MISSOULA, Mont. — After one year spent at Xavier University in Cincinnati, former Kasson-Mantorville star basketball player Aby Shubert needed a fresh start. After hitting the transfer portal, she’s already in the midst of it.
On May 15, the 5-foot-8 former three-time honorable-mention All-State guard committed to the University of Montana in Missoula, where she’s been for the past three weeks working out with the team. It’s been quite a change for Shubert in a few ways. She left the big city of Cincinnati and landed in the spectacular natural beauty of 75,000 population, college-town Missoula, with its Rocky Mountains and the confluence of three rivers, made famous by the movie “A River Runs Through It.
” There is serenity there. There is also a winning basketball team. The University of Montana Grizzlies women finished 23-10 last year, including 13-5 in the Big Sky Conference.
ADVERTISEMENT That’s in sharp contrast to what Shubert just endured at Xavier as a freshman. The Musketeers were a miserable 1-27 last season, Shubert’s one and only year there. All of that losing took a toll on Shubert and everyone connected to the program.
Shubert, known as an excellent shooter, played in 20 of 28 games at Xavier and averaged 2.2 points while playing in the rugged Big East Conference. “We won one game,” Shubert said.
“It was crazy. Stuff goes downhill for a team so fast when you’re losing. I’d much rather play for a winning program because of how crazy the r.
