FEATURE: Senior Mya Hiram Thrives in Team-First Role as Ferris State Eyes NCAA Tournament Run

By Sandy Gholston

BIG RAPIDS, Mich. – As Ferris State prepares for another NCAA Tournament appearance, senior post player Mya Hiram is savoring every moment with a senior class that has helped shape one of the most successful stretches in program history.

Hiram, a 6-foot post player for the Bulldogs, and her fellow seniors were all smiles Feb. 21 as Ferris State celebrated Senior Day with an 80-68 win over Northern Michigan in a matchup of nationally ranked teams — a victory that helped set the stage for a strong finish to the regular season and a run to the GLIAC Tournament championship game on March 8.

No. 16 Ferris State, 26-6, begins NCAA Division II Tournament play on Friday, March 13 in Allendale.

This year's Senior Day held a special meaning for Hiram. The circumstances were far bigger than her individual career experience. On Feb. 21, Kadyn Blanchard, Elle Irwin, Mia Riley, Emma Schierbeek and Ally Shultz joined Hiram in the Senior Day ceremony following the Bulldogs' win over the Wildcats.

For Hiram, 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," said Hiram, who gave up her normal starting position to Schultz with the Bulldogs recognizing six seniors that day. "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."

That confidence is well-founded for the Bulldogs, who are enjoying the ride as the No. 2 seed in the upcoming Midwest Region of the NCAA Division II Tournament.

"I'm just having so much fun with the girls, and I'm very pleased with the way that we're playing," said Hiram, the Onsted native, who is having one of the best seasons of her career, averaging 11.9 points and 6.5 rebounds per game while shooting 50 percent from the floor in 28 contests.. "I feel like we're consistently getting better and better every game."

Another historic moment came Jan. 26 during a 90-59 home win over Lake Superior State.

Three members of that Bulldog senior class – Hiram, Blanchard and Riley – shared another moment they will never forget, Jan. 26 in a 90-59 home win over LSSU. During that game, Blanchard became Ferris State's all-time scoring leader, while Riley and Hiram each surpassed the 1,000-point career milestone.

"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 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."

The bigger picture matters for Hiram, who added, "Nothing makes me prouder than seeing these girls be successful and having our team be successful."

As for herself, Hiram sees her achievements as team-built.

"I would say my teammates make me look good," said Hiram, who bounced back from a knee injury that sidelined her for the entire 2022-23 season. "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 player who quickly comes to mind is former Bulldog standout Chloe Idoni, who totaled more than 1,600 points and nearly 700 rebounds during her career.

"She would beat my butt in practice every single day," Hiram recalled of Idoni, one of the leaders on the Bulldog team that finished 26-6, won the 2024 NCAA Division II Midwest Region title, advanced to the Elite Eight and reached the Final Four—firsts in program history.

Hiram added, "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 "Big Money," and head coach Kurt Westendorp appreciates her steady 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," he said.

This Bulldog senior has a team-first mindset. That reliability is Hiram playing her role within the team.

"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.

Westendorp has witnessed a particular jump during her senior season.

"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," he said. "She's rebounding extremely well."

Westendorp added, "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 look ahead to 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.

Hiram, who scored 18 points in the GLIAC Tournament championship game loss to No. 2 Grand Valley State, is ready for the Bulldogs to begin NCAA Division II Tournament play.

Hiram is coming off a strong GLIAC Tournament performance that included 22 points in the Bulldogs' 82-74 quarterfinal win over Parkside and 18 points in the championship game against No. 2 Grand Valley State.

Ferris State will face Missouri-St. Louis at 2:30 p.m. Friday in Allendale on the campus of Grand Valley State, with Hiram and the Bulldogs hoping to extend a season — and a senior class journey — that has already become one of the most memorable in program history.