March 12, 2026

Ferris State women’s basketball senior Mya Hiram values ‘team first’ mindset as Bulldogs vie for NCAA Tournament title

While Ferris State women’s basketball prepares for a familiar run in the NCAA Division II Tournament, Mya Hiram is savoring each moment with her senior class teammates that have shaped one of the most successful stretches in program history.

Hiram, a 6-foot post player from Onsted, helped the Bulldogs cap off the regular season with a 24-5 record – with the team nearly finishing perfect in February with eight wins and one loss. The red-hot streak helped set the stage for a run to the GLIAC Tournament championship game on March 8, as the clash against No. 2 Grand Valley State University saw Hiram drop 18 points in the loss against the Lakers.

Now 26-6 and ranked No. 16 in the country, Ferris States begins NCAA DII Tournament play on Friday, March 13.

Hiram reflected on one of the more meaningful moments of the season for her, Senior Day on Feb. 21.

The circumstances were bigger than her individual career experience. Hiram, Kadyn Blanchard, Elle Irwin, Mia Riley, Emma Schierbeek and Ally Shultz were recognized during the ceremony that was paired with a top 25 matchup win against Northern Michigan University.

Hiram said the shared experiences with this senior class mean as much as the wins.

"It's so special what we've been through together. It's something we talk about all the time," Hiram said. "It's all going so fast right now, but it doesn't feel like time is short because I'm confident in our ability to make a postseason run."

The Bulldogs are the No. 2 seed in the Midwest Regional bracket of the NCAA Tournament.

"I'm just having so much fun with the girls, and I'm very pleased with the way that we're playing," Hiram said. "I feel like we're consistently getting better and better every game."

Hiram attributes the success to her teammates, but her average 11.9 points and 6.5 rebounds per game with a 50% field goal clip reflect her contributions, especially after a knee injury that sidelined her for the entire 2022-23 season.

This output helped lead to another historic moment on Jan. 26 during a 90-59 home win over Lake Superior State University.

During the contest, Hiram and Riley each surpassed the 1,000-point career milestone, as Blanchard became Ferris State's all-time scoring leader.

"I say it all the time — I love celebrating these girls," Hiram said. "It was awesome seeing Mia hit that 1,000-point milestone, seeing Kadyn become the all-time leading scorer. I (also) love seeing Emma playing well as a starter. Elle has been a starter and has gotten great recognition for her defense that she deserves. Ally has been such a consistent threat for us.

“Nothing makes me prouder than seeing these girls be successful and having our team be successful. … We have great guards who do an outstanding job delivering the ball to the posts and making sure it gets where it needs to be for us to succeed," Hiram said.

As for any personal success, Hiram credits her fellow Bulldogs.

"I would say my teammates make me look good," Hiram said. "They really do the work. They get me the ball in spots where I can be successful. I've learned a lot from players I've played with over the years."

One is standout Chloe Idoni, who totaled more than 1,600 points and nearly 700 rebounds during her career. Idoni was also part of the 2024 Bulldog team that finished 26-6, won the 2024 NCAA DII Midwest Region title, earned an Elite Eight berth, and reached the Final Four— all firsts in program history.

"She would beat my butt in practice every single day," Hiram said. “Going against her every day in practice taught me how to translate the work we put in during practice to the court in games. It also taught me a lot about leadership within our 'Big Money' group. That's the name we, as post players, use for ourselves."

Hiram has become a prominent and steady member of the team’s self-attributed "Big Money" squad, and head coach Kurt Westendorp appreciates her contributions.

"Mya has done an excellent job of being a student of the game, continuing to build her work ethic, getting herself in great shape for this season, and becoming someone who we can really rely on at both ends of the court," Westendorp said. “You know, she's always been growing as a player, but I feel like this season, in particular, she's done a great job on the defensive end of the court. She's rebounding extremely well.

“Offensively, she has always been a great player, but she's really coming into her own and being that player that we can count on to throw it to on the block, and we can go get 15, 20 points out of her.”

Off the basketball court, Hiram has been just as accomplished. She graduated cum laude with an Associate of Applied Science in Dental Hygiene in May 2025 and earned her Bachelor of Science in Allied Health Science, also cum laude, following the Summer 2025 semester.

As the Bulldogs press on in postseason competition, Hiram isn't focused on personal milestones or individual accolades. She has locked her attention on extending the journey — more practices, more games, and more time to stay together as a Bulldog basketball family.

Ferris State will face the University of Missouri-St. Louis on Friday, March 13, at 2:30 p.m. Friday in Allendale at the GVSU Fieldhouse.