A Wildcat legend
Ellen Hansen first player to win 100 games
March 5, 2014
Ellen Hansen is a winner. A big-time one, as in a record-setting winner.
The Wayne State women’s basketball team has enjoyed tremendous success throughout recent years. Hansen has been a huge contributor to that success.
During her four years of eligibility, Hansen has become the first woman in Wildcat history to rack up 100 total career wins.
This isn’t the first time Hansen has enjoyed success on the court, however.
Before arriving in Wayne, America, Hansen attended a school notoriously known for basketball, Ames High School in Iowa.
Why is it notorious? She attended and graduated in the same class as Harrison Barnes, who is the starting small forward for the Golden State Warriors. Also on the team was Creighton standout and front-runner for the 2013-2014 Player of the Year award, Doug McDermott.
Hansen attended school with Barnes since the fourth grade and McDermott since freshman year of high school, when his dad Greg took the head coaching job at Iowa State University.
“Both of them are super smart, kind, and extremely humble,” Hansen said. “A story about Harrison–we played for the same AAU (club basketball) team, and in seventh grade our girls’ team played the boys’ team and we beat them. So I’ve beaten Harrison in basketball.”
Moral of the story, all Hansen does is win. Being the first player to tally up 100 wins is an unprecedented feat at WSC.
“I know this sounds cliché, but I would not have achieved 100 wins in my career if it wasn’t for my team. There are a few games this year that we’ve won but we could’ve lost. We’ve stuck together all year and that’s what makes us a good team,” she said.
Hansen missed only one game throughout her entire career as a Wildcat, due to illness. She said that she rarely looks at her own stats, but every year she has consistently averaged almost as many rebounds a game as points. She is a coach’s dream, and the Wildcats’ success has reflected on it.
“It’s hard to win 20 games in a season, especially in our conference. A lot of programs consider that a huge milestone, but our program knows we can win 20-plus games every season and we strive to do so,” Hansen said. “I’ve loved every team I’ve been a part of my four years here, but this year is even more special because it’s my senior year and we are all extremely close.”
Although the Wildcats just lost in the second round of the conference tournament, they are determined, Hansen said, now more than ever to prove that they are one of the most dominant teams in the nation.
The plan is to win the regionals and win a championship, which is by no means out of the question.