Northwest Notes Sept. 9, 2025

Former Lake City star Mitchell named to Blue Ribbon Yearbook Preseason All-Conference Team

On Monday, Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook announced its preseason accolades for the Big Sky Conference, and Idaho redshirt sophomore Kolton Mitchell from Lake City High was named to the preseason All-Big Sky team.

Mitchell, entering his third season in college and second in Moscow, emerged as one of the top point guards in the league as a redshirt freshman. He started all 33 games for the Vandals in the 2024-25 campaign, finishing second on the team with 11.1 points per game, shooting 40% from the floor, and dishing out 3.5 assists per game.

Kolton put his name in multiple parts of the school record books last year. He became the first Idaho freshman to make five or more threes in a game since 2018, and did so twice. At the end of the year, he was the most accurate free-throw shooter in the conference, making 89.5% of his attempts, second-best in school history.

The Blue Ribbon Yearbook also picked the Vandals to finish fourth of the 10 teams in the Big Sky.

PRESEASON ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM

F-Caleb Van De Griend, SR, Idaho State

F-Terri Miller, Jr., SR, Portland State

G-Jaylin Henderson, SR, Portland State

G-Money Williams, JR, Montana

G-Kolton Mitchell, R-SO, Idaho

Player of the Year: Money Williams, JR, Montana

Newcomer of the Year: Caleb Van De Griend, GR, Idaho State

PRESEASON POLL

1, Montana. 2, Portland State. 3, Idaho State. 4, Idaho. 5, Weber State. 6, Eastern Washington. 7, Northern Colorado. 8, Sacramento State. 9, Montana State. 10, Northern Arizona.