CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa -- The coaches have selected the 2025-26 American Rivers Conference (A-R-C) Women's Basketball postseason award selections. These outstanding student-athletes have distinguished themselves throughout the conference regular season. 

Head coaches from the conference nominated and selected this year's all-conference team, recognizing the top performers. In addition to honoring the all-conference team, the announcement also recognizes Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, Rookie of the Year, and Coach of the Year. 

The A-R-C proudly announces today that Coe College's Caydee Kirkham has been selected as the women's basketball Player of the Year for the 2025-26 season. Luther College's Haylie Strum earned Defensive Player of the Year and Wartburg College's Katie Boulanger has been honored as Rookie of the Year. Wartburg head coach Bob Amsberry earned Coach of the Year. 

Kirkham led the A-R-C in scoring during the conference 16-game schedule, averaging 19.4 points per game, recording 311 total points. She went 120-of-238 (50.4%) from the field. The senior recorded the top three scoring performances during the conference regular season with 36 versus Nebraska Wesleyan, 31 versus University of Dubuque, and 31 versus Luther. Kirkham is earning her second player of the year as she previously earned the honor in 2024. Previous Kohawk player of the year honorees include head coach Kayla Waskow (2011-12) and Taylor Brunson (2024-25). 

Strum was a consistent presence on the defensive end throughout the season. She led the league with 39 total steals, averaging 2.4 steals per game, during 16 conference contests. Additionally, Strum ranked seventh in the league for blocked shots with 20 total, averaging 1.3 blocks per game. The junior ranked third in the league for assists, averaging 3.8 per game. In addition to her defensive player of the year honor, Strum is being honored on first-team all-conference. Strum joins Laura Hamilton (2017-18, 2018-19, 2019-20) as the second Norse to earn defensive player of the year honors. 

Boulanger of Wartburg is picking up the league's rookie of the year honor. In her freshman campaign, she ranked second in the league for scoring per game, averaging 18.2 points per game. Boulanger shot 49.5% from the field during the conference regular season, to rank seventh in the league. She led the league in three-point percentage going 36-of-76 (47.4%). Additionally, she ranked second in the league for free throw percentage, going 40-of-45 (88.9%) from the line. Boulanger earned first-team all-conference honors in addition to her rookie of the year honor. 

In Amsberry's 20th season at the helm of the Knights women's basketball program, he has guided Wartburg to seven of the program's conference titles. Amsberry and assistants Kelley Jacobs and Justin Little led the Knights to a 15-1 conference season with a young squad. The Wartburg Knights were crowned conference champions for the 13th time in program history (1989-90, 1991-92, 2000-01, 2001-02, 2002-03, 2016-17, 2017-18, 2018-19, 2019-20, 2022-23, 2023-24, 2024-25, 2025-26). 

2025-26 All-American Rivers Conference Women's Basketball Team
Player of the Year - Caydee Kirkham, Coe College
Defensive Player of the Year - Haylie Strum, Luther College
Rookie of the Year - Katie Boulanger, Wartburg College
Coach of the Year - Bob Amsberry, Wartburg College
Player of the Year	School	Year	Pos.	Hometown/High School
Caydee Kirkham	Coe College	Sr.	G	Carthage, Ill./Illini West
Defensive Player of the Year
Haylie Strum	Luther College	Jr.	G	Stewartville, Minn./Stewartville
Rookie of the Year
Katie Boulanger	Wartburg College	Fr.	G	New Prague, Minn./New Prague
First Team	School	Year	Pos.	Hometown/High School
Bradi Krager	Buena Vista University	So.	G	Peterson, Iowa/Sioux Central
Audrie Helmrichs	Coe College	So.	G	Greeley, Iowa/Edgewood-Colesburg
Claire Wagner	Loras College	Sr.	F	Westchester, Ill./IC Catholic Prep
Natalie Beaver	Luther College	So.	F	Hayfield, Minn./Hayfield
Haylie Strum	Luther College	Jr.	G	Stewartville, Minn./Stewartville
Maddax DeVault	Simpson College	Sr.	G	Greenfield, Iowa/Nodaway Valley
Katie Boulanger	Wartburg College	Fr.	G	New Prague, Minn./New Prague
Grace Hennessy	Wartburg College	Jr.	G	Denver, Iowa/Denver
Second Team	School	Year	Pos.	Hometown/High School
Mary Walker	Buena Vista University	Jr.	G	Fonda, Iowa/Newell-Fonda
Adeeya Yanga	Buena Vista University	Fr.	F	Storm Lake, Iowa/Storm Lake
Emily Naughton	Central College	Jr.	G	Indianola, Iowa/Indianola
Taryn Kravig	Coe College	Jr.	G	Greeley, Colo./University
Christina Simonetti	University of Dubuque	Sr.	F	Chicago, Ill./Resurrection
Ella Anderson	Simpson College	So.	F	Olathe, Kan./Olathe South
Lauren Golinghorst	Wartburg College	Jr.	F	Eldridge, Iowa/North Scott
Corrie Harrison	Wartburg College	Jr.	F	Rancho Cordova, Calif./Cordova
Honorable Mention	School	Year	Pos.	Hometown/High School
Tyme Boettcher	Buena Vista University	So.	G	Panora, Iowa/Panorama
Maddie Backer	Central College	Fr.	G	New Ulm, Minn./New Ulm
CeCe Moore	Central College	Jr.	F	Waterloo, Iowa/West
Ashtyn Kelderman	Loras College	So.	G	Boyden, Iowa/Boyden-Hull
Carney Black	Nebraska Wesleyan University	Sr.	F	Tilden, Neb./Elkhorn Valley
Maddie Demke	Nebraska Wesleyan University	So.	G	Sioux City, Iowa/Bishop Heelan Catholic
Anastyn Pettlon	Nebraska Wesleyan University	So.	G	Maryville, Mo./Maryville
Taylor Hansen	Simpson College	So.	G/F	Omaha, Neb./Millard West
Keira McCormick	Simpson College	Fr.	C	Harpers Ferry, Iowa/Waukon
Elle Street	Simpson College	Sr.	G	Ankeny, Iowa/Ankeny Centennial

NOTE: The Player of the Year shall have standing as an All-Conference player but is not a member of the first or second team. 
NOTE: The Defensive Player of the Year and Rookie of the Year are not honored as All-Conference unless selected to the first or second team by the coaches. 

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