Super senior Myah Selland relishes sixth year at South Dakota State
Dec. 9—BROOKINGS, S.D. — With 127 games played and counting in her sixth year of eligibility, Myah Selland has maximized her college basketball career in a way few college athletes get the opportunity to do.
"I'm just so grateful for the time I've been here, there's been a lot of ups and downs and just to have a sixth year, there's a lot of downs that went into that," said Selland, a forward and redshirt senior for the South Dakota State University women's basketball team.
"I'm grateful to have been here this long and it's been a lot of fun to be in this program. This being my last year, I'm probably looking around and appreciating some of the small things a little bit more and taking it all in."
Nine games into her senior season, the Letcher product Selland has played each game and played well, making good on the healthy feelings Selland said she had entering the year. She has averaged a team-best 15.2 points and 6.1 rebounds per game, including a season-high 25 points in a win over then-No. 10 Louisville in the Bahamas on Nov. 21.
Entering a Saturday game against Kansas State in Kansas City, Missouri, Selland has 1,739 points in her career, which currently ranks sixth in school history, standing nine points away from being in the top-5 among all-time Jackrabbits. If Selland is able to fully play out her senior season, she likely will move into No. 2 all-time in SDSU history, passing Shannon Schlagel's 1,887 points and leaving only former teammate Macy Miller's 2,355 points ahead of her.
Selland had back-to-back seasons in 2019-20 and 2020-21 conclude with season-ending injuries, and earned a medical hardship that allowed her to get another year of eligibility in a career that has included knee, foot and shoulder injuries. Like her fellow SDSU seniors Paiton Burckhard and Dru Gylten, she's getting an extra year of eligibility from the COVID-19 pandemic as well. Counting Gylten's time at the University of Utah, the three players have 378 games of collegiate experience.
Given that Selland played varsity basketball for six seasons at Sanborn Central/Woonsocket, making the state tournament five times, she's been a household name to South Dakota basketball fans for a decade now. That's an experience unique to few players but made possible when high school stars stay in state to play college basketball.
"Well for one, it makes me feel a little old," Selland joked. "It also speaks to the environment of women's basketball in the state of South Dakota. ... It's fun to have that relationship with the fans and their investment into us as people and a program doesn't go unnoticed. It's what makes SDSU so special."
Nevertheless, that comes with pressure, something that SDSU coach Aaron Johnston appreciates players like Selland for how they've handled the extra attention, something that can be difficult to do.
"I always say it's a lot of pressure for our local players to come here because there's such high expectations," Johnston said. "(Fans) know them and they were followed for a long time in high school and they know so much about them and their families. Local players just carry a little more of that weight with them because of that."
Away from the court, Selland has made good on her opportunities. A two-time academic All-American with a 3.98 grade-point average, she already has an undergraduate degree in exercise science from SDSU and is pursuing a second degree in community and public health.
This week, she was named a finalist for the John Wooden Citizenship Cup, which is presented by the Athletes for a Better World organization. The award, in its 18th year, is presented annually to athletes who best display character, teamwork and citizenship, the attributes Athletes for a Better World deems central to transforming individuals, sport and society.
For the past year, Selland and her teammate Tori Nelson have run the nonprofit organization Her Turn, which is designed to create equitable athletic opportunities for girls in the Brookings area. Recipients of a Her Turn scholarship are able to attend an SDSU athletic camp of their choice at no cost to their family, and the organization supported nine young athletes earlier this year at soccer, volleyball and basketball camps.
"It's really fulfilling," Selland said. "It's something that reminded us of when we were their age. You dream big, make friendships and build confidence. It was really cool to experience that through their eyes. We're both really passionate about to see what more we can do.
Nelson is a junior but both Jackrabbits are making plans to continue the organization past when their eligibility in Brookings is up, trying to build into a sustainable effort that could be run by student ambassadors.
"It's kind of our baby, we don't want to let it go," Selland said.
As for the future, Selland has eyes on playing professional basketball, which has led to very driven performances on the court, Johnston said.
"Right now, she's playing as well as I've ever seen her play. She's very hungry. Basketball is very important to her and she wants to have a great year this year, but certainly she has an interest in basketball after SDSU, too, so she's very motivated and driven and that rubs off on our team."
"That's something that excites me and depending on how the season goes and how I'm feeling health-wise," Selland said. "Wherever that is, it's something I'd like to do."
Selland said she's already done a lot of reflecting on her successes and the challenges, and said she's appreciative of the route she's had to take to be successful in Brookings.
"Those things were hard but it's kind of led us to where we're at today," she said. "There's a lot of things in my life that probably wouldn't have lined up if I wasn't in this position here today and being a Jackrabbit for six years."
