Knudsen earns top honors in college ball; signs with Freiburg

Since Bobbie Knudsen was called to start at Montana State University Billings, she has not only stood out on the court, she was extremely dominate.

That may take her far as she travels to Germany to play for the Freiburg Kingfishers, later this year.

Knudsen, a Malta native, grew up with a basketball in her hand, taking her first dribbles as a young child.

"In kindergarten, I started playing on the playground a lot," said former M-ette great Bobbi Knudsen. "I got pretty competitive (even though it was) just on the playground."

Her fire was fueled, when her mother Janice, took Bobbi to the 1999 Girls State B championship game in Belgrade.

It was at that game the M-ettes defeated the Conrad Cowgirls 53-46 in regulation.

Though Knudsen was young, it left an impression.

" They won that year and I remember thinking then, 'That's what I want to do, when I was older,'" Knudsen said. "I remember the feeling after they won. I saw them cheering on the court and I wanted that to be me..."

She was also a fan of Sue Bird, who plays for the Seattle Storm of the WNBA. Storm currently also plays in Europe in the offseason.

She played team ball for the first time in elementary school, participating in small tournaments around the Hi-Line.

"I know I really liked it, but I don't think anyone (or myself) was really that good in fourth grade," she told the PCN. "I was just so competitive and anything competitive, I liked."

That competitive spirit was only encouraged by Knudsen having a brother Casey, who was a year older then her.

"He played against me a lot when we were little and he definitely helped me become stronger, because he was a little too rough with me," Knudsen admitted.

Having to compete with her brother also made her faster than most, which explains her aggressiveness offensive and defensively.

As a freshmen at Malta High, Knudsen was a part of the 2007 state champion team, however in 2010, she led the M-ettes back to the promised land as the school brought home their eighth title in 20 years, in Belgrade.

Knudsen scored a team lead 10 points, in that low scoring 37-30 victory over Three Forks.

"I had the ball, with ten seconds remaining and they all just stood up and I kind of ran through them all and threw the ball up," said Knudsen. "I was jumping up and down 10 seconds before the clock expired."

In that moment Knudsen told the PCN, that she was hit with an overwhelming feeling of accomplishment.

"I wasn't shocked by it. I was glad my team came together and accomplished it together. Everyone enjoyed it as much as I did," she said.

After that win in her senior year, Knudsen decided to go to MSU-Billings, to continue her basketball career.

"They were the only school that offered me anything," she said, also admitting she liked the school's uniform.

As a true freshmen, she didn't start from the get-go, but after five games, she did and started every game until the end of her senior year.

Knudsen thrived under coach Kevin Woodin's screen driven offense.

Unlike many point guards who are often too timid to attack the rim, Knudsen loves the challenge of taking on the bigs underneath the hoop.

"I like to pull up and shoot too," she told the PCN.

Defensively, she definitely prefers man to man than zone.

One of her favorite accomplishments during her collegiate career include beating fellow Great Northeast Athletic Conference team Western Washington in Washington, during her senior year.

"That was pretty big, because I've never beat them before," said Knudsen.

Another highlight was during her senior night, when the team defeated Alaska Anchorage in Billings, capping off the team's 15-0 home record and winning the conference.

"Those were two games I'll always remember," said Knudsen.

Knudsen led the Yellowjackets to a 25-8 record and the GNAC conference title. She did so in all facets of the game.

She led the team, scoring 569 points (17.2 per game) and had the lead in assists with 193 (5.8 per game).

She was second in blocks, with 12 and third in rebounding, with 170 total, (135 defensively) as a point guard.

She is the current both career points and assists record holder in the GNAC, with 1,831 points and 532 assists.

Knudsen was crowned the GNAC Player of the Year for her efforts, which included a 3.5 grade point average.

She also is conference record holder in field goals made (680), attempts (1,617) and minutes played (3.838).

Her longevity can be attributed to her workout hours during the off-season in which Knudsen wakes up around six a.m. to shoot around with her father Jim for 90 minutes and then hits the weight room for 90 minutes afterwards.

She also participates in open gym games for men and women in Malta. This week she is helping out at the M-ette basketball camp with current M-ette players and coaches Nate Hammond and Tyler Hanson.

Her skill, patience and ability to play basketball led Knudsen to try her hand at professional ball.

She will travel to Freiburg Germany, to play for USC Eisvögel Freiburg (The Freiburg Kingfishers).

"I got in contact with an agent and signed with them and with the team," she said.

She is really looking forward to the competitive nature of the game.

"Its going to be a whole new experience and way of life," she said.

She is looking forward to playing with experienced players, even though she admitted to being nervous about being so far from home.

"I'll get to see a lot and experience a lot more than I have now," she said.

Having some experience traveling all over the Northwestern states, Knudsen is prepared to travel any distance the team may take her, though she has no idea what her athletic future holds.

"I don't know what it's going to be like over there," she said. "I don't really have a goal as of right now, but when I get over there I think it will start to progress."

If the pro-life doesn't appeal to Knudsen, she plans to fall back on her other love, animal care.

Knudsen graduated with a degree in biology.

"I want to be a veterinarian," said Knudsen, who appreciates both large and small animals. "That's my ultimate goal."

Her only current pet, a "gorgeous" barn-cat named Bella.