All-Time Assist Leader Howrigon Leads Saints to New Heights

By Doug Goodnough

Grace Howrigon almost didn’t stay. She’s sure glad she did.

The senior point guard had a rough start to her Siena Heights women’s basketball career. However, she knew it could get better. And it did.

During her final three years, the Saints recorded consecutive 20-win seasons and back-to-back NAIA tournament berths. This year, Siena Heights finished 26-9 and won its first national postseason game to establish the best stretch in the program’s history.

Howrigon, who finished her career as the program’s all-time assist leader, was a primary reason for that success.

“We’ve had the most success with her,” said head coach Sue Syljebeck, who called Howrigon ones of the best players in the program’s history. “Grace was a key piece for us.”

Howrigon, who led the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference in assists (6.0 per game) and averaged 12.4 points per game to earn all-conference honors, stepped up her game this season.

“Last year, I wasn’t much of a scorer,” said the 5-foot-8 guard from Plainwell, Mich. “(Last) summer, I really worked on my game and my shot. It paid off. I had a lot better year. I was (both) a scorer and a distributor.”

But the one area she didn’t need any extra work in was competitiveness. In fact, that insatiable drive to win almost resulted in Howrigon leaving the program after her freshman year.

“We were not successful,” Howrigon said of that first season. “I personally had thoughts of transferring. I didn’t know if this was the right place for me. But I decided to stick it out because I knew it could get better.”

And it did. Syljebeck, who shares Howrigon’s passion for winning, demanded excellence from her returning players. However, learning to harness Howrigon’s competitiveness was sometimes a challenge.

“I had to learn, too, with Grace,” Syljebeck said. “I let her have a bit more freedom. … I gave a little bit, and she gave a little bit. She had to give a little more than I did, and she did.”

“I guess I have not been the easiest to coach, but it’s just because I want to win,” Howrigon said. “That is my number one priority. I want to win everything. And so does coach Sue. We’ve definitely had some stuff in my four years, but we have a really good relationship.”

Recruiting some key pieces to supplement Howrigon’s ball distribution skills was a priority. Syljebeck since added leading scorer and honorable mention All-American guard Sierra Calhoun and 3-point sharpshooter Morgan Warfield, as well as interior players like Mackenzie Tomasik and Alexxis Knannlein to the mix.

During Howrigon’s sophomore year, the Saints recorded their first 20-win season in more than 30 years, just missing the NAIA tournament. In 2012-13, the Saints finished 23-10 and earned an at-large berth to the NAIA Tournament, losing in the opening round to Briar Cliff (Iowa). This season, the Saints started 5-5, and there was some doubt if they would return to the national stage.

“I was mad. I was confused,” Howrigon said of her team’s start. “I didn’t know what it was happening, but I wasn’t going to let it continue.”

The Saints proceeded to rattle off 10 straight wins and never looked back. In fact, the Saints made it to their first conference tournament championship game, where they lost to second-ranked Davenport 75-74 in the final seconds. However, they clinched an automatic berth to the NAIA Tournament in the process.

“Last year, we were on Cloud Nine,” Howrigon said of the team’s first appearance at nationals. “Everyone was so nervous. It was like playing on a stage. The difference from this year to last year was that we knew we should be there. We knew we could win. We weren’t scared. We weren’t nervous.”

The Saints drubbed ranked Tennessee Wesleyan 77-59 in the opening round before bowing out to eventual national champion St. Francis (Ind.). Syljebeck points out that five of those nine losses came to St. Francis (two) and Davenport (three), which finished 1-2 in the final national rankings.

“It’s a great feeling to be a part of something like that,” Howrigon said of the program’s success. “It’s really been an amazing experience for me. … Obviously basketball has been a huge part of it.”

Howrigon graduates in Au-gust and hopes to use her sport management degree to pursue a career in college coaching, and may try to continue her basketball career overseas.

“It’s going to be hard to watch from the sidelines,” she said. “I’m not ready.”

Even though the Saints return a group that includes six seniors next season, Syljebeck said replacing Howrigon will be difficult.

“She didn’t care whether she got the accolades, which makes her even more special,” she said. “She didn’t care less whether she got MVP or all-tournament as long as we won the tournament or won the game.

“It’s a tribute to Grace that so many firsts have been ac- complished in the program. We wouldn’t have done it with- out her.”