NAMPA, Idaho – Kaitie Merritt had been identified as a basketball player her entire life.

She played it fall, winter, spring and summer.

When it came time to play sports in college, Merritt naturally chose … track?

The Twin Falls, Idaho native was headed to Great Falls College in Montana on a track and field scholarship when the coach who recruited her resigned. She was then offered a scholarship to NNU and despite not knowing much about the school accepted.

"Everyone knew me as a basketball player in high school," she said. "I spent so much time playing basketball and being a basketball player. I wanted to pursue something else, so I could prove I could be something else. I really enjoyed track."

But the siren song of basketball was strong for Merritt.

After NNU played one exhibition basketball game her freshman year, she walked on to the team.

"I think I got burnt out in high school because it was all I did," she said, "but I was missing it."

It wasn't easy for Merritt. She rarely played her first two years and when new head coach Steve Steele – her third head coach in three years – took over before her junior year there were no guarantees things would change.

"I knew nothing about her," said Steele, who started at NNU after the school year began in 2016. "She hardly played. Everybody told me I needed to look for a point guard as my first order of business, but I was more than pleasantly surprised at how capable she has been.

"She is just smart. I think she is one of the more cerebral players I've ever coached. I think she does a great job advocating between the coaching staff and the players."

Merritt will play her final two regular season home games this weekend as NNU (20-3 overall, 16-2 GNAC) hosts No. 4 Alaska Anchorage on Thursday and Alaska on Saturday. Both games are at 7 p.m.

A scorer in high school, Merritt is a pass first point guard with the Nighthawks. She averaged just 1.7 points per game her first three seasons, but was nationally ranked last year in assists to turnover ratio.

"She literally grew into our point guard overnight," senior Lexi Tubbs said. "She just went from being there when a line of people fouled out to being our go-to girl. I think she has grown into the position amazingly."

Part of that growing process was developing an outside shot for her senior season. She had always had the ability to score, but she had lost confidence in that shot.

She worked hard over the summer and while she still is only averaging 4.0 points per game this year, she has had four games with at least eight points and has routinely hit big 3-pointers against top conference competition when the moment is right.

"I wanted to work on being someone who could be a threat," she said. "I like to shoot the shot. I don't feel like it's a pressure situation. I feel like if I'm open, I'll take the shot."

Merritt started playing basketball as a youngster in Twin Falls. She was coached early on by her dad, Bill, and played AAU ball in the Treasure Valley. The two bonded over the sport and have a special relationship because of it. Both he and Merritt's mom, Michele, travel to Nampa for every home game.

"Basketball is something that really bonded us as father and daughter," she said. "It's been really sweet to have him watch me play in college.

"I miss the atmosphere (of track and field), but I love basketball. It is amazing how it all worked out coming here."