Emma Fee, fourth-year center, has helped Winona State University’s women’s basketball team in many games over the course of her career as a Warrior.

In her past four years on the team, Fee has earned Winona State 139 points with 43 of them being from this season alone.

As the Warriors begin their season, Fee looked back on her career as a basketball player and said why she chose to come to Winona State.

“I started when I was three, so the second I could play a sport I was in the YMCA club. I was more of a soccer person growing up, but fifth grade was when I switched my focus to basketball,” Fee said.

Fee said her visit to Winona State before committing was unique because of the girls on the team.

“When I was visiting schools they obviously wanted me to come for basketball, but when I came here [Winona State], I liked the campus,” Fee said. “With basketball, when I came on my tour all the girls were just super welcoming [and] everybody was there, which was kind of weird because when you’re visiting schools you meet the coaches every time, but you don’t always meet all the players. I mean, the full team was there for my whole tour and that was really unique.”

Years down the line, apart from the games and practices, she will mainly remember her teammates, Fee said.

“I mean, just the team itself the second I came on campus, I just kind of got grouped into this family and that was our team. There were seniors at the time, and we were all just friends,” Fee said. “You know, most people when they come in freshman year, they don’t have anybody, but I had this group of 15 girls who took me in as their own.”

Fee said she felt like it was an honor to play on the women’s basketball team at Winona State.

“The team road trips are super fun and going out to eat, when we could, that’s the best part and what I’ll remember most – just hanging out with the team,” Fee said.

Fee said when she is not on the court, she is laying low and staying safe.

“Other than basketball, I do homework, Zoom University; I got a [Nintendo] Switch, so I’m playing those games a lot; watching TV and hanging out with the team usually,” Fee said.

Due to COVID-19, Fee and the rest of the university’s college athletes were granted another year of eligibility.

Although Fee could graduate in Spring 2021, she said she will be pushing back her graduation to stay and play another year.

The women’s basketball team began their season in early January this year. With four of the scheduled games being canceled already, Winona State’s record is set at 0-4.

Keep up with Fee and the rest of the basketball team this Friday and Saturday as they take on Wayne State, viewing available for streaming online due to fans being unable to attend games because of COVID.