Paige Baechle Gallas (34) led Division III in double-doubles her senior season in 2013-14.
Paige Baechle Gallas was the NCAA Division III leader in double-doubles for the 2013-14 season with 26 in 28 games and that accomplishment is a big reason she will be inducted into the Centre College Athletics Hall of Fame this weekend.
“I am really looking forward to it,” said Gallas. “It’s the 10-year anniversary of(of her graduating class) so I will have my roommate and a few good friends that played football and soccer there. My family obviously will be there along with my husband’s family. I am excited about getting to show my kids around campus and see all the updates myself.”
The Gallatin, Tenn., native finished her Centre career with 1,471 points and 842 rebounds. She’s the fourth leading scorer in program history and the all-time rebounding leader. Gallas played in 109 games in her four season and started 59 straight games her junior and senior seasons. During the 2013-14 season she averaged 18.5 points, 11.3 rebounds, 1.5 steals and 1.5 assists per game and shot 48.1 percent from the field.
“Going into the Hall of Fame is the ultimate honor,” Gallas said. “When I found out, I was shocked and flattered. I was literally jumping up and down screaming and my kids (ages 3 years old and 7 months) were looking at me like, ‘What happened?’
“I am so honored and humbled. I remember the teammates and coaches and the people I spent time around. We were just a big family. Certainly I remember the big games and being conference champion but I also remember the funny times on the bus for weekend trips or at meals. There are so many great memories.”
Centre coach Wendie Austin remembers Gallas not only as an intense competitor but also possibly the hardest worker she’s ever coached. Austin still marvels at the hours Gallas spent working on her game during the summer before her senior year.
“I spent a lot of time shooting. I had an internship and shadowed a PA (physician’s assistant) in town and did extra hours for class, so there was a lot of work that summer,” Gallas said. “I also had to learn to adjust to being a leader and not having the great team leaders we had in the past.”
Gallas said her work ethic did make it possible for her to lead the nation in double-doubles her senior year even if she was not aware of it until her father told her.
“He was stressed after one game when I just missed a double-double and told me I was leading the nation,” she said. “I don’t remember ever having that many double-doubles in high school and really didn’t know I was leading the nation until my father told me.”
Gallas lives in Lexington now with her husband, Ryan, a former Centre football player, and two children. He’s in sales and she is a physician’s assistant.
She admits she remains as competitive as ever today and knows she can always do better no matter what she is doing.
“That’s always been a big part of me and still is,” the former Centre player said.
Gallas and her husband “feed our competitive spirit” with indoor sand volleyball and bowling.
“I did get him an indoor basketball goal for his birthday,” she said. “We do have a little competition. He can’t outshoot me but he can outmuscle me. But we have fun competing.”
