Mar 13, 2017 3 min read

When Belle Vernon graduate Kaitlyn Slagus signed with Bucknell, she knew there’d be a chance to play in the NCAA tournament, otherwise known as March Madness.

On Sunday afternoon at Sojka Pavilion, the Bison defeated Navy in overtime to win the Patriot League championship, 78-71, to clinch a spot in the “Big Dance.”

Bucknell received the 14th seed in the East and will play at No. 3 Maryland in the first round at noon Friday. The other game there is No. 6 West Virginia versus No. 11 Elon at 2:30 p.m. Friday. Marlena Schmidt, a 6-6 center from Ringgold High School, is a redshirt freshman for the Mountaineers.

West Virginia defeated the Nos. 3, 2 and 1 seed to win the Big 12 tournament title.

“When the buzzer went off and we stormed the court, I wasn’t thinking about what’s ahead,” said Slagus, who is majoring in Economics and carries a 3.5 GPA. “I was thinking more about how all of the hours and practice and all of the 6 a.m. workouts finally paid off for this moment.

“I think this is the first time our program has gone since 2008, and we are proud of it.”

Slagus finished the title game with nine points, five assists, and two blocks.

“I think going to the NCAAs is a dream of every college player when you grow up watching March Madness,” she said. “When we fell short in the (conference) semis last year, it gave us extra motivation to work hard in the offseason so we could make a run at it again.”

Second on the team this season with a 12.6 scoring average, Slagus started all 32 games and leads the Bison with 8.9 rebounds per contest, 48 blocks and an 86 percent free throw percentage.

She is second in three-pointers (46) and third in assists (65) and steals (26).

Slagus’s stellar season comes a year after being named the Patriot League Rookie of the Year in 2016, when she was named to the All-Rookie Team, was a three-time league player of the week, and five-time rookie of the week. She had 10 double-doubles and also made the Patriot League Academic Honor Roll once.

As a freshman, Slagus started 20 of the last 21 games and averaged 7.3 points and 3.8 rebounds per game.

At Belle Vernon, Slagus was named All-State as a senior, finished with 1,360 points and 1,020 rebounds, and holds school records with 38 points in a game and 27 rebounds in one contest.

“I am very proud of Kaitlyn as she has worked so hard over the years,” said Belle Vernon head coach Lisa Fairman. “She is so deserving of this opportunity to play in the big tournament.”

Slagus is the first BVA girl’s basketball player to play in the March Madness tournament. Tom Parks and John Russell, who played at Robert Morris, did it prior to Slagus.

“Wow, I never even thought of that,” she said when told about her feat. “The journey all started in Belle Vernon, so to be the first female to go to the dance is pretty incredible.”

The daughter of John and Marie Slagus and the middle of three sisters with Jess and Lauren, Kaitlyn appreciates how supportive her family is as they make the three-and-a-half hour drive to Bucknell, located in Lewisburg, to support her as often as possible.

“It means everything to me,” she said. “I wouldn’t be where I am today without them.”