SHAWANO (NBC 26) – Shawano girls basketball head coach Ryan Koenig knows he has a one-of-a-kind talent on his team in Leah Nordin. He said the junior, who has already broken the all-time Shawano girls basketball scoring record, excels on both sides of the ball and is an exceptional player.
“Every coach I’ve talked to over the last few years who has come to watch practices says she’s a unicorn and a very generational player,” Koenig said. “It’s great to see this. She really puts other players at ease. When something goes wrong, she can do something herself.”
While Nordin scored nearly 1,300 career points, surpassing the previous record set in 1989, Koenig said her defense is what sets her apart.
“She’s two-dimensional,” Koenig said. “He doesn’t play on one side of the ball. He plays very strongly on both sides at all times. Her engine is unlike anyone I’ve ever seen, and our team thrives on that.”
Koenig first saw Nordin’s potential when she was in eighth grade and started playing AAU basketball. Since then, she has earned accolades including Co-Defensive Player of the Year honors, first-team All-State honors and consecutive first-team All-Conference honors.
Despite his achievements, Nordin remains focused on improving his game.
“I want to develop my three-point shooting skills and I’m also working on getting my teammates more involved – I’m shooting the ball and focusing more on the team to make everything work well,” Nordin said.
After a long recruiting process and numerous Division I offers, Nordin decided to stay close to home and play for the Wisconsin Badgers.
“The atmosphere was amazing,” Nordin said. “When the Jumbotron told the fans to play loud, it got very loud. You could feel the energy in the air. It was amazing. During the break I thought: ‘Dad, I’ll do it. commit. It was magical.”
Although Nordin still has plenty of high school basketball experience with the Hawks, she is relieved that her college decision has been made.
