Kedzie Gunderson had decisions to make. When the Seattle-area native arrived at Oregon as a freshman in 2001, she found herself in a situation different from what she envisioned when she signed a letter of intent before her senior year at Bellevue High School.
Jody Runge, the former Oregon head coach who recruited Gunderson, had resigned in the spring after months of turmoil surrounded the program. Bev Smith was named head coach of the Ducks during the summer, leaving Gunderson unsure of what her role would be on the team.
But the decision to stay at Oregon, despite having to build a bond with a different head coach, was an easy one for Gunderson, who was too fond of Eugene to consider transferring.
Her decision became even easier after she discovered the talent level of the Pacific-10 Conference players.
Gunderson was used to scoring. The former KingCo Conference Most Valuable Player averaged at least 14 points per game in each of her last two seasons at Bellevue and figured she would eventually play a significant role in the Oregon offense.
After witnessing the offensive skills possessed by players around the Pac-10, however, Gunderson knew something would have to change.
Realizing that she was outgunned when it came to pure offensive talent, the feisty Gunderson chose to switch her focus to defense. The 6-foot forward worked relentlessly to become a better defender, knowing it was her best chance to see playing time as a freshman.
Now a junior on the Oregon women’s basketball team, Gunderson’s hard work and determination has helped her become the Ducks’ best defensive player.
Getting to this position, however, wasn’t easy for her.
“When I came here, it was funny, because I was like, ‘I’m not a defensive player, I’ve always been a scorer in high school,’” Gunderson said. “Coming in here and seeing how much talent there is in the league, and even on this team, I knew my role was going to be different.
“I made a tremendous effort to say, ‘You know what, my effort is going towards defense,’ because nobody was really stepping up, no one was really saying, ‘Hey, I want to do that.’”
Gunderson’s quest to become a better defensive player wasn’t without obstacles. A lack of playing time during her freshman year left her frustrated and yearning to contribute. Despite her dissatisfaction, Gunderson continued working and listening to the advice of coaches and teammates.
“When you come in as a freshman, it’s really frustrating,” Gunderson said. “You’re working so hard and trying to learn everything. If I was to give advice to any freshman coming in, it would be to understand that your freshman year is going to be a learning time for you.
“Don’t get frustrated with it, don’t criticize it and really try to absorb everything … If you don’t, it’s almost like you wasted a year.”
As time passed, Gunderson’s defense improved and she started seeing more playing time. The coaching staff liked her competitive fire, her never-ending hustle and willingness to do the dirty work.
Now in her third season, Gunderson is trusted with shutting down an opponent’s most prolific scorer. Whether it’s Stanford’s Nicole Powell, Washington’s Giuliana Mendiola or Arizona State’s Betsy Boardman, Gunderson works her butt off to make sure the opposition’s star doesn’t score an easy basket.
“I really take pride in stepping up to the challenge,” Gunderson said. “I love the fact that my challenge is (the opposition’s) best player. I like to get them frustrated and get in their head.”
Smith said she and the rest of the coaching staff knew immediately that Gunderson would make a quality defensive player.

“We saw the potential with Kedzie,” Smith said. “We saw the determination and we saw the smartness. Kedzie’s not the most powerful player, she’s not the most aggressive player in terms of explosiveness and quickness. She’d admit to that.
“But she’s a very smart player and she knows how she can play defense with her mind more than her body.”
Along with her defensive improvement, Gunderson eventually discovered how she could contribute on the offensive end. Rather than trying to create off the dribble, she has looked to score more in the post, on mid-range jump shots and finishing on fast breaks. Gunderson matched a career-high with 13 points against Washington State two weeks ago.
Though her offensive contributions are welcomed, it’s Gunderson’s defense that helps set the tone for Oregon’s aggressive style of play. The Ducks have been at their best this season when they play strong defense, and Gunderson’s teammates appreciate her hustle.
“She never gives up,” guard Kayla Steen said. “She’s extremely hard-working. She knows what her role is and knows we definitely need her on the defensive end.”
Chelsea Wagner, another defensive standout for the Ducks, said that playing tough defense is just as important as having a big scoring night.
“We both kind of feed off each other in that aspect,” Wagner said. “We just try and get some steals and try to get the team going. That’s how we can contribute our scoring with the team. Even though we don’t get the two points, we’re giving us an extra possession to get some points.”
Entering tonight’s game against No. 10 Stanford, Gunderson is averaging 5.1 points and 3.2 rebounds per contest. Even though she doesn’t sport All-American numbers, her contributions to the team are endless.
She has emerged as one of Oregon’s on-court leaders. Gunderson uses hustle — during games and practice — to motivate her teammates rather than yelling and screaming at them.
“She’s the one that’s always grinding it out and the one who’s always giving that second and third effort on possessions,” Smith said. “She’s not a very loud leader. She doesn’t speak a lot but her actions speak for her. That’s how she feels she wants to be represented. Those are the kind of people who walk the walk and not just talk the talk.”
Gunderson has finally arrived, as she is now trusted to slow the opposition’s best player and is emerging as a team leader.
Sounds like she made the right decisions.