- The Record Archives
- Volume CXVIII, No. XXII - December 1, 2005 - sports
All-American embarks on final season
Anna Heikenen is more than the only senior on the St. Ben's basketball team. She is the key to the team's success
Basketball is just what Anna Heikenen does.
She started playing in kindergarten and with some help from her family, learned how to play the game. She grew up watching her sister play and shot hoops with her dad in the driveway.
After a successful high school career at Edina, Heikenen moved on to play for half a season at Winona State before transferring to St. Ben's in December 2002.
She was part of one of the largest classes of first-years to try out. Over the years, however, that class has dwindled to only her.
Four years later, Heikenen has put together one of the most successful careers a Blazer basketball player has ever posted.
But after living a life immersed in the game, the senior will face life without competitive basketball after this season.
"It's a weird feeling knowing that I don't have another year left," said Heikenen, who was selected to the D3hoops.com Division III preseason All-America second team. "I really don't believe it. It hasn't hit me yet."
But Heikenen believes her last year of competitive basketball may affect her parents more than her. She explains that her parents, Becky and Chuck, have traveled to every game of her career and "isn't sure what her parents will do with their spare time."
But Heikenen can worry about her parents later. In the mean time, she will try to lead the Blazers to a repeat of a MIAC playoff title and help the team return to the NCAA Division III national tournament.
More than her 17.7 points per game she scored last season, though, the 5-foot-11 forward will provide a leadership role for the team.
She was a captain last season and is a captain again this year along with junior guard Katie Kempe and junior wing Jen Dalhed.
"Anna is a leader by example, both in her effort and her performance, but also in the passion she has for basketball and competition," coach Mike Durbin said.
Heikenen feels like the transition this year will be smooth because she already has a pretty good idea about what her role will include.
"Anna is an amazing leader on and off the court," sophomore Mackenzie O'Neil said. "She includes everyone and always has a smile.
"Anna's talent stands out on the court, but her personality shines off the court."
The Blazers finished last season with a third-place finish in the MIAC regular season behind Concordia and Carleton.
But the Blazers upset Carleton in the MIAC playoff final, as Heikenen scored 14 points and had 11 rebounds in a 77-74 win. The win gave the Blazers an automatic bid to the national tournament.
The team won its first two games before losing to George Fox (Va.) in the Sweet Sixteen. Heikenen scored in double-digits in all three of the national tournament games.
"I thought last year she was one of the top three players in the conference," Durbin said. "In my opinion, she has gotten even better this year."
After graduating, Heikenen plans to works as an elementary education teacher. She also plans to coach young children and teach others the game.