Photo by Minnesota West Community and Technical College: The Minnesota West Lady Jays celebrate after winning the National Junior College Athletic Association Division III National Championship, Saturday in Brownwood, Texas.

BROWNWOOD, Texas — A trio of local athletes helped the Minnesota West womens basketball team claim its second National Junior College Athletic Association [NJCAA] Division III national championship in the last three years. Izzy Klumper, Jayda Hellewell and Anistasia Smith all played key roles for the Lady Jays over the course of the season as the team closed out its dominant season on a 15-game winning streak to finish at 26-5.

Klumper is a former Independent Girls Basketball Player of the Year, winning the award her senior season at Westbrook-Walnut Grove in 2024. She redshirted her freshman year of college at Augustana before transferring to Minnesota West.

Hellewell was also in her second season with the Lady Jays after graduating from Murray County Central, and Smith was in her freshman year with the team after graduating from Wabasso.

Minnesota West steamrolled its way through the regional tournament, taking down Central Lakes College-Brainerd 79-44 in the Region XIIIA semifinals and Ridgewater College 78-40 in the championship round.

The Lady Jays didn’t slow down from there. Klumper left Minnesota West’s quarterfinal win over Onondaga Community College with a knee injury, but played through it in the semifinals and provided lockdown perimeter defense in a 68-57 win over Fulton-Montgomery.

In the championship round, Hellewell grabbed four rebounds and Klumper knocked down a 3-pointer as Minnesota West earned a 51-41 win.

“Winning once is special,” Minnesota West head coach Rosalie Hayenga-Hostikka said postgame. “Winning twice in three years says everything about this program; hard work, dedication, and the way we all lift each other up.”

Minnesota West’s Katrina Schutz was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player after averaging 19 points and 15 rebounds, including 20 boards in the championship game. Minnesota West’s Sadie Krahling and Maddie Kamm were also named to the All-Tournament team.