The easy way out might have been less painful. Chelsea Wagner and Kedzie Gunderson could have said “forget it” and moved on.
Instead, the fifth-year seniors for the Oregon women’s basketball team chose to return to the court, a journey that required extensive recovery times from knee surgeries.
Gunderson, originally from Washington, and Wagner, a Springfield native who went to Hawaii as a freshman and transferred to Oregon as a sophomore, share the joke, “We’ve aged 40 years too fast,” Gunderson said.
“You got to take what’s been dealt to you and do the best you can out of it,” Wagner said.
Wagner, Oregon’s deep threat, and Gunderson, a shut-down defender, share the same grit and determination. Though the two play different roles on the court, they combine to lead a team in the wake of losing three standouts to graduation.
“They have been absolutely wonderful,” Oregon coach Bev Smith said. “They’ve really given to helping younger players, to players who don’t have cars and players who don’t know what they are doing.”
In an ideal world, Wagner and Gunderson would like to see Oregon near first in the Pacific-10 Conference standings, but with a 1-5 conference record and 10-6 overall, the pair’s importance is magnified.
“I think we can count on both of them in moments to make big some plays and to provide some comfort with the younger players and give them courage,” Smith said.
Gunderson injured her knee wakeboarding before the 2004-05 season. She redshirted that season, and Wagner joined her midway through after she blew her ACL and prematurely ended her season six games into conference play.
The season before, Wagner partially tore a ligament in her knee – also against Washington – and managed to play out the season. The second time it happened, the injury was too severe to continue.
Washington visits Oregon again Saturday, and Wagner says her history with the school won’t slow her down.
“I know that that is not going to hold me back,” Wagner said. “I’m still going to be going after every loose ball there is.”
Wagner has had so many injuries that when she tweaked her knee in Oregon’s second exhibition game, she remained unfazed.
“If I’m going to get injured, I’m going to get injured,” Wagner said. “I can’t do anything to prevent it.
At least if I’m going to get injured, I’m going to go out playing as hard as I can.”
Gunderson said that when she returned to the court she left her mental barriers behind.
“You can’t even think about it,” she said. “You can’t second-guess yourself when you step out there because as soon as you do, that’s when you put yourself in danger.”
Both watched as Oregon returned to the NCAA Tournament last season for the first time under Smith. Seeing Oregon’s first-round win against TCU gave Wagner all the motivation she needed to return.
“If you’re going to have to sit on the sideline, it’s what you make of it,” Wagner said. “Are you going to sit there and be upset that you’re not playing? I couldn’t do anything about it, so I wanted to be a positive influence on the team, and I felt a part of the team.”
Gunderson provides airtight defense, often on opponents’ best offensive players. Since offensive standouts Cathrine Kraayeveld and Andrea Bills graduated last spring, Oregon has relied on a variety of players to provide scoring, including Gunderson. Smith said she has been impressed by Gunderson’s offensive game, whether it is the dribble jumper, the offensive rebounds or feeds into the post.
“Those are all intangibles that maybe don’t show up in the scoresheet,” Smith said.
Wagner also provides quality defense, just in a quieter fashion.
“She is very savvy,” Smith said. “A lot of people wouldn’t give her much for her defensive quickness, but she always seems to be able to read a pass, to get into a passing lane, to poke a pass away … that’s why she is so invaluable.”
Wagner may be Oregon’s closest thing to a takeover player. She made the game-tying three-pointer against Arizona to force overtime and then stole the ball and made a breakaway layup on the first possession of the extra period.
Entering this season, the larger question might have been where Gunderson and Wagner fit into the playing rotation.
Guard Brandi Davis filled Wagner’s spot last season, playing some of her best basketball by averaging 10 points in conference play and scoring a career-high 28 against UCLA. In Gunderson’s case, forward Kristen Forristall earned all-conference freshman honors.
Both Wagner and Gunderson shrugged off any concerns.
“I know my role, and I know that I’m a smart player,” Gunderson said. All the pain and the hard work will be worth it, both say, if the pair can revive the team’s playoff hopes.
“That is your ultimate goal,” Gunderson said. “Every player’s dream is to make it to the Big Dance.”
In the meantime, the duo looks to guide the Ducks to their second consecutive home win against the Huskies on Saturday at 7 p.m.
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