Stewart Signs with Minnesota North College Following Breakout Senior Season

MORIARTY — Moriarty High School senior Laura Stewart solidified her athletic future Wednesday, signing a National Letter of Intent to play basketball for Minnesota North College – Hibbing.

Stewart’s journey to the collegiate ranks is defined by a late-career surge that saw her statistics skyrocket between her junior and senior seasons. After dedicated offseason work, Stewart tripled both her scoring and rebounding outputs, finishing her final prep campaign averaging 7.7 points and 8.5 rebounds per game.

“I just spent a lot of time in the summers with Coach [John] Terry,” Stewart said. “Just in the gym with him, shooting and working on everything else. I don’t really know [the catalyst], I just knew I wanted to see how it goes.”

Moriarty girls varsity coach Jana Baguskis credited Stewart’s transformation to an unwavering work ethic, noting the senior was a fixture at 6:30 a.m. shooting sessions throughout the fall.

“She’s proof that if you put in the time and you’re passionate about it, that hard work is going to pay off,” Baguskis said. “She blossomed this year from kind of a timid basketball player to being a force.”

A Long-Term Passion

Basketball has been a constant for Stewart, who began playing the sport at four years old. While she spent several years as a multi-sport athlete—playing volleyball for two years and softball for three—basketball eventually became her sole focus.

“Basketball is my favorite sport,” Stewart said. “Some of my favorite memories are just going to Hot Springs in the summer with the team, staying at the hotel, and being in the pool. It was kind of a mini-vacation while we were working on basketball.”

Looking Toward the North

Stewart will join a Hibbing program located in the North Woods of Minnesota. While she hasn’t visited the campus yet—a trip is planned for spring break—she is prepared for the transition, even with the looming “culture shock” of a Minnesota winter.

“I know it’s very, very cold,” Stewart joked.

Beyond the court, Stewart has a clear academic path. A fan of anatomy classes in high school, she plans to pursue a nursing degree at the two-year college before transferring to complete her bachelor’s. “I want to get my RN and then eventually become an OR nurse,” she said.

Future Growth

Coach John Terry, a collegiate Hall of Famer who worked with Stewart through the “Work It Out” basketball program, believes the move to the junior college level is only the beginning.

“She’s going to be a great collegiate player,” Terry said. “She’ll have the best coaching that colleges have at that level and she’s got a bright future ahead.”

Stewart herself is open to the challenge of eventually moving to a larger four-year school as her skills continue to develop. When asked what advice she would give to younger players, she emphasized the importance of discipline over excitement.

“Just keep working hard and do what the coaches ask,” Stewart said. “Even if it’s something like a drill that doesn’t seem fun, it’ll help you in the end.”