Ellen Nystrom

Classroom

Ellen Nystrom has been an outstanding student throughout her career at CSU, being named Mountain West All-Academic in 2015-16 and 2014-15.

Character

Nystrom moved to Fort Collins, Colo., from Lulea, Sweden, and instantly impacted the program. Along with fellow Sweden native Elin Gustavsson, Nystrom will be counted on for her leadership qualities in 2016-17.

Community

Nystrom and the Colorado State women’s basketball team are heavily involved in the community. Nystrom and other members of the CSU women’s basketball program frequently read and spend time with students at local schools, and most recently helped incoming freshmen at CSU move into their new dorms.

Competition

Last season, Nystrom became the second player in CSU women’s basketball history to be named Mountain West Player of the Year, and she has been All-Mountain West and Mountain West All-Defensive all three seasons at CSU. Last season, Nystrom wrote her name in CSU’s record book in several places, most notably atop the Rams’ single-season assists list (186). Nystrom’s 2015-16 assists total broke the previous record held by CSU great Becky Hammon. Nystrom made the game-tying and game-winning free throws to help lift CSU past Fresno State in the Mountain West Tournament Championship, clinching the Rams’ first NCAA Tournament berth since 2002. The Rams have won the Mountain West regular-season title all three years Nystrom has been on the roster, marking the first time in conference history that a school has won the regular season title three straight years. Last season, CSU went 31-2 and 18-0 in conference play, marking the first time in conference history that a school has gone undefeated in conference play since the transition to an 18-game league schedule.