Whalen, Gophers add former Holy Angels star Laura Bagwell Katalinich
WASHINGTON, DC - DECEMBER 10: Head coach Lindsay Whalen of the Minnesota Golden Gophers looks on during a women's college basketball game against the George Washington Colonials at the Smith Center on December 10, 2019 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Mi ((Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images) / Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS - University of Minnesota women’s basketball coach Lindsay Whalen announced Wednesday Minneapolis native Laura Bagwell Katalinich has joined the program as a graduate transfer.
Katalinich, a 6-foot forward who played her high school basketball at Holy Angels and won a state championship, spent the past three seasons at Cornell. In two seasons on the court, she played in 52 games with 50 starts, averaging 14.8 points, 7.5 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.2 steals. She shot 45.6 percent from the field and nearly 80 percent from the free-throw line.
"Laura brings us a wealth of experience and a championship pedigree to our program as she won a state championship in high school," Whalen said. "We are thrilled that she is going to be joining us for her final college season in her home state! She is a great player and teammate, and will be a great addition to our program."
In 24 starts and 26 games last season, Katalinich finished fifth in the Ivy League in free-throw percentage, fifth in field goal percentage and sixth in rebounds per game. She led Cornell with 13.4 points per game, 78 free throws made, 78 offensive rebounds, 105 defensive rebounds and 183 total rebounds.
She scored in double figures in 19 games and had five 20-point games last season. She played against the Gophers in November 2018, scoring two points and grabbing 10 rebounds.
Katalinich was a Miss Basketball nominee in Minnesota in 2016, averaging 30 points and 12.5 rebounds per game.