SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – South Dakota women’s basketball junior Molly Joyce has been named the Summit League Newcomer of the Year and three Coyotes received all-Summit League honors for their performance during Summit League play, announced by the conference office Tuesday.
Joyce was named Newcomer of the Year and is on the all-Newcomer team. Angelina Robles was named first team all-Summit League, Joyce on second team, and Elise Turrubiates an honorable mention. Joyce was joined by Turrubiates on the all-newcomer team.
All three athletes played a pivotal role in South Dakota’s league best seven-game win improvement from last season during league play (5-11 to 12-4). Entering the conference tournaments, South Dakota is tied for the fourth-best win improvement from last season at the Division I level, doubling their win total from 11 last season to 22 this year.
Joyce joined South Dakota from Division II Truman State this season and took a step forward during conference play. She scored 15.8 points per game while shooting .396/.393/.864 during league play. She added 2.9 rebounds and 1.6 assists. Her 86.4% from the free throw line was third in the league.
She scored over 20-plus points in the first four games of conference play and scored 10-plus in 14 of the 16 conference games, ranking sixth in the conference in scoring. Joyce is the third Coyote to earn the Summit League Newcomer of the Year, but second to earn it in its current iteration. Caitlin Duffy (2015-16) won Transfer of the Year, and Hannah Sjerven (2018-19) won Newcomer of the Year in the first year that the award returned to its original name. Joyce also received second team all-conference honors.
Angelina Robles joined South Dakota from Denver for her senior season and earned first team all-Summit League honors this season. Robles led the Coyotes in points (16.4) and assists (3.6) per game during conference play. She also tallied 3.6 rebounds and 1.2 steals per game. She shot .394/.375/.853, ranking fourth in the league in free throw percentage. She also ranked fifth in scoring and second in assists during league play.
Robles earned USD’s 20th first Team all-Summit League honor and is the ninth individual to receive first team all-conference honors as a Yote. South Dakota has had at least one first team all-Summit League member in every year but one since joining the Summit League. Robles was a preseason second team all-Summit League honoree.
Elise Turrubiates earned all-newcomer and all-Summit League honorable mention honors this season. A transfer from Tarleton State, Turrubiates totaled 7.9 points and 7.9 rebounds per game during conference play. She also averaged 1.6 steals. Her 7.9 rebounds are tied for fifth in the league during conference play and her 1.6 steals is tied for fourth.
The Summit League Tournament gets underway Wednesday, and South Dakota’s quarterfinal matchup with Denver is scheduled for 25 minutes after the conclusion of the Oral Roberts-St. Thomas game that begins at noon Friday in the Denny Sanford PREMIER Center.
2025-26 Summit League Awards
Player of the Year: Avery Koenen, North Dakota State
Defensive Player of the Year: Avery Koenen, North Dakota State
Newcomer of the Year: Molly Joyce, South Dakota
Freshman of the Year: Karrington Asp, North Dakota State
Sixth Woman of the Year: Karrington Asp, North Dakota State
Coach of the Year: Jory Collins, North Dakota State
First Team All-Summit League
Avery Koenen, North Dakota State
Madison Mathiowetz, South Dakota State
Brooklyn Meyer, South Dakota State
Angelina Robles, South Dakota
Alyssa Sand, St. Thomas
Coryn Watts, Denver
Second Team All-League
Elauni Bennett, Kansas City
Marisa Frost, North Dakota State
Molly Joyce, South Dakota
Jalei Oglesby, Oral Roberts
Jocelyn Schiller, North Dakota State
Honorable Mention All-League
Emani Bennett, Kansas City
Emilee Fox, South Dakota State
Mackenzie Hughes, North Dakota
Anna Trusty, Oral Roberts
Elise Turrubiates, South Dakota
All-Defensive Team
Ari Gordon, Oral Roberts
Avery Koenen, North Dakota State
Brooklyn Meyer, South Dakota State
Alyssa Sand, St. Thomas
Avril Smith, Omaha
All-Newcomer Team
Jada Hood, St. Thomas
Mackenzie Hughes, North Dakota
Molly Joyce, South Dakota
Anna Trusty, Oral Roberts
Elise Turrubiates, South Dakota
All-Freshman Team
Karrington Asp, North Dakota State
Kayten Donley, Oral Roberts
Regan Juenemann, Omaha
Avril Smith, Omaha
Hadley Thul, South Dakota State