Gianna Kneepkens
No. 5 – Utah Utes
PositionGuard
LeaguePac-12 Conference
Personal information
Born (2003-03-04) March 4, 2003
Listed height6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Career information
High schoolMarshall School (Duluth, Minnesota)
College
  • Utah (2021–present)
Career highlights and awards
  • WBCA Honorable Mention All-American (2023)
  • 2× First-team All-Pac-12 (2022, 2023)
  • Pac-12 Freshman of the Year (2022)
  • Pac-12 All-Freshman Team (2022)

Gianna Kneepkens (born March 4, 2003) is an American college basketball player for the Utah Utes of the Pac-12 Conference.

Early life and high school career

Kneepkens was born in Duluth, Minnesota to Donald and Betsy Kneepkens.[1] The youngest of six siblings, Kneepkens grew up playing basketball against her five older brothers.[2] She played for Marshall School in Duluth. A varsity starter since the eighth grade, Kneepkens helped her team to two Minnesota state tournament appearances.[3] During her high school career, Kneepkens scored 3,704 points, fourth all-time in Minnesota.[3] In her final high school game, Kneepkens scored 67 points, another all-time state record.[3] As a senior, she was named Gatorade Minnesota Girls Basketball Player of the Year, joining Paige Bueckers who won the award the year before.[3] Kneepkens then committed to playing college basketball for Utah.[4]

College career

Kneepkens made her debut for the Utes on November 10, 2021, against Lipscomb University. She later earned a starting role after coming off the bench and putting up 29 points against in-state rival BYU on December 4, 2021.[5] During the season, Kneepkens went on to average 11.8 points per game, shooting 38.4% from three and 87.1% from the free-throw line.[1] Kneepkens was named Pac-12 freshman of the year, First Team All-Pac-12, and given Pac-12 All-Freshman honors.[1]

During her sophomore campaign, Kneepkens continued to see success, starting in every game and scoring an average 15.3 points per game.[1] During the Utes's NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament appearance that season, She was again named to the First Team All-Pac-12 and was named a WBCA Coaches' Honorable Mention All-American.[1]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "Gianna Kneepkens". University of Utah. Retrieved November 19, 2023.
  2. ↑ "Getting to Know U: Freshman Gianna Kneepkens". Pac-12. October 20, 2021. Retrieved November 19, 2023.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Nowacki, Jon (May 27, 2021). "Prep Girls Basketball: Duluth Marshall's Kneepkens earns Gatorade Minnesota Player of the Year Honors". Duluth News Tribune. Retrieved November 19, 2023.
  4. ↑ Nowacki, Jon (May 5, 2020). "Girls Basketball: Marshall's Kneepkens Commits to Utah". Duluth News Tribune. Retrieved November 19, 2023.
  5. ↑ Drew, Jay (February 8, 2022). "Freshman guard Gianna Kneepkens an instant success for Utah women's basketball". Deseret News. Retrieved November 19, 2023.
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