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MOORHEAD, Minn. -- It was 2004 when Kris Wilson, one of the most respected athletes of
Karla Nelson's tenure at Minnesota State University Moorhead, set a remarkable school record for the women's basketball team. This season, eight years later, senior captain
Marisa Yernatich topped that record to place her imprint in the history of Dragons basketball.
It was 6 p.m. on December 8 in Bismarck, N.D., when the Dragons were squaring off against the Marauders of the University of Mary. MSUM was allowing Mary to take an early lead and losing ground as they trailed, 16-7, after nine minutes in the first half.
A 3-pointer came from the senior from Duluth, Minn., to bring the score within six, 16-10. This was Yernatich's 152nd career 3-pointer that placed her in the Dragons record book as the program's all-time leading 3-point shooter.
“I've tried to work hard for it but I never expected anything,” Yernatich said. “That wasn't my goal of trying to break the record. I mean I just wanted to be on a good team and I wanted to win and make my teammates better.”
As far as the game finished, Yernatich added another big 3-pointer to shift momentum. It was her second and last successful field-goal with about six minutes left in the game that gave the Dragons its first lead of the game after trailing by as many as 13 points.
It was the very last second that made this night memorable for another reason, too, as the ultimate goal was to split that weekend on the road.
“Everything as a whole, we just wanted to win that game and we did on a last second shot,” Yernatich said.
It was junior guard
Morgan Zabel that sealed the tough comeback win with a buzzer beating 3-point shot to take the game, 63-60.
After the game Dragons head coach
Karla Nelson says she searched around the Mary gymnasium for the game-ball as a reward for Yernatich achieving the accomplishment.
“I think if you go break a record, get a 1,000 points I think we do a really good job of trying to get that ball that you broke that record with or obtain that goal,” Nelson said. “It's a great record and she surpassed somebody that I have a lot of respect for and that was Kris Wilson.”
Looking at the previous holder of the record has given Nelson a better appreciation for what Yernatich has done. Kris Wilson came to MSUM under previous coach Jean Roise in 1999. Nelson inherited Wilson after being named the new head coach for the Dragons program in 2000.
“Kris Wilson was a great player for us and probably the purest shooter I've ever got to coach,” Nelson said. “So to break that record, (Yernatich) had to do some work.”
That work all started on the driveway of her home in Duluth. Yernatich, a basketball hoop and a rebounder in the form of a former basketball player were the beginning ingredients of a future 3-point record holder at MSUM.
“My dad kind of taught me my form and the basics of basketball when I was young,” Yernatich said. “My dad is the first memory, shooting with him in the driveway on the weekends or at night, whenever we had time.”
Matt Yernatich, Marisa's father, also helped coach her in a more official style as well. It was the 4th grade for Yernatich when she began playing organized team basketball. Her head coach was non-other than her dad. Moving on to high school and college did not stop him from coaching and helping her improve on his own time, though.
Also helping her improve on the court in college has been fellow senior
Kaycee Charette. As a friend to Yernatich, Charette recognizes the hard work Yernatich has put into her game to achieve Dragons records.
“(Yearnatich) broke a record her freshman year for most threes in a game so having her break another one her senior year has just been great,” Charette said. “She deserves accomplishments like that for her work ethic. It's been an amazing last four years playing with her.”
The two have a close relationship that dates back when they first came to MSUM. Yernatich says she couldn't have been without Charette during her time with the team.
“We came in together as freshmen and it's been a long four years but a great four years,” Yernatich said. “We've both been there for each other through the struggles and the great moments. We're really close.”
Both Yernatich and Charette will be making their final appearances in Nemzek Fieldhouse this season. When asked about her favorite memory in Nemzek, Yernatich wasn't able to tell just one but says everything the team has done in that building stands out to her.
“I've played basketball for how many years,” Yernatich said, ”and it's going to be very weird not coming to practice and not looking forward to another game. It's going to be different.”
Summing anything up in one word could be a difficult task. Summing up a four-year span in which memories were made and many emotions were felt in one word could be near impossible.
“One word huh?” Yernatich said. “That's hard. It's been a lot of things. It's been fun at times, it's been hard at times, it's been accomplishment. One word couldn't describe it.”
To accomplish so much in four years takes determination and drive. Yernatich credits her passion for the game as the biggest motivator for her success. Support from her coaches, whether it means butting heads occasionally with coach Nelson; from her teammates, like spending four years as a part of a collegiate program with only one other senior and your best friend; from her parents, who would both grab rebounds for her as a child to help practice for her future; and everybody else who has made a slight impact in her life has made Yernatich the student-athlete and person she is today. And today, she owns the Dragons all-time record for 3-pointers made in a career.
