. Then she unleashed a game-winner that was seen by many on ESPN Sportscenter's Top 10.

"It was really surreal, and doing it at home in front of the Lady Griz fans was obviously an amazing experience," Stiles said. "My teammates and coaches were so excited and pumped. It was definitely a moment that I will never forget."

As far as being on Sportscenter's Top 10, it was a first for Stiles. She found out through a text message.

"I had to go look it up and it was very cool," she said. "I was very humbled. I'm sure there were a lot of other plays that could have made it over mine."

This season, Stiles earned a couple of team accolades, including Most Valuable Player and Most Improved Player.

"I have really good teammates," Stiles said about her MVP award. "Carmen Gfeller is just a bucket, so she would be an obvious choice, and Abby (Anderson) is an amazing player overall. I was just surrounded by a lot of good teammates, so it could've gone to anyone."

She did agree with the Most Improved Player award.

"Coach Holsinger and his staff really helped me improve my game a lot in this one year that I had with them," Stiles said.

Still, Stiles had decided to enter her name into the transfer portal where coaches and schools around the country can look at her film and decide to make her offers. She was asked what made her decide to move on.

"I was just ready for a different scene," Stiles said. "I love Missoula and all of the people there. I just felt like, I had been there for five years, I received a lot of education, and I was just ready for a new experience."

Stiles said that many schools have offered her a chance to continue to play basketball. She was then asked where she would like to go.

"I have narrowed it down to two schools," Stiles told the PCN. "They are both Division I. One is near Missoula and the other one is nowhere near Missoula.

"I am looking at the University of Utah," Stiles said. "They are in the Pac-12 and had a really good season. The other school that I am looking at is FGCU (Florida Gulf Coast University). They are in the Atlantic Sun Conference and they are coming off of a really good season where they went 30-3, and had a win in the tournament."

She added that part of the appeal of FGCU is that the team is led by Head Coach Karl Smesko, who is the third-winningest Division I active coach.

Though she hasn't committed to where she will play as of Friday, June 3, Stiles was asked where she would like to be in two years.

"I have no idea," she said. "I have considered playing overseas, just to get that experience and if I am not playing basketball anymore, I would just like to be in some sort of servant position. Serving others is something that I am very passionate about. Whether that is at-risk youth or something that I will be helping others."