Montana State Northern Lights & Skylights Athletics

Barb Filipowicz VanderMars, a 1982 Northern graduate, is a Great Falls native. She was a team leader for the Great Falls Bison's back to back State Championships. The most highly recruited high school basketball player in the state, she was a key recruit for the fledgling Skylight's women's basketball program enabling it to immediately contend for the Frontier Conference Championships. The best rebounder in Skylight basketball history, she earned Honorable Mention All-American honors and still holds three rebounding records for most rebounds in a single season at 332 rebounds, most rebounds in a game at 22, and the highest rebounding average per game of 11.6. She is second in career rebounds with 859. The Skylight's won their first conference basketball title during her sophomore year. She averaged double figures in both scoring and rebounding for two consecutive seasons her freshman and sophomore years. She is considered the first building block in the development of the women's basketball program that has earned (11 conference championships in 12) years. VanderMars is living in Clancy, Montana, and is a claims adjuster for Cigna Worker's Compensation. She is involved in youth basketball and coaches her daughter's team.