June 7, 2017 at 1:33 p.m.
Kostrova heading to UW-Superior
Kostrova heading to UW-Superior
So Kostrova did what she's always done, she outworked time.
The fruits of that labor were reaped following her senior season as she was recruited to play women's college basketball at UW-Superior. She affirmed her commitment in a press conference Tuesday at Rhinelander High School.
"I was super determined because I knew I lost a lot of game time and a lot of opportunity to get my name out there," Kostrova said.
Kostrova came back with a vengeance in her senor season. She averaged 21.7 points per game her first seven games of the season, averaged 19.3 points per game overall and dropped a career-high 35 in a playoff loss to Hortonville.
"I think she took the right approach, working on her skills and her game more than just playing games," coach Ryan Clark said. "She was pretty much all in-house development. She would come in mornings, nights, afternoons. She had a chance because some kids put in some time, but they walk out not doing much productive work. Kaly will walk out sweating. She would really work hard even without a coach standing there. She's got the right discipline and character to do well."
Kostrova attended the WBCA Prep Showcase last October in Wisconsin Dells. That's where the recruitment process began with Superior, she said.
"Throughout the whole year they just kept talking to me, sending messages and saying that they were interested and would like me to play with them," she said. "I liked the coach a lot and I went to one of the basketball games and just got introduced to the whole team, hung out with them and saw the whole locker room experience. I really liked the atmosphere and the team."
Clark added: "I think they realized they were kind ahead of the other coaches a little bit, realized that they may have a diamond in the rough coming here. They really recruited her hard."
Kostrova may be hard-pressed for playing time early on in her collegiate career. She joins a Yellowjacket roster that graduated no seniors last year and has experienced a load of success as two-time defending Upper Midwest Athletic Conference champions. UW-Superior went 23-5 overall last year before losing to St. Thomas in the NCAA Division III tournament.
"I'm hoping that I'll get to see some playing time this year, but I'm going to have to work really hard," she said. "I'm sure I'll be playing a lot of games on JV at first. It depends on how practice and playing goes."
"She's going to go into a nice situation," Clark added. "She's going to learn a lot from these upperclassmen and she's going to find her niche."
Kostrova said she's thankful for her time on the hardwood at RHS.
"Basketball-wise I had a great four years playing as a Hodag and I think I've left a lot behind and I will miss playing here," she said.
Clark said the feeling is mutual.
"She has a great legacy," he said. "She doesn't realize it yet but, for the next few years she's set the records pretty high. Kids are going to try to beat here, which means we should get better. She's set the standard for us in a number of ways."
As for what Kostrova will be studying at Superior, she said wants to get into athletic training and/or sports medicine and that her time on the mend her junior season influenced that decision.
"I'd like to work in a school setting with the high schoolers or the younger kids, same thing that (RHS athletic trainer Eric) Prom does with athletes that have injuries," she said.
Jeremy Mayo may be reached at [email protected].
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