After tearing her ACL midway through her junior season, senior Alex Stelfox knew that not coming back wasn’t an option. Instead, she pondered whether or not she would return as the once dominant scorer and defender she was before her injury.

“My only fear was that I wouldn’t able to be the same again,” Stelfox said. “But I got through that and I would never let one knee injury take me away from the game completely.”

Midway through her senior season, she is averaging 9.0 points per game and 5.6 rebounds per game. She is also shooting an impressive 53 percent from the field for the 11-3 (7-3 GLIAC) Grand Valley State University women’s basketball team.

Stelfox just became the 22nd Laker to eclipse the 1,000 point mark, when she scored eight points in a 58-48 victory over Northern Michigan University last Thursday. She is currently fifth best shot blocker in school history, tallying 102 so far in her career, and also sports the third highest shooting percentage in school history, making 52.8 percent of her attempts.

“You’re probably looking at her playing her best basketball right now,” said head coach Janel Burgess. “She’s taken things as they’ve come, and been able to let the game come back to her at the right time.”

Before Stelfox came to GVSU, she prepped at Elizabeth Seton High School.

Stelfox has been key to the Lakers success on the court since the first time she donned the Laker blue her freshman year. Now in her senior season as a Laker, her role has somewhat changed into someone all the underclassmen can look up to.

“She has flat out experience,” said senior guard Briauna Taylor. “She can lead the freshmen by example. They definitely look towards her for guidance because of all the experience she has.”

Before her setback in her junior year, she earned countless accolades, such as being named to the All-GLIAC First Team two times, a two-time member of All-GLIAC defensive team and also has earned All-American honorable mention honors.

“I’ve really grown as a player since my freshman year,” Stelfox said. “In my beginning years, I would have to say I was more of an offensive threat. Now deep into my senior year, the defensive aspect to my game has really developed. I really have to credit my coaches and teammates for that.”

In regards to teammates, there isn’t one closer than her roommate and close friend Briauna Taylor. The dynamic duo has done nothing but find the bottom of the net for the past four years, tallying a combined 2,233 points since 2009. Their friendship off of the court has been instrumental to their understanding of each other on the court.

“We know both of our strengths and weaknesses, and I think that’s huge as players,” Stelfox said. “I know everything she can and can’t do on the court, and she knows the same for me.”

GVSU will rely on both Stelfox and Taylor down the stretch as they remain only one game out of the GLIAC North division, trailing Ferris State University.

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