There is little doubt that the women’s basketball team has showed anything short of greatness in the past four years.
A majority of that greatness can be credited to seniors Ali Forde, Christina Salvatore and Connie Ballestero.
The trio have put together an impressive resume during their time at Idaho. The seniors have taken the program to incredible heights, including back-to-back NCAA tournament appearances and two Western Athletic Conference (WAC) championships.
However, it’s not just the team stats that stand out. All three girls have had remarkable careers that include both personal and school records.
Christina Salvatore came to the University of Idaho from California, and made an instant impact on the team. During her freshman year, she broke the school record for 3-pointers made in a season with 87.
She raised that number to 91 the following year. In the WAC semifinals against Chicago State, she tied her career best of six 3-pointers, which helped lead the team to the NCAA tournament.
As a junior, she achieved her first double-double against Sacramento State, and finished the year with 66 baskets.
As a senior, Salvatore scored 20 and 21 points in both games against North Dakota this season.
Salvatore’s teammate, Connie Ballestero, also joined the Vandals from California.
During her freshman year, Ballestero had 11 assists and no turnovers in a game against San Jose State. She also recorded 36 treys in her first season as a Vandal.
The next year against Mount Saint Mary’s, she recorded a career-high 17 points.
Several weeks later, she recorded 10 assists against Nevada. Her 4.4 assists a game ranked third in the WAC in 2013.
The following year, Ballestero continued to be an effective passer. As a junior, she recorded 3.2 assists per game, which was ranked 10th in the Big Sky.
Her superb ball control resulted in a 2.49 assist-turnover ratio, which was the best in the Big Sky Conference and 12th in the nation.
This year with Idaho, Ballestero scored 19 points against CSU-Northridge. She also had a season high 11 assists against Sacramento State on Senior Night, providing Idaho fans a reminder of why she will be missed.
Salvatore and Ballestero make up just two parts of a trio that has led the Vandals. Ali Forde has also been a fierce competitor and productive leader during her career at Idaho.
At 6-feet-2-inches, Forde uses her height to her advantage. During her freshman season, she had 15 rebounds against San Jose State. By the end of the year, she had blocked 61 shots, which is the sixth best for a single season in Vandal history.
Blocking became her specialty, as Forde set a WAC record for 1.8 blocks per game as a sophomore. She also began to perfect her shooting, which paid off in the WAC quarterfinals, where she recorded a perfect 7-7 in field goal shooting.
In 2015, Forde had the third most blocks in program history with 175. This year, she has totaled 186 rebounds, along with 54 blocks.
No matter the results of this season or the career paths of these athletes, the trio made a significant mark on the Vandal program and will be sorely missed next year.
Brandon Hill can be reached at [email protected]