Accomplishments: Set single-season records for points (732), field goals made (329), field goals attempted (718) and scoring average (22.9) to lead North Central College to the 1983 NCAA Division III Women’s Basketball National Championship; NCAA Division III All-American; Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW) All-American and AIAW All-State; All-Chicago Metro Conference First Team; in only two seasons at North Central College, scored 1,414 points to rank fourth all-time and grabbed 790 rebounds to rank third all-time.
Bonnie Hansen ’83 Jagiella is the third member of the 1983 NCAA Division III women’s basketball national championship team to be inducted into North Central College’s Athletic Hall of Fame. Jagiella joins teammates Brenda Sanders ’83 and Kim Wallner ’84, both inducted in 2004.
Jagiella played two seasons at North Central College after transferring from Utah State University, where she had tired of the Division I atmosphere and wanted to be closer to home so her parents could watch her play. The Amos Alonzo Stagg High School graduate was unsure whether she’d play for the Cardinals when she arrived, but after meeting the team, she was convinced to play.
“Everyone was just so focused,” Jagiella said. “Everyone’s goal was to get to the Final Four and win a national championship, and we did it.”
The 6’1” post player averaged 22.9 points and 12.5 rebounds per game as a senior and set the College’s single-season scoring record with 732 points, a record that still stands today. She scored 25 points in the Cardinals’ 83-71 championship game victory over Elizabethtown College (Pennsylvania) and was later selected All-American First Team, the only North Central women’s basketball player to ever achieve the honor. Jagiella also helped the team to the Chicago Metro Conference (CMC) Championship and was named CMC All-Conference First Team.
As a junior, Jagiella scored 682 points (18.0 avg.) to lead the Cardinals to first place in the state, third in the region and a berth in the NCAA Division III Tournament. She was honored as All-State and All-American by the Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women.
Jagiella’s career scoring average of 20.4 points per game tops the Cardinals’ all-time list. Today, she ranks sixth for career scoring (1,414 points) and third for most field goals made (628), field goals attempted (1,384) and rebounds (790). She also holds single-season records for field goals made (329) and attempted (718).
Jagiella graduated with a degree in biology.
