By CONOR NICHOLL

Hays Daily News

Sheena Kuntzsch, the best player for the Fort Hays State University women's basketball team, isn't the most talented or most athletic person in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association.

However, few have the work ethic and the constant drive. Those traits separate Kuntzsch from a talented MIAA pack and will likely earn her all-conference recognition from MIAA coaches in the next few weeks.

"Those intangibles that she has are invaluable," Missouri Southern coach Mary Ann Mitts said. "Every basketball coach wants that in a player and that is what I respect the most out of her. Because I have seen a lot of talented players not have the work ethic and the intangibles and they have underachieved, but she overachieves."

Kuntzsch is one of three seniors for the women's team who were to play their final home game of their careers Saturday night against Northwest Missouri State University. The Tigers (11-15, 5-12 MIAA) needed a victory and some help to earn the No. 8 seed at the MIAA conference tournament this week in Kansas City, Mo.

The Fort Hays trio, though, could all earn all-conference honors. Kuntzsch, who going into Saturday ranked among the MIAA leaders in points (13 per game), rebounds (6.6) and steals (47) is considered by multiple coaches a first- or second-team nominee. The coaches mailed in their ballots Thursday.

"(Tiger coach) Annette (Wiles) thinks that she is one of the top players and I really respect Annette," Northwest Missouri coach Gene Steinmeyer said. "She is definitely worthy of all-conference and whether she ends up first team or second team, I don't know. I think she will definitely end up in the top 10 somewhere."

Senior forward Brianna Willhite could also earn all-conference recognition. She paced the Tigers with 13.9 points a contest and shooting 49 percent from the field entering Saturday's game. One year after missing MIAA play because of a knee injury, Willhite has emerged as one of the top inside threats.

"I don't think (Sheena) is the only one on her team that deserves top 10 mention," Steinmeyer said. "I have the ultimate respect for Willhite. If she stays out of foul trouble, she is a handful. From a league that is absolutely loaded with post players, she is definitely one of the best post players."

Senior Meshia Mason, the Tigers' 5-3 point guard, is one of the best defensive players in the conference. She is tied for sixth with 2.12 steals per game and has contained several of the best perimeter players.

"If she does not make the all-defensive team, someone isn't watching," Steinmeyer said. "She is the best point defender -- that I am sure of."

Kuntzsch, though, leads the Tigers. Her energy and hustle have allowed the Scott City product to rebound over better and taller players and constantly get to loose balls and weakside rebounds. Offensively, she is multi-dimensional and can score in a variety of ways, including driving inside, shooting the mid-range jumper and 3-pointer.

"A lot of players in this league are really, really good at one aspect of the game offensively. I look at her and she does really well at several aspects," Steinmeyer said. "She is a very good shooter, she can handle the ball very well, she could play point guard if she gets called on. She can really put the ball on the floor and score.

"She can catch and shoot and shoot it off the dribble. She has just got a multiple of skills and that is what makes her so tough," he added.

The hustle, drive and talent have made Kuntzsch one of the most consistent players. She has scored in single figures just seven times in 17 conference games and has cleared 20 three times, including 25 against Truman State (Mo.) University on Jan. 9. Kuntzsch has three double-doubles against MIAA teams.

"You never want her to have big nights against you because that is what Fort Hays feeds off of," Mitts said. "Just watching her from a distance, she has to be an extremely intelligent player."

Kuntzsch certainly is. She was one of three MIAA players named to the ESPN Academic All-America team. She earned a 4.00 GPA in art and was picked to the third team. She was one of four student-athletes on the 15-member list who had a 4.00 GPA.

"I think she uses her head and her heart both," Mitts said.

Sports reporter Conor Nicholl can be reached at (785) 628-1081 Ext. 127, or at

cnicholl@dailynews.net.