By Jackie DeMolee, UND Athletic Media Relations

GRAND FORKS, N.D. -- Kayla Bagaason (Jr., Clearbrook, Minn.) has basketball flowing through her veins. The basketball influence was always strong while growing up. Both of Bagaason’s parents played basketball and there are home videos of her playing basketball at a young age.

“The Bagaason family is pretty sports oriented," she said. "There are videos from when I was dribbling a basketball at the age of five."

Bagaason never stopped playing. She played for a St. Cloud team when she was 10 years-old in the Amateur Athletic Union and continued her career into high school playing for Fosston High School.

Last year Bagaason received a medical hardship during the season for a torn ACL. This wasn’t the first time she had sustained the injury. During her senior year she was off the court for some time for surgery on her ACL.

“The injury made me try to stay positive because you don’t know if you’re going to play the next game. If we’re running (in practice), I’m happy to be running,” she said. “I learned more sitting on the sidelines last year.”

Bagaason said that she could have thrown the towel in, but instead she let the injury make her stronger. “If I can get through two surgeries, I can get through anything,” she said.

Season expectations

Bagaason’s outlook on the upcoming season is positive even though she is expects a lot of travel and tough competition during the DI transition.

“We know the teams we’re playing,” she said. “I don’t think we’re behind in strength or ability compared to those DI teams.”

The DI transition brings some exciting things for Bagaason to look forward to. There are a few courts that she’s seen on TV that she’s excited to play on, and the game in Flagstaff, Ariz., will bring her family together around Thanksgiving.

Over the past three years, Bagaason has been able to mold her leadership. This year she feels like a more integral part of the team. “As a freshman, you don’t really know your role on the team, but this year I feel more important. Like all upperclassmen, we view ourselves as leaders. I’m very vocal on the court,” she said.

This season Bagaason is excited to end their season at home. “The fans can really come out and support us,” she said. “It’s always good to end things at home on a high note.”

Due to Bagaason’s medical hardship last year, she has one year of eligibility after this season. She plans to continue to pursue her degree in marketing this year. She looks forward to doing something in sports management after graduation and will be looking for an internship this summer.

Bagaason and the Sioux start the regular season at home this Friday against Eastern Michigan, the first in a number of tough Division I teams this year.