“Reflecting back on the past two years, coming back from an injury, everything that I’ve had to do to get to this point is surreal and I could not be prouder of the group of girls that I get to celebrate this with because everybody has sacrificed so much to be here and they’re amazing,” Leger-Walker told ESPN.
She played a key role in the team’s title charge this season as a lead guard in the team.
In the final, Leger-Walker played 26 minutes, scoring 10 points on 4-12 shooting to go with four rebounds and two assists.
Speaking about her decision to transfer to UCLA, Leger-Walker indicated that having the chance to win a national title was a big part of her choice.
“Elite players want to play with other elite players, and when you come into a programme where you all understand the talent you have but then collectively buy in,” Leger-Walker told ESPN of her decision to transfer.
“That is the biggest theme of this year and everything we’ve talked about every day.”
The 24-year-old becomes the first Kiwi woman to win the national championship, and just the second Kiwi to do so after Jack Salt won the 2019 championship with Virginia.
Having now completed her final year of eligibility at the collegiate level, Leger-Walker is set to enter the WNBA draft and be available for selection when teams are on the clock next week.
New Zealand could have another national champion before the season is through, with Taranaki’s Oscar Goodman and his University of Michigan side playing in the men’s final against the University of Connecticut (UConn) on Tuesday.
