Bree Salenbien named Division 4 Player of Year
It was clear from the moment Bree Salenbien played her first high school basketball game that she was a phenom in the making.
Now, the question is where Salenbien will rank among the state’s all-time great players when she graduates.
As of now, the Adrian Lenawee Christian star’s legacy is still being cemented, and the 6-foot-3 junior can now add another accolade to her resume. Salenbien was voted The Associated Press Player of the Year for Division 4 in girls basketball by a panel of Michigan sports writers. It was her third straight POY award, which is a rare accomplishment, although New Haven star Romeo Weems also pulled that off from 2017-19.
Salenbien added to her collection of awards after another season in which the star forward help lead Lenawee Christian to the top of the state rankings in Division 4.
Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart coach Damon Brown received an honorable mention nod for leading his team to league and district titles along with a 21-3 record.
SHA players Deanna Scully and Madison Munley were also named honorable mention along with Breckenridge’s Summer Smith and Vestaburg’s Jenna Dove.
Salenbien averaged 20.5 points, 10.5 rebounds, 4.1 assists, 3.3 blocks and 3.0 steals a game this season against one of the toughest schedules in the state of Michigan, including matchups against Detroit Edison, Hartland, Michigan Center and Fowler.
The highly touted Division I prospect guided the Cougars to back-to-back Division 4 state ti
tles in 2018 and 2019 and was poised to have them in the running again this season before a season-ending knee injury in the final regular-season game.
Despite the injury, Salenbien, rated a 4-star recruit by ESPN, remains one of the most coveted prospects in the country for 2021.
Salenbien was joined on the All-State first team by her sister and LCS senior Dani Salenbien for the second-consecutive year, along with Saginaw Arts & Sciences senior Amaka Unobagha, Martin senior Faith Guritz, Waterford Our Lady of the Lakes junior Brooklyn Robak, Fowler sophomore Mia Riley, St. Ignace junior Hallie Marshall, Ewen-Trout Creek junior Elise Besonen, Forest Park senior Mercedes Simmons, Leland junior Olivia Lowe, Fruitport Calvary Christian senior Kelsey Richards and St. Joseph Michigan Lutheran senior Mara Rugen.
Ubly’s Joel Leipprandt was voted Coach of the Year after leading the team to a
23-1 record, its first league title since 2005 and its first district championship since 2008.
Division 4 All State
The 2020Associated Press Division 4girl’s basketball All-State team as selected by a panel of 10 Michigan sportswriters.
PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Bree Salenbien, Adrian Lenawee Christian, Jr.
FIRST-TEAM ALL-STATE
Bree Salenbien, Adrian Lenawee Christian, Jr.
Dani Salenbien, Adrian Lenawee Christian, Sr.
Amaka Unobagha, Saginaw Arts & Sciences, Sr.
Faith Guritz, Martin, Sr.
Brooklyn Robak, Waterford Our Lady of the Lakes, Jr.
Mia Riley, Fowler, So.
Hallie Marshall, St. Ignace, Jr. Elise Besonen, Ewen-Trout Creek, Jr.
Mercedes Simmons, Forest Park, Sr.
Olivia Lowe, Leland, Jr.
Kelsey Richards, Fruitport Calvary Christian, Sr.
Mara Rugen, St. Joseph Michigan Lutheran, Sr.
COACH OF THE YEAR
Joel Leipprandt, Ubly
SECOND-TEAM ALL-STATE
Ally Schultz, St. Ignace, So. Sophia Vaughn, Engadine, Sr. Megan Mattson, Munising, Sr. Tessa Wagner, Carney-Nadeau,
So.
Paige Kohler, Suttons Bay, Sr.
HONORABLE MENTION
Katelyn Sweeney, Ubly; Josie Gusa, Ubly; Katelyn Pnacek, Coleman; Ava Boike, Genesee Christian; Dakota Sigler, Camden-Frontier; Morgan Messenger, Bellevue; Makenna Banbury, Hillsdale Academy; Quinn Robak, Waterford Our Lady of the Lakes; Ti’Syn Callahan, Southfield Christian; Samantha Bissett, Peck; Addison Williams, Deckerville; Emma Riley, Fowler; Briana Smith, North Dickinson; Emmalee Hart, St. Ignace; Sandra Boulton, Carney-Nadeau; Kennedy Englund, Mid-Peninsula; Libby Derrer, Bellaire; Jacey Somers, Bellaire; Madison Smith, Mackinaw City; Kinzie Jeffers, Gaylord St. Mary; Colleen McCarthy, Onekama; Megan Grusczyski, Gaylord St. Mary; Shamya Reid, Redford Westfield; Madison Looby, Saginaw Nouvel; Makaiya Thomas, Saginaw Arts & Sciences; Hannah James, Kingston; Delaney Scully, Mt. Pleasant Sacred Heart Academy; Madison Munley, Mt. Pleasant Sacred Heart Academy; Jenna Dove, Vestaburg; Summer Smith, Breckenridge; Lydia Meredith, Portland St. Pats; Mia Judd, Lansing Christian; Katelyn Bontrager, Lansing Christian; Gracie Nowak, Morrice.
Coach of the Year
Damon Brown, Mt. Pleasant Sacred Heart Academy
Jamie Salenbien, Adrian Lenawee Christian
Brad Fisher, Bellaire