Not bad for a basketball player.

While Ada Anderson was filling out applications for a track scholarship during her senior year in high school, a friend from her hometown of Roseau, Minn., called ISU women’s basketball coach Bill Fennelly to recommend she be given a scholarship. Because of Terry Taylor, father of former ISU basketball player Megan Taylor, Anderson came to Iowa State on a basketball scholarship.

“I was going to go to run track, and Megan Taylor’s dad said ‘Well hold up, I’m going to talk to the basketball coach,'” Anderson said.

“That’s how I got involved with Iowa State, that’s how I even heard of it.”

The rest is history, as Anderson rediscovered her love of track during the outdoor season of her freshman year, and decided to make it her full-time sport.

This weekend, the senior will be competing in her third-straight NCAA Indoor Championships in Fayetteville, Ark.

Anderson also competed in the NCAA Outdoor Championships last year, and will be trying to become an All-American for the third time.

“She’s a very consistent racer – she’s one you know when she steps on the track she’s going to give it her all,” said head coach Dick Lee. “She’s put on some good strong solid performances and improvement from year to year.”

The secret to Anderson’s success may simply be her work ethic, said Scott Roberts, sprints, hurdles and multi-events coach.

“She’s been tremendous – the hardest worker I’ve ever had probably,” Roberts said. “She’s one of the kids you can look to and see what it takes to be successful.”

Not only is Anderson a very good athlete, but – according to her coaches – she’s a great teammate, as well.

“She’s a team captain, she pulls for the other athletes and she’s been great to this program – a real leader,” Roberts said.

Anderson’s love for track really took off after her sophomore year of high school, when she won the Minnesota state championship in the 800-meter run.

“That’s when I started saying ‘Wow, I actually really like track,'” Anderson said.

“I started realizing I had potential – my love for it just became stronger and stronger.”

The passion intensified when Anderson sat out the indoor season during her sophomore year at Iowa State.

“The year off just made me realize how much I just wanted to come back, and I proved to myself I could just work hard and be All-American,” Anderson said.

As Anderson competes for All-American status for a third time, she acknowledged what being a three-time All-American would mean.

“I would consider it a blessing and an honor,” Anderson said. “All-American is an awesome title, it’s awesome to work for that. It means a lot, it’s one of the highest accolades you can get in this sport.

“It’s kind of like all your hard work pays off to consider yourself an All-American.”

Although this is her fourth trip to an NCAA Championship, Anderson said this year is a little different.

“I think I’m realizing this is it as far as collegiate experience,” Anderson said.

“I’m not looking at it like I’m sad, but I’m excited. I need to leave it all out there. I just keep raising the bar for myself, pushing myself.”

No matter how she does at the championships, Roberts said he knows Anderson is leaving big shoes to fill.

“She’ll be a real loss for us when she goes at the end of the year,” Roberts said.