How Bellarmine women's basketball's Gracie Merkle is taking over ASUN in her freshman year

Bellarmine women’s basketball coach Chancellor Dugan scouts the entire country for talent, but she found the Knights’ newest star in her own backyard.

"I've never seen hands like she has," Dugan said of freshman center Gracie Merkle. "You get it anywhere close and she's going to catch it. Along with that, she's got really good footwork. I think those things you put together, it makes a special post player."

The former Bullitt East High School basketball standout has made an immediate impact for the Knights in her freshman season. The 6-foot-6 forward leads the team in points per game (15.4), rebounds (11.0) and total blocks (51), but Dugan isn’t surprised by the freshman phenom’s dominance.

“I’ve seen her since she was 13 years old,” Dugan said. “I’ve seen her progress all throughout high school, and we knew that we had something special this summer. When she’s on the floor it just makes such a difference. It doesn’t even matter if she’s getting the ball.”

'He’s really irreplaceable':Soccer community mourns death of DeSales High coach Lee Smith

Playing 30 minutes away in Mt. Washington, Merkle stayed on Dugan’s radar all throughout high school. Merkle was ranked the No. 2 player in the state in the 2022 class and won a host of awards — like the 2021 Courier Journal Player of the Year — while leading the Chargers to three straight Sixth Region championships.

Merkle was heavily recruited out of high school and originally committed in August 2021 to Miami (Ohio). But in November 2021 she flipped to Bellarmine to be closer to home, Bullitt East coach Chris Stallings said at the time.

"I'm a family person, so being 30 minutes away from my house is great because I can go home whenever I want a home-cooked meal or anything," Merkle said. "Having the community support around Bellarmine and Mt. Washington where they can come watch has been great. ... It's been the best decision so far."

Despite Merkle's fast start on the court, her transition to college basketball posed some challenges.

She said she was quiet and reserved at first and took time to warm up to her teammates and coaches. But Merkle has come out of her shell in the months since arriving on campus and enjoys the bond she has with her teammates. She also likes messing with Dugan when she gets the chance.

Kentucky Girls Basketball Media Poll:Sacred Heart No. 1, new team in rankings

"I'm not a person that really lets people in easily, so I had to get used to Coach Dugan," Merkle said. "But once I got used to (the coaches) I don't shut up around them. I mess with them all the time. I'll go behind coach's back, poke a shoulder and walk the other way. I'm just trying to have fun playing the game that I love."

She also had to adjust to the physicality. In high school, Merkle was accustomed to dominating everyone inside, but she found out fast that it wouldn't be that easy in college.

"I said, 'Yeah this is definitely different,'" Merkle said. "I didn't really think it wasn't going to be this physical, but then playing those big teams (like LSU or Kentucky), even though we didn't win we still battled."

The Knights (7-15) with Merkle in the paint have made strides after winning just four games a year ago. Bellarmine won three games in a row in mid-January, including a 66-54 win over Jacksonville in which Merkle exploded for 29 points and 24 rebounds. The Knights play again Thursday at Jacksonville State trying to snap a two-game skid.

Nominate today!Kentuckiana High School Sports Awards Courage Award nominations accepted until Feb. 24

Merkle's play isn't just noticed at home. She's put the entire Atlantic Sun Conference on notice. She's won the ASC Freshman of the Week award six times and the Player of the Week award on three occasions, and in January she scored 10 or more points in eight of nine games, averaging 21.5 points and 15 rebounds during the month.

"I always got told I could do big things, but I never really knew this is what I was going to do," Merkle said. "Just seeing all the accomplishments and the team accomplishments, it's just great."

Follow Courier Journal reporter J.L. Kirven on Twitter @JL_Kirven for more updates on Louisville prep sports.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Bellarmine women's basketball's Gracie Merkle shining as freshman