By DONNY NADEAU
Saint Mary's University Sports Information Director
 
WINONA, Minn. — All season long, Alexa Huisman (Adrian, Minn.) and Brandi Blattner (Eyota, Minn.) proved to be a lethal 1-2 punch for the Saint Mary's University of Minnesota women's basketball team.
 
Whether it was Huisman raining in long range 3-pointers, or Blattner dominating in the paint, the pair prompted many sleepless nights for opposing coaches.
 
So it seems only fitting that when the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference handed out its post-season awards Wednesday, the Cardinal dynamic duo were front and center.
 
Huisman and Blattner were among the 18-players named to the All-MIAC First-Team, while Blattner was also selected to the MIAC's All-Defensive Team.
 
And the Cardinal twosome was not alone on the MIAC post-season podium, either, as freshman Abby Winter (Winona, Minn.) was among the five players selected to the MIAC All-First Year Team.
 
St. Thomas junior Hannah Spaulding was named the MIAC Player of the Year, while Jasmin Bretoi of Bethel earned the MIAC Sixth Player of the Year selection and Ava Gonsorowski of Gustavus took home Rookie of the Year honors. Saint Benedict's Mike Durbin, who guided the Blazers to a 16-2 record and second-place conference finish, was tabbed the MIAC Coach of the Year.
 
Huisman, who is making her first appearance on the All-MIAC First-Team, closed out a stellar collegiate career with her best season in a Cardinal uniform in 2017-18. The sharp-shooting guard started all 18 conference games for the Cardinals—who reached the MIAC Playoff semifinals for the sixth time in the last seven seasons—averaging 13.2 ppg in MIAC play, while knocking down 50 3-pointers, delivering 77 rebounds, and dishing out 24 assists.
 
Huisman, who started all 26 games for the Cardinals this season, scored 334 points (12.8 ppg), while draining 73 3-pointers, and adding 111 rebounds (4.3 rpg), 32 assists, and 26 steals—all career highs. Huisman scored a career-best 32 points—12 more than her previous career best—against Hamline on Jan. 20. Along with her 32 points, Huisman also hauled in a career-best 10 rebounds against the Pipers en route to the first double-double of her collegiate career.
 
Blattner is no stranger to the MIAC's post-season parade, earning First-Team All-MIAC honors for the third straight season—while making her first appearance on the MIAC All-Defensive Team.
 
Blattner was the team's offensive leader—both in conference and overall play. She finished third in the league in scoring, averaging 15.5 points-per-game, while her 10.2 rebounds-per-game average ranked No. 2 in the MIAC. The junior, who started all 18 conference contests, also delivered 27 assists, 23 steals, and 14 blocks.
 
Overall, Blattner joined Huisman in starting all 27 contests, posting teams highs in points (474 / 17.6 ppg), rebounds (270 / 10.0 rpg), steals (36), and blocked shots (19). Blattner, owner of 12 double-doubles this season, scored 10 or more points in 26 of the team's 27 games—eclipsing the 20-point barrier on 12 different occasions—while also recording 10 or more rebounds in a game 12 times this season.
 
Blattner, who became the 11^th player in program history to reach 1,000 points—and is just the fourth to record 1,000 career points and 700 career rebounds—scored a career-high 30 points in Saint Mary's win over Augsburg on Jan. 27, and recorded a career- and school-record 20 rebounds in in the Cardinals' 69-57 win over Macalester on Feb. 10.
 
Winter turned more than a few heads in her first year as a Cardinal, averaging 8.3 ppg and 4.6 rpg in 17 MIAC contests. The freshman post closed out her season starting 26 of the team's 27 games, compiling 195 points (7.5 ppg) and finishing second to Blattner with 135 rebounds (5.2 rpg). Winter scored a career-high 25 points in the Cardinals' loss to Bethel on Dec. 9, one of seven games in which she recorded 10 or more points, while recording a pair of games with 10 or more rebounds—pulling down 10 boards against Augsburg on Jan. 27 and posting a career-best 11-rebound performance in her collegiate-opener against Martin Luther on Nov. 15.
 
The MIAC also announced the 11th annual All-MIAC Sportsmanship team for women's basketball, which included Saint Mary's Isabel Bettag (Maple Park, Ill.).