Bridgewater Alum Playing on the Biggest Stage

Last year at this time, Bridgewater senior Kristen Helmstetter was just finishing an illustrious career for the girl’s basketball team—and as the NCAA Tournament approached, all she could do was watch the games on TV and fill out a bracket.

Now, a freshman at Princeton, she will have the opportunity to play in the same tournament about which many young basketball players can only dream.

The Princeton women’s basketball team will play in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Sunday when the 12th seeded Tigers take on the Georgetown Hoyas, the fifth seed in the Philadelphia region.

Only a freshman, Helmstetter is still a role player for the Ivy League school. Although she was one of Bridgewater’s all time great players, she said she understands that she has a lot of work to do to reach those same feats at the Division I level.

“I didn’t have that many expectations coming into the season,” she said. “I just wanted to come in and contribute in any way that I could. The girls at Princeton have been really great because they are all selfless and we all want each other to excel. It’s a great environment to be in.”

For many student athletes, the transition from high school to college can be a difficult one. Helmstetter has needed to stay level-headed, while also keeping her competitive drive to get the playing time she feels she deserves.

“The biggest transition is being around other people who are just as dedicated as you are,” Helmstetter said. “You really need to put in the extra effort to compete with them because they are all amazing players who are also trying to get on the court.”

“My experience at Bridgewater has also helped me get used to life at Princeton,” she added. “At Bridgewater, our team was such a great group of girls, and we had so much fun. Being at a school where there’s so much pressure to perform academically and athletically, I just go back to my previous experiences and just try to have fun. I’m just trying to enjoy myself while staying relaxed.”

Helmstetter has had a solid rookie campaign for Princeton entering the tournament. After missing games in the beginning of the season due to illness, she ended up playing in 15 games, while averaging 4.1 points and 2.2 rebounds per game. 

In a March 8 game against Pennsylvania, Helmstetter set career-highs in points (16), field goals attempted (10) and field goals made (6).

Success for Helmstetter at the next level has not come as a surprise for many, including her former coaches. 

Bridgewater assistant coach Bob McGinley coached Helmstetter during her senior season at Bridgewater. He said he knew she would excel at whatever she wanted to do after her graduation from Bridgewater-Raritan.

“Kristen was definitely the leader of the team,” he said. “She caused a lot of matchup problems for other teams because of her height and her ability handling the ball. The other girls on the team definitely looked up to her because of her exceptional attitude on and off the court.”

“Kristen is a very gifted athlete and student,” he added. “She exemplifies what you need to have on and off the court. The other coaches and I never doubted that she would be able to succeed at the next level. She has the talent to do it and she definitely has the smarts to get into Princeton. It is just an honor to see her performing well at the next level.”

Besides playing college athletics, Helmstetter has to balance the demanding academic standards that come with attending Princeton. Like any other incoming freshman, she said she has had to learn how to balance the craziness that is college.

“Princeton is obviously known for its high academic standards,” she said. “It’s been hectic at times, but it’s been quite an experience. It has really taught me time management balancing school work with athletics.”

Now, Helmstetter and her teammates have the opportunity to do something that many people can only dream of doing. She said she realizes that the opportunity to play in the NCAA tournament may not come again and cherishing the moment is vital.

“It has been a crazy experience so far,” she said. “Most people don’t get the opportunity to play in the NCAA tournament. To come in as a freshman and to be a part of a team that is repeating the same thing as last year has been amazing. As a team, I think we’re just going to go in and play our hearts out and do what we have to do.”

Her former coach felt the same way and had keen words of advice for his former star player.

“I had a chance to text her while I was watching the selection show for the NCAA tournament,” McGinley said. “I told her to enjoy this moment because you never know if this will happen again. I wished her the best of luck, and I’m sure she’s really excited to be on the big stage.”

All that’s left now for the freshman forward and her teammates is to defy the odds and come up with the upset win in Maryland.

“This has been a dream of mine since I was a kid,” Helmstetter said. “When I was younger, I may not have thought that this would be accomplishable. Now that I’m in this position, it is really a dream come true. To do it with this group of girls and all the other people involved has been a great experience.”