Five Valley City State women's basketball players have earned North Star Athletic Association recognition for the 2024-25 season, the conference office announced Tuesday.
 
VCSU's Abby Aslesen earned NSAA Freshman of the Year while senior Ashlyn Diemert was named 2^nd Team All-Conference. Aslesen and JayCee Richter were each named Honorable Mention All-Conference while Ellie Braaten was named to the NSAA All-Defense Team.
 
Delaney Cotton was named VCSU's Champion of Character which is awarded to the student-athlete who best exemplifies the five core values of the NAIA Champions of Character program including respect, integrity, servant leadership, sportsmanship and responsibility.
 
Aslesen earned NSAA Freshman of the Year and Honorable Mention All-Conference after making an immediate impact on the court for the Vikings. The Howard, S.D. native played in and started all 29 games this season. She averaged 13.8 points per game while shooting 47.4 percent from the field, ranking fourth in the North Star. She also pulled down 6.5 rebounds per game and totaled 20 blocks on the season. Aslesen scored a career-high 26 points in an 84-66 win over Mayville State University while they were receiving votes in the national poll.
 
VCSU senior Ashlyn Diemert earned 2^nd Team All-Conference after leading the Vikings with 15.1 points per game this season, ranking fifth in the North Star. She scored her 1000^th career point on Oct. 26 in VCSU's season opening win over Providence. The West Fargo native ranks third in the conference in 3-point percentage, shooting 41 percent from beyond the arc this season (59-144). She set three school records in a 91-75 win over (RV) Jamestown including points scored (39), 3-pointers made (11), and is the only Viking to shoot 100 percent on 3-pointers while making at least six. Diemert finishes her career with 1,410 total points to rank fifth in VCSU women's basketball history.
 
JayCee Richter earned her second straight Honorable Mention All-Conference nod after averaging 11.4 points and 4.8 rebounds per game. Her 46.4 field goal percentage ranks sixth in the conference and adds 31 assists, 22 steals and five blocks to her 2024-25 season total. The junior from Linton, N.D. scored a season-high 29 points on Feb. 21 in a 76-67 victory over (RV) Mayville State.
 
Ellie Braaten earned a spot on the NSAA All-Defense Team with her defensive tenacity despite her 5-foot-3 size. She ranks fourth in the conference with 54 steals on the season and totaled 4.4 rebounds per game. The sophomore from Westhope, N.D. also totaled 111 assists on the season to rank second in the North Star, as well as 7.2 points per game.