A formidable presence inside for the Huskers, Kathy Hagerstrom may be the best player from the first decade of Husker basketball.
The 6-0 forward from DePere, Wis., ranks sixth on Nebraska's all-time charts with 874 career rebounds, seventh with 102 career blocked shots and 10th with 1,778 career points, while ranking in a tie for seventh with 130 games played. She shot 51.7 percent (742-1,434) from the field during her career, while ranking 10th in free throws attempted (444).
She enjoyed her best season as a sophomore, averaging 17.6 points and 8.7 rebounds, while shooting 58.3 percent (221-379) from the field, which ranks as the seventh-best single-season shooting average in school history. She led the Huskers to the 1981 AIAW Regional Tournament. She helped Nebraska to a 23-17 record as a freshman in 1979-80 and a trip to AIAW Regionals.
Hagerstrom scored a career-high 29 points in a 93-48 win over Creighton at the Bob Devaney Sports Center on Jan. 21, 1981, after erupting for a 27-point, 21-rebound effort in an 82-81 loss to Iowa State in the Big Eight Tournament at Lawrence, Kan., on Jan. 16, 1981. Hagerstrom's 21 boards rank in a tie for the fourth-highest single-game total in school history.
She came to Nebraska after earning state player-of-the-year honors and Parade All-America accolades during her Wisconsin prep career. She earned her bachelor's degree in advertising and broadcasting from Nebraska in 1983, before serving as an assistant coach at Central Missouri State. She helped lead Central Missouri State to an NCAA Division II title in 1985. She also coached at Indiana and UC-Davis before being named the head coach at NCAA Division III Wellesley College in Massachusetts.
Hagerstrom retired from coaching following the 2008-09 season as the winningest head coach in Wellesley College history. She is entering her 29th season on the staff at Wellesley, serving as the assistant director of for operations at the Keohane Sports Center in 2019-20.
Hagerstrom's Career Statistics
|
Year |
G-GS |
FG-FGA |
Pct. |
3P-3PA |
Pct. |
FT-FTA |
Pct. |
TRB-Avg. |
PF-D |
A |
TO |
Blk |
ST |
Pts-Avg. |
| 1979-80 |
40-30 |
186-387 |
.481 |
NA |
NA |
77-114 |
.675 |
277-6.9 |
117 |
83 |
105 |
NA |
NA |
449-11.2 |
| 1980-81 |
31-31 |
221-379 |
.583 |
NA |
NA |
103-155 |
.665 |
271-8.7 |
98 |
72 |
116 |
29 |
39 |
545-17.6 |
| 1981-82 |
31-31 |
209-412 |
.507 |
NA |
NA |
72-101 |
.713 |
184-5.9 |
108 |
51 |
99 |
12 |
30 |
490-15.8 |
| 1982-83 | 28-28 | 126-256 | .492 | NA | NA | 42-74 | .568 | 142-5.1 | 95 | 63 | 87 | 19 | 32 | 294-10.5 |
|
Career |
130-120 |
742-1,434 |
.517 |
NA |
NA |
294-444 |
.662 |
874-6.7 |
418 |
269 |
407 |
60 |
101 |
1778-13.7 |