The basketball community in North Dakota is mourning the death of UND women’s standout Katie Richards, who was killed in a crash at the age of 45.
Richards was the lone occupant of a vehicle that was in a rollover crash west of Reynolds just after midnight Thursday morning.
In a statement on its website, UND Athletics said Richards “is widely regarded as one of the greatest players to put on the basketball uniform at North Dakota.”
During her four years of playing between 1996 and 2000, she helped the Fighting Sioux reached four Division II NCAA Tournaments, winning three straight national championships in 1997, 1998, and 1999.
She was also named Miss Basketball North Dakota during her prep days,
“We are all devastated and heartbroken to hear the news about Katie,” said UND Athletics Director Bill Chaves in a statement. “She was one of the most influential alums we have had at UND and her legacy will live on forever.”
“The news of Katie’s passing is absolutely devastating,” added UND women’s basketball head coach . “She was not only just one of the greats of our program, but so much more. She was a great teammate, not just to those she played with, but to with everyone that put on the North Dakota jersey.
“She was a great mother, dear friend and one of the most selfless people I know. Everything Katie did she did 100 percent and with all her heart.”
Richards, a mother-of-four, was the director of student success and disability at Mayville State University in North Dakota at the time of her death.
