By Matt Browning

Emily Hansen, a basketball player at Republic County, was chosen as the American Family Insurance Athlete of the Month for March. Hansen has been a leader for an extremely young Buffaloes team this season.

Hansen averaged seven points, four assists and two steals per game.

“It is no secret that our season has been rough, as we have just eight players and are a very young team,” Hansen said. “With two juniors, two sophomores and four freshmen, it’s been my job to step up and be a leader for our team.”

With so much inexperience, Hansen, who is a point guard, plays most of the game for Republic County. Because of that, she has had to develop toughness.

“I would describe myself as mentally and physically powerful,” Hansen said. “I am also a very competitive person, so losing is hard for me But I’ve learned a lot this year about working as a team, being a leader, and overcoming obstacles.”

Besides basketball, Hansen also plays volleyball and runs track for Republic County. She is also the drum major during marching band season and plays the saxophone during concert band season. She is a member of nearly every club at Republic County while maintaining a 4.0 GPA.

While things could change, Hansen plans to attend Kansas State and study to be a physician’s assistant.