WHEELING — One of Wheeling Park High School’s most celebrated girls’ basketball players has made her college choice.
Rising senior Alexis Bordas will attend NCAA Division I Duquesne University to pursue her academic and athletic ambitions. She shared her decision on social media on Saturday.
“Duquesne is perfect for me; I can’t think of anything negative about it,” said the 5’8″ Bordas on Sunday morning. “It meets every criterion: it’s a strong basketball program in a competitive conference, close to home, and the head coach is the winningest in school history. Plus, it’s a Catholic institution, which aligns with my values.”
Was the local aspect a significant factor in her choice?
“I’ve always said I’d consider schools far away. I wasn’t set on staying local, but ultimately, the proximity to home influenced my choice,” she explained. “Having my family at my games is important; they all come to support me.”
Bordas aimed to finalize her decision before her senior year began.
“I wanted to make my choice before the start of my senior season, ideally around August or September.”
A two-time West Virginia Gatorade Player of the Year and Mary Ostrowski Award recipient, Bordas also received Division I offers from several schools, including Youngstown State and Xavier.
“Playing at the Division I level has been a dream since middle school. I’ve always wanted to compete at the highest level, and once I started playing in high-level UAA tournaments, I focused on D-I,” she said. “Competing in UAA definitely paid off; many Division I coaches came to watch my games, including those from Duquesne.”
The Dukes compete in the Atlantic 10 Conference and are led by Dan Burt, who holds the record for most wins in Duquesne history. This marks his 12th season with the team.
After achieving her primary goal of winning a West Virginia state championship, Bordas will begin her senior year with a new group of teammates. The Patriots lost three players to graduation, one transferred, and fellow senior Lala Woods, who committed to the University of Maine, suffered a season-ending injury.
“Our goal is always to win a state championship,” Bordas emphasized. “I want us to go as far as possible. This season will be different, but I believe we can succeed again. Personally, I hope to break the all-time scoring record and reach 2,000 career points, but team goals come first.”
Entering her senior year, Bordas has scored 1,815 career points, along with 440 rebounds and 266 three-pointers, including a program-record 99 last season.
She credits her success to a strong support system.
“I’m grateful to my parents for their sacrifices, especially considering I have many siblings. They’ve always driven me to practices and games,” she said. “Thanks also to my high school and AAU coaches, my trainers, and teammates for pushing me every day, and to the community for their support.”
Wheeling Park head coach Ryan Young expressed his appreciation for coaching Bordas.
“Alexis is the ideal player; she does everything right,” he remarked. “Her talent comes from the hard work she puts in. Other players see that and respond, which is why we excel. While we were winning before she and Lala joined, they elevated our game to another level.”
Bordas recently won a national UAA title with the West Virginia Thunder 17U team.
Though she hasn’t decided on her major yet, her ultimate goal is to become a surgeon. She will join Brooke alum Angela Staffileno as the second female player from the Ohio Valley to attend Duquesne.
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