ROCHESTER, Mich. – Check out this inside look at the latest news about the Oakland women's basketball team, student-athletes and staff on and off the court.
MEET KENNEDIE MONTUE:
Kennedie Montue is one of seven newcomers on the 2021-22 squad!
Full Name: Kennedie Lee Montue (Mon – Two)
Birthdate: 3/15/03
Hometown: Pittsburgh, Pa.
High School: Plum
Major: Criminology
High School Highlights:
• Three-year letter winner for Head Coach Steve Elsier
• Named 2020-21 Valley News Dispatch Girls Basketball Player of the Year and Valley News Dispatch Girls Athlete of the Year as a senior
• Averaged 23.3 pppg helping Plum record the program's first WPIAL playoff victory (Lincoln Park, 44-31) since 2002 and only its second postseason win in history to finish with a 7-7 overall mark.
• Scored season-best 35 points at WPIAL semifinalist Fox Chapel making her Plum's all-time leading scorer eclipsing 1000 career points
• Roundball Classic senior all-star game selection
• 2019-20 Valley News Dispatch Girls Basketball Player of the Year and All-Conference and Second-Team All-State selection as a junior
• Earned VND First-Team honors as a sophomore averaging 22.1 points and 9.0 rebounds
• Helped AAU WPA Bruins to three consecutive championships (2018, 2019, 2020)
• Two-time First-Team All-Section member
• Three-time team MVP, three-time MVP for Christmas and Tip-Off Tournaments
Q and A:
Q: How excited are you to join the women's basketball team?
A: Playing basketball at a division 1 level has always been my dream, and playing here at Oakland is the best decision I have ever made.
Q: What do you feel is the best skill set you can bring to the team?
A: Shooting is definitely my best skill set.
Q: What was the major reason you decided to ultimately choose Oakland University?
A: The main reason I chose Oakland University was because Oakland felt like home. The environment, my teammates, and coaches made me feel like I belong here.
Q: In high school you played a couple of different positions. What position do you prefer the most, small forward or shooting guard?
A: shooting guard
Q: You were also named Valley News Dispatch Girls Athlete of the Year and Girls Basketball Player of the Year back as a senior in high school. How does it feel to earn these distinguished honors?
A: It feels like all my hard work has paid off.
Q: How do you feel your game will transition to the Division I college level.
A: I just have to keep working hard to be at the top level. I hope it will transition into me being a better all around player and more mature on the court.
Q: What are you short-term and long-term goals you have for yourself as an incoming freshman student-athlete?
A: A short term goal that I have is for us to win a Horizon League championship this season. A long term is to play basketball overseas after college.
Fun Facts:
Role Model: Mom
Pet Peeve: People chewing loudly
Favorite superpower: Flying
Best invention ever: Cell phone
Quote to live by: "Hard work beats talent when talent doesn't work hard"
Spirit animal: Tiger
Favorite fruit: Fruit
Harry Potter or Star Wars: Star Wars
CHECK IN WITH COACH TUNGATE:
Neal Ruhl caught up with women's basketball head coach
Jeff Tungate to get his thoughts on how things are going during summer practice!!
BREAK IT DOWN WITH BEATTY:
Neal also checked in with
Breanne Beatty after practice to get the inside scoop on how the squad is looking so far!!
FOLLOW THE LEADERS: DEAN AND BEATTY NAMED TEAM CAPTAINS FOR THE 2021-22 SEASON
Head Coach
Jeff Tungate announced
Kahlaijah Dean and
Breanne Beatty will be the women's basketball team captains for the upcoming 2021-22 season .
"Kahlaijah and Breanne have earned the right to lead this team. They know my expectations for our team, both on and off the floor. More importantly, I trust them as leaders," said Tungate. "They have worked hard this off season learning how to lead and I look forward to seeing what they've learned put into action this upcoming season."
LEARNING FROM THE BEST - A MEMORABLE TRIP TO THE PRESIDENT'S HOUSE
In preparation for their new roles as team captains, Dean and Beatty received valuable leadership advice from Oakland University President,
Ora Hirsch Pescovitz, M.D.
Gallery: (7-23-2021) Dean & Beatty Meet President Pescovitz
ALUMNA CHECK IN: TAYLOR "TJ" JONES '19
Taylor Jones was one of the best to lace em up for the women's basketball team from 2015-19. She graduated from Oakland with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Communications in 2019.
Career highlights:
• Jones closed her stellar career finishing eighth on the program's all-time scoring list with 1615 points and ranked sixth all-time in free throws made with 349
• She scored 20 or more points 25 times and reached double figures 83 times in her career
• All-Horizon League Second Team selection as a senior to earn league honors in each of her four years at Oakland being named to the All-Freshman Team (2015-16) and earned consecutive Sixth Man of the Year honors as a sophomore (2016-17) and junior (2017-18)
• During her senior campaign, led the team in scoring (15.0 – 3rd HL), assists (4.2 – 2nd HL), free throw percentage (71.7 – T-8th HL), ranked second in rebounds (6.8 – T-10th HL), steals (1.5 – 8th HL) and ranked 48th nationally in field goal attempts (464 total - 16.0 per/game)
• Scored 18 points, dished 10 assists and grabbed 10 rebounds at Cleveland State (2/2/19) to record the program's first triple double since Brittany Carnago during the 2008-09 season
• Dished out career-high 16 assists vs Detroit Mercy (1/4/19) was just one shy of the school game record of 17 held by Margaret Boyle vs. Lake Superior St. (2/28/87) and Dawn Lichty vs. St. Joseph's (3/10/90).
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