HELENA — Carroll College women’s basketball added to its transfer recruiting class in recent weeks, doubling in size to four with the signings of guards McKenzie Allen and Kennedi Niemann.

Allen, from Utah State University Eastern, and Pima Community College’s Niemann join former Helena High Bengals point guard and Portland State transfer Avery Kraft as well as Maddy Moy, an intra-conference addition from Montana Western.

Moy will sit out the upcoming season due to conference transfer rules, but Carroll’s other three transfers are eligible immediately.

High schoolers Jillian Kanduch (Miles City), Mallory Tommerup (Plentywood), and Kelly Howard (Canyon High School; Snow, Utah) comprise the Saints’ current 2025 class.

“I like how we play fast, we push the ball,” Allen said. “Whoever has the ball pushes it, gets it up the court. Defense first, but hard defense makes easy offense.”

Allen played in 29 junior-college contests last season, starting 27. The 5-foot-9 combo guard averaged 8.1 points and four rebounds in addition to doling 49 assists (54 turnovers) and amassing 57 steals.

A point guard at Grantsville High School, where she broke the program’s career 3-point record and scored north of 1,000 points, Allen transitioned into a two-guard role at USU Eastern.

She knocked down 48 collegiate 3-pointers last season at a 30.4% clip.

“I’m a very aggressive player,” Allen said. “I love defense first. My defense is my strongest strength right now. I really love that my defense starts my offense.”

Allen played for a Utah 3A state championship as a senior, her team advancing into the quarterfinals four straight years. Allen was the 3A Player of the Year in 2022 and her collegiate region’s MVP this past season.

She also won two high school state softball championships.

“I’m very competitive, so my drive just comes naturally,” Allen said. “I wanna win, I wanna push to be the best…When I focus on one sport, I go all out and leave it all on the court.”

Allen retains two seasons of eligibility as she seeks a future career in the athletic training field.

Allen was junior-college teammates with Hadley Humphreys and Olivia Nielson two seasons ago, both players committing to Frontier Conference rival Montana Tech ahead of the 2024-25 campaign.

Allen’s USU Eastern head coach, Chelsey Warburton, scored 1,108 career points at Weber State during Rachelle Sayers’ assistant coaching tenure, relationships built that resurface in recruiting.

Niemann, a 5-foot-8 guard with three seasons of eligibility, played for a Billings AAU travel team coached by Brett Morehouse the summer before her senior high school season.

A Cody, Wyoming native, Niemann was recruited early by Frontier schools, but ultimately decided to join her younger twin, Reece, at Pima CC. A three-sport All-State selection in high school (basketball, volleyball, soccer), Niemann won a Wyoming 4A title as a senior, leading her team to a sterling 25-0 record.

Niemann played in the Montana-Wyoming All-Star Basketball Series before helping Pima CC to back-to-back National Junior College Athletic Association Divisional II National Tournament appearances.

“I just wanted to play at a competitive level, in a competitive conference,” Niemann said. “Play at a school that fits my style and pace. I think that’s what Carroll offered.”

Niemann started 34 games following a shortened 2023-24 campaign due to injury. She averaged 9.3 points, 3.2 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and 1.5 steals on a run to the junior-college national championship game.

“That’s kinda what [Rachelle] was looking for: somebody with prior college experience to come in and make an immediate impact,” Niemann said.

“Someone who can score offensively. I think that’s one of things that she saw in me from my national tournament at the junior-college [level], that I was able to score at a tournament like that.”

Niemann started four high school seasons at point guard, moving to shooting guard this past season. Like Allen, she possesses skills to run a collegiate offense, giving the Saints three natural point guards in this recruiting class (Kraft) following the graduation of guards Addi Ekstrom and Kyndall Keller.

Niemann was a three-time All-State selection for Cody and a two-time defensive player of the year. As a collegiate sophomore, Niemann shot 36.2% from the field and 29.7% from 3-point distance.

“Just being able to read the ball and quickness,” Niemann said of her defensive prowess. “That’s something I’ve always grown up with: my quickness…

“Learning how to use it to your benefit and not overpowering on the defensive end. I think that’s one of my higher skills – being able to play defense.”

Niemann is pursuing an education in sports marketing, Carroll offering the opportunity for internships and on-the-job experience through its own sports information and marketing department.

“I’m really excited for the balance between playing on a good basketball as well as getting a really good education at Carroll,” Niemann said.

Carroll women’s basketball won 19 games last season, its first time since 2016-17 failing to eclipse 20 victories. The Saints, as a No. 3 seed, fell to Providence in the Frontier Tournament semifinals before losing to Wayland Baptist in the NAIA National Tournament first round.

Three starters (Willa Albrecht, Meagan Karstetter, Isabelle Erickson) are expected back.

Role player and Helena High graduate Alex Bullock, who averaged 2.3 points and 2.7 rebounds in 31 games played last season, announced her transfer to Southern Oregon Tuesday following two seasons at Carroll.