University of South Dakota Athletics

Karrie Wallen, a native of Britt, IA, was labeled by many observers as the best all-around female athlete in the North Central Conference form 1980-84. Clearly, she was one of the school's best in both basketball and volleyball. She was a three-time all-conference selection in both basketball and volleyball (1981-82, 1982-83, 1983-84). As a junior, Wallen became the first Coyote to win an NCC scoring championship (18.0ppg) when she scored 53 points during the league's final two games to edge out teammate Ann Pancoast. In the season finale against North Dakota, she scored 31 points and grabbed 12 rebounds as USD clinched its first ever NCC title in a 76-64 win over the Sioux. For her efforts that season she was voted the Most Valuable Player in the NCC as South Dakota finished 19-8 and 7-3 in the NCC. The following season, she led the Coyotes to another NCC title as USD rolled to a 22-7 mark including a 10-2 NCC record. Wallen left USD as one of its best ever players. During her final season she scored a school record 521 points in leading USD to its second straight conference title. Named to the academic all-America team as a senior, Wallen left USD as its all-time leading scorer with 1,595 points in 107 games.