Colony multisport athlete to continue her hoops career

PALMER — As a multisport athlete at Colony High School, Saige Stefanski always had a hard time choosing a favorite sport. She had success on the court as a member of the Knights girls’ basketball team and stood out on the diamond with the Colony softball squad.

But Stefanski has made a choice, and now the 2012 Colony High graduate is ready for the next stage of her career. Stefanski has signed a National Letter of Intent to play college basketball at Walla Walla Community College in Walla Walla, Wash.

“Up until this year whenever someone asked, I’ve never been able to say which one,” Stefanski recently said of her favorite sport. “I figured I put the most time and effort into basketball. It’s always been such a big part of my life.”

Stefanski was also a big part of the success of a Colony program that earned a Northern Lights Conference title during her junior year. She helped Colony finished third in the NLC and advance to the state tournament as a senior.

Stefanski has helped the Colony softball squad continue to be the team to beat in the Mat-Su Valley, but ultimately she committed to basketball. But there is still a chance she could see time as a college softball athlete.

“I didn’t want to commit to softball because I wasn’t sure how I’d be able to both,” she said.

Stefanski said she has talked to the Walla Walla softball coach and can walk onto the softball team if she decides to compete in a second college sport.

Walla Walla was one of a number of options for Stefanski, who also considered junior colleges such as Clark, Blue Mountain and Peninsula College in the Pacific Northwest. A handful of four-year schools had interest in Stefanski as well, she said.

“I thought (Walla Walla) was a good fit for me,” Stefanski said. “I liked the school. A big part of it, I have friends and family down there.”

Stefanski, a 5-foot-9 forward, could play realistically play a power forward or small forward position for the Warriors, a squad that won the NWAACC title during the 2009-10 season, and finished 23-7 overall 11-3 in league play last year.

“The plan for me is to play (power forward) and possibly move me out,” Stefanski said.

Stefanski, who excelled as a scorer and rebounder inside for the Knights, said she plans on to continue to work on her outside shot.

Stefanski plans to study physical therapy and sports medicine.

Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com.