A junior forward on the Johnson State College (JSC) women’s basketball team, Kasey DeGreenia was awarded Student-Athlete of the Week for her excellent play in the first week of February.

In three games since the month began, DeGreenia has averaged 12.6 points and 6.3 rebounds per game. She was a key component of the Badgers’ Feb. 10 win over Colby-Sawyer College to keep them in playoff contention. Her stat line was 15 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 assists in the crucial win over the Chargers.

DeGreenia, who came to JSC from Concord, Vermont, began her basketball career in second grade after being noticed by her sister’s coaches. “My older sister would take me to her practices and I was a lot taller than some of the other kids, so they got me playing pretty early,” she said.

As DeGreenia got older she started playing for Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) teams, and for Concord High School. It was at the AAU level that JSC first observed her talent on the court. “Greg Eckman, the coach, was refereeing an AAU game that I was playing in as a sophomore on an 18 [year old] and under team. He thought I was older than I was, so he sought me out,” DeGreenia said.

DeGreenia and Eckman stayed in touch after that meeting, including Eckman sending two of his players to Concord to watch the game in which she scored her 1,000th career point during her junior year of high school. A year later, she committed to playing for him at JSC.

When asked what attracted her to JSC, DeGreenia spoke highly of the family environment on the basketball team, and the close-knit college community. “You walk through campus and you know you’ve heard of or seen the person before,” she said.

Perhaps the nurturing atmosphere drew her to JSC because of how important her support system has been to her athletic career. “My parents are a big reason why I do so well,” said DeGreenia. “My mom comes to literally every game.”

DeGreenia also gladly credits her teammates for her success. In reference to her recent accolades, she said, “It’s a great accomplishment, but at the same time, I thank my team for that. I definitely didn’t do it alone.”

Playing the position of forward, DeGreenia tries to sculpt her game in the mold of Breanna Stewart, the star forward of the University of Connecticut women’s basketball team. She also loves to watch Golden State Warriors’ guard, Steph Curry, who is arguably the best player in the world right now.

As the regular season winds down, the Badgers have their sights set on a playoff berth. If they can carry over their momentum from the CSC win and finish strong, they will achieve a bid in the six team postseason tournament. “I think we’re gonna end on a high note,” said DeGreenia.