The Dragons, who are currently sitting at 9-9 overall and 6-8 in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference, are pushing toward a winning season and a playoff berth with just eight games left in the regular season, thanks in part to strong play from junior guard Kaycee Charette.
Charette has been consistent for the Dragons this year, averaging 6.5 points and 1.8 rebounds in 23 minutes per game. She is also ranked second on the team in steals, averaging one per game.
ROBERT J. SWANSEN -swansento@mnstate.edu
Charette grew up in Prescott, a town of 4,258 people on the western edge of Wisconsin. She is the second of three children — the other two are boys — born to David and Beth Charette. She is a junior at MSUM pursuing a degree in business administration with an emphasis in marketing. In her down time, she enjoys going to the movies and watching fictional shows like “Once Upon a Time” and “Vampire Diaries.”
“I feel like every show involves doctors, lawyers or cops,” Charette said, “so I like to watch shows without all of that.”
She attended Prescott High School, where she lettered in volleyball, basketball, track and softball. She graduated as the all-time scoring leader for the Prescott Badgers basketball team, scoring 1,545 points in her four years on the varsity squad. Over her career, she averaged 17.6 points, 7.6 rebounds and four steals. She was also named to the all-conference volleyball team four times and went to state in track twice, competing in the 4×200 and 4×400 meter relays.
Charette was recruited by the Dragons as a graduating senior and averaged 6.2 points and 2.5 rebounds in her freshman season.
Her sophomore season, however, was severely limited as she came down with a significant knee injury, limiting her to just 12 games. She came back at the beginning of this season, and head coach Karla Nelson has been impressed with her performance so far.
“I see her coming back into her own now, as we progress through her junior year,” Nelson said. “She was a little tentative at first (coming back from her injury), which is to be expected, but I think she’s getting back to where she feels good and is playing with confidence. I’m so proud of her work ethic.”
Charette’s confidence and work ethic were key in the Dragons’ game against Northern State University, Aberdeen, S.D., on Jan. 8, when she scored a career-high 25 points, including five three-pointers.
“In the few games before that one, I was not shooting well at all,” Charette said. “I think I was around 20 percent shooting. It was really frustrating, and then in that game, the shots were falling, so it felt really good.”
Nelson was also thoroughly impressed with Charette’s performance in that game.
“It was a pretty incredible performance,” she said, “and one of the best perimeter games I’ve seen in a Dragon uniform in a long time.”
The Dragons are currently ranked eighth in the conference, but Charette is confident that the team will continue its winning ways and climb up the standings.
“I think we’ll finish the year strong” Charette said. “I definitely think we can beat every one of those teams (remaining on the schedule).”
Charette will be eligible to play one more season for the Dragons after this one, and Nelson is grateful to have her.
“She’s a really kind-hearted person who looks out for the best interests of her teammates,” Nelson said. “She’s a great student and a great ambassador for MSUM. She has really been a pleasure to coach.”
BY DANNY DETERMAN
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