Stephanie Kostowicz has played basketball on both sides of the Atlantic. Overseas, she has won a championship in Germany, saved a team from relegation in Hungary and been named the center of the year in Greece. As an undersized 5, the 6-foot-2 Kostowicz overpowers her rivals using the core strength she developed as a track athlete. Her heart, however, is in Wisconsin, where she’s from and where she returns every offseason.
As she’s about to embark on another season in Europe and add Czechia to her resume, we were able to talk to her about her career so far.
Let’s start with your heritage. Your surname sounds Polish.
My great grandfather was from… [tries to pronounce Grudziądz but gives up] I’m going to butcher it anyway. It’s like an hour from [successfully pronounces Bydgoszcz]. Gosh, I knew that from when I played there. There’s actually a bit more German in my blood than Polish, but yeah, obviously I have a bit of Polish in me.
Growing up in in Wisconsin, how were you introduced to the game of basketball? And what was the basketball culture like in Wisconsin when you were a kid?
I started kind of late, when I was 12 or so. I have three older sisters and I wanted to do everything that they did,…
