Blog

Jul 29, 2023

Saco's Teagan Erickson excited to play at Montana State

Saco-Whitewater-Hinsdale's Teagan Erickson dribbles during the State C title game against Twin Bridges at First Interstate Arena in Billings on Saturday, March 11. BOZEMAN — If the Montana State

Saco-Whitewater-Hinsdale's Teagan Erickson dribbles during the State C title game against Twin Bridges at First Interstate Arena in Billings on Saturday, March 11.

BOZEMAN — If the Montana State women’s basketball team has ever rostered a player from Saco, it’s difficult to find any online record of one.

That means there’s a good chance Teagan Erickson will be the first girl from Saco to become a Bobcat. Yet there are some residents of the 159-person town who don’t know she committed to MSU in December, according to her mother and coach Amber Erickson. Teagan only told a handful of people and didn’t post about her commitment on social media when she made her decision eight-plus months ago.

“My kid’s very humble and she doesn't like a lot of attention,” Amber told 406mtsports.com.

Teagan was also focused on other important basketball things at the time. She and Saco-Whitewater-Hinsdale had just begun a season that ended with a Class C state title.

Saco-Whitewater-Hinsdale's Teagan Erickson shoots against Twin Bridges Falcons in the Class C state title game at First Interstate Arena in Billings on Saturday, March 11.

Teagan will bring her winning ways to a program that has won several Big Sky Conference championships in Tricia Binford’s tenure as head coach. It’s no wonder why MSU extended a full-ride scholarship and why she accepted it a year before most high school athletes commit to colleges.

“I'm from a really small town, so I've always wanted to stay in state for college,” Teagan said. “After my unofficial visit, I just felt like it was the right place for me.”

Teagan won’t be able to control the amount of attention she receives if she keeps performing at the all-state level she reached last season. She is 6-foot-2, but isn’t a back-to-the basket post player. She’s a wing with a center’s frame.

“She can shoot the 3. She has a good pull-up jumper. She can get to the hole well. She's a great rebounder, pretty solid defender and rim protector,” Amber said. “She's one of those players on the floor that is not about points. She's a team-first kid and she's our best passer.”

Teagan led Saco-Whitewater-Hinsdale with 3.6 assists per game last season, along with about 15 points and seven rebounds per game on 52% shooting from the field and 72% from the free-throw line, Amber said. She’s attempted slam dunks in games and converted some in practice, per Amber. She also stars on the volleyball court and in track and field jumping events.

While it’s easy to see why the Cats wanted Teagan, her commitment wasn’t a foregone conclusion before her Bozeman visit. The Erickson family has no MSU ties, Amber was a Montana Grizzlies fan growing up and UM also offered Teagan (as did some Frontier Conference programs). MSU was simply the best fit.

“I really enjoyed the coaching staff. They were super welcoming during my visit. Coach Bin, she's definitely someone that I feel like I would thrive playing under,” Teagan said. “The players were super welcoming as well, which gave it a family atmosphere. Bozeman has a great fan base, and it just felt like a home away from home.”

Saco-Whitewater-Hinsdale's Teagan Erickson hugs mother and head coach Amber Erickson after winning the State C championship at First Interstate Arena in Billings on Saturday, March 11.

Teagan is one of three known players who have committed to the Cats during the 2024 recruiting cycle. The others are Camas (Washington) High School’s Addison Harris and Roberts’ Taylee Chirrick, who is teammates with Teagan on the Northwest Blazers AAU team.

“She's like the epitome of the best teammate and person ever, so I'm super stoked to play with her,” Teagan said of Chirrick.

It won’t take long for everyone in Saco to know Teagan is an MSU commit. If all goes according to plan, she’ll be a household name across the Treasure State in the not-so-distant future.

“I'm hoping that when she does her signing, we can do a big celebration,” Amber said. “She's not big on that stuff, so it's kind of hard to get her to do that. But it is special and it's unique and it doesn't happen very often, especially when you come from a Class C school the size that we are.”

Email Victor Flores at [email protected] and follow him on Twitter at @VictorFlores406

Get local news delivered to your inbox!

Chirrick turned down offers from bigger schools because MSU was "the perfect fit."

Over 475 Montanans in the Class of 2023 have committed to or signed with college athletic programs.

“It was a great opportunity for me to represent my school. It was a lot of fun and I was super excited when I got the invitation.”

Check back for Montana high school girls basketball state and conference honors teams as they are submitted.

The final four teams are competing for the three trophies at the Class C girls tournament in Billings.