Wazzu recruit didn’t have hoop dreams before Auburn-Riverside

At first, it just doesn’t sound quite right: Katie Grad not a basketball star? Weird. But it’s true. The girl who became a catalyst for Auburn Riverside High School’s back-to-back Class 3A state championships wasn’t that much of a hoopaholic when she first walked through the school’s doors in 2004.

At first, it just doesn’t sound quite right: Katie Grad not a basketball star?

Weird.

But it’s true. The girl who became a catalyst for Auburn Riverside High School’s back-to-back Class 3A state championships wasn’t that much of a hoopaholic when she first walked through the school’s doors in 2004.

“Coming into high school, if you had asked me if I would be playing basketball in college, I would have said, ‘I don’t think so,’ ” Grad said. “When I was little, I always did more soccer. I didn’t really know which one I wanted to do.

“I found my passion for basketball when I got into high school.”

That passion helped drive Grad and the Ravens to the pinnacle of girls hoops. Yet, she never lost her love for soccer, playing in AR colors as a freshman, sophomore and junior. Still found time for some fastpitch softball, too.

Now, Grad will indeed be playing college basketball, taking her talent to Washington State University. She’ll will head there with yet another honor on a resume’ that’s already bulging with accomplishments and accolades:

Grad is the Reporter’s Auburn-area Female Athlete of the Year.

“I don’t know if I’ll ever coach a kid again who gave so much back in return to what everyone has given her,” Ravens coach Adam Barrett said. “It’s not just basketball. There’s not a single person out there who does not like this kid. I don’t know if I’ve ever seen her in four years here be negative toward anybody or anything. It doesn’t matter who the person is – Katie can make people smile.”

The 17-year-old Grad always will be known for her accomplishments on the basketball court. The 5-foot-8 guard – who never missed a practice and started every game of her career – averaged 20.5 points, 10.1 rebounds and 4.5 steals this past season as Riverside put together a 25-3 record.

The 25th victory came in the state title game, a 48-40 decision against a youthful but talented Kennedy team that also gave the Ravens fits in the sub-district and district championship contests.

“By the third time, we knew everything about every one of their players, and they knew everything about us,” Grad said. “They matched up (with us).”

Grad didn’t limit her impressive numbers to the gym.

She has piled up enough A’s to sport a near-perfect 3.96 grade-point average, with a course load that previously has included physics, pre-calculus and third-year Spanish, and currently includes such things as marine biology, advanced-placement stats, and college writing. (The only non-A was a B-plus in her first semester of physics as a junior.)

“You think, ‘Oh, gosh, I have a three-hour practice today and a huge physics test tomorrow.’ I have to be balanced,” Grad said. “My dad (Dennis) is a principal (at Cascade Middle School), so school has always been important in my family. And it’s good to have coaches who encourage you in school. It’s a big deal to them. They want that balance.”

Mucho motivation

For Grad, that desire to excel in every aspect comes from within. Auburn Riverside fastpitch coach Chris Leverenz has seen that first-hand.

“She’s definitely internally motivated,” Leverenz said. “Motivation is just a natural for her.”

Grad acknowledged that for all of the positives that have engulfed her four years at Riverside, it wasn’t all pie in the sky and bubble gum. It wasn’t winning every game in which she ever played, either.

But the way Grad figures it, so much the better.

“Even things that happen that aren’t necessarily good, you can use that experience for learning,” she said. “My sophomore year, we lost two games at state at the end. But it was a great year and a fun year, and we used it for the future. We said we didn’t want to go home on Saturday (feeling) upset.”

“You’re going to go through hard times,” Grad said. “Looking back, I’m so glad I had teammates and coaches to help me get through them.”

Grad spoke of taking off her fastpitch uniform for the last time after the Ravens were knocked out of the state tournament on May 23. She talked wistfully of still working out in the Auburn Riverside gym, knowing that she’ll never play another game in there.

But just as quickly, she turned her thoughts forward – partly out of necessity. Riverside graduates on June 14, and she’ll head to Pullman three days later to begin taking some summer courses.

Primed for Pullman

Grad is convinced she made a good choice to join with coach June Daugherty and try lifting the Cougars out of the Pacific-10 doldrums.

“It’s finally becoming kind of realistic,” Grad said. “I felt at home there (when visiting WSU), and it was a good fit for me. … I’m a little bit nervous. It’ll be good to get a feel for what it’s like.”

Leverenz has no doubt that Grad is ready for the next step.

“She’s going to be amazing. She’s going to love college,” Leverenz said. “She’s going to have to find her own (way). … I’m excited to see her grow.”

Barrett is seeing some of that already.

“That kid is spending an hour and a half to two hours every night getting ready for WSU,” he said. “She wants to carry a winning tradition to that program over there.”

“Kids will feed off her passion, not just for basketball, but for life.”

Grad wants her legacy to go beyond the box score and the trophy case.

“I hope I’ll be known as someone who worked hard,” she said. “You’re only going to be as good as you want to be. You have to put in the time and effort.”

Exactly the kind of thing that helped make Katie Grad a basketball star.

Even when she didn’t think she’d be one.