Women's Basketball | 2/27/2026 2:00:00 PM

OXFORD, Ohio - The River States Conference unveiled the major award winners for the 2025-26 women's basketball season on Friday, a day ahead of the semifinal round of the River States Conference Tournament. The RedStorm of Rio Grande, fresh off an undefeated conference season, swept the major awards. Marlee Grinstead was honored as Player of the Year, Allie Ellyson was honored as Newcomer of the Year, and David Smalley was chosen as RSC Coach of the Year.

With the graduation of four starters from last season's RSC champions, the RedStorm found a new leader on the floor in senior Marlee Grinstead, the 2026 RSC Player of the Year. The senior, who scored 7.3 points per game last season, saw that number soar to 17.3 points per game, tops on the Rio Grande roster. She was at her best in some of Rio's biggest games of the season, scoring 35 points on the road at Midway and 27 in a rivalry road game at Shawnee State. She currently ranks in the top five in the league in scoring, free throw percentage, and steals.

The RedStorm's unbeaten season was powered not only by seniors, but by a freshman. Allie Ellyson earned RSC Newcomer of the Year honors for her performance during her first season of college basketball. She enters the RSC semifinals averaging 14.1 points per game, and has scored in double figures in 22 of Rio Grande's 29 games this season. Ellyson was also a leader for the RedStorm on the defensive end of the floor, as the Glenville, West Virginia native was often given the assignment to guard the opponent's best perimeter threat.

As selected by a vote of his peers, the 2026 RSC Coach of the Year is Rio Grande's David Smalley. The honor is the tenth of Smalley's career, a historic tenure that has featured more than 700 wins. The RedStorm enter play on Saturday with a 28-1 overall record and 19 consecutive wins. Smalley led the RedStorm to an unbeaten mark in conference play, and has Rio Grande two wins away from a historic fifth consecutive River States Tournament title.

The 2026 River States Conference Tournament continues Saturday with two semifinal games. Rio Grande will play host to IU Southeast at 2:00 p.m., with Brescia hosting Shawnee State at 3:00 p.m. central. The RSC championship game will be played Tuesday night at the home gym of the highest remaining divisional seed.