Since she was in fifth grade, senior Ava Bergeson has dreamed of playing basketball in college.

She played soccer, softball, and track and field up to middle school, but she always knew that basketball was the sport that she wanted to pursue, having first started it when she was in first grade.

“At a young age, I realized I was pretty good at it,” Bergeson said. “Once I got involved in club basketball … I knew I could play at the competitive level.” 

Though she recognized her basketball capabilities early on, her dream of being a collegiate athlete didn’t seem achievable until her freshman year at La Salle, when she began receiving interest from schools.

“That’s when I was like, ‘oh …’ I can actually play at the next level,” she said. “I didn’t really think I could before that.”

One of the schools that reached out to Bergeson in her freshman year was the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV). 

Several years after her initial contact with the school, she has now committed to play Division I basketball for the Rebels, fulfilling her childhood dream of playing college basketball and joining The Falconer’s Next Level Seniors, a series highlighting athletes who have signed to play a sport at the collegiate level.

While Bergeson received seven official offers from schools due to her immense accomplishments at La Salle, she ultimately decided to continue her journey in Las Vegas this past June.

UNLV’s successful basketball program history, as well as Bergeson’s positive visit, set the school apart from the rest.

“When I visited, I really liked all the coaches and how they do things,” Bergeson said. UNLV let her meet all the players on her official visit, a unique aspect that she appreciated.

“Not all programs do that,” she said. “You don’t get to usually see all the players and meet all of them … I could just tell, it was different.” 

Though many talented student athletes find it difficult to decide on the right high school, for Bergeson, “it was always going to be La Salle,” she said.

“Generations of my family have gone [here], and I live really close as well,” she said.

After her freshman year, longtime girls varsity head coach Kelli Wedin departed, and Lucas Fiorante took the place of her role in Bergeson’s sophomore year.

Fiorante has not only been instrumental in Bergeson’s development as a player, but in her character off the court as well.

“He really cares about who we are as people,” Bergeson said. “It’s really helped to have that support system there when I need it.” 

Fiorante’s guidance, as well as the team’s tight-knit community, has made her experience at La Salle memorable.

Though her final season didn’t end as she would have wanted, with the Falcons being eliminated in the first round of playoffs, Bergeson’s senior night against Wilsonville was one of her favorite moments at La Salle.

The team, staff, and parents “went all out” for it, something that Bergeson found very touching, she said.

“They made the night really fun and memorable,” Bergeson said. “Lots of people showed up to the game to support us and watch us … It was just [another] realization of the community here and how supportive they are.”

The small-school environment is a big reason why Bergeson would recommend La Salle to any incoming student athletes. 

As La Salle is a smaller school, Bergeson feels that the school is able to focus a lot more on their student athletes as opposed to bigger schools in the Portland area.

“Everyone around you is always going to care about you and what you’re going through, helping you through balancing your school life and athletics at the same time,” she said. “You’ll get a lot of support if you come here — especially as a student athlete.”

Though Bergeson was supported as a student athlete, her club teams often have games in other states, and she has had to work hard to stay afloat in her classes.

“During club season, because we were traveling a lot, I was missing school,” she said. “That made it more difficult. It was just about catching up when I could, staying after school, going before school to [do] those assignments I missed.” 

Bergeson has also had to sacrifice “a lot of social aspects” in order to make progress in her athletic career, she said.

On the weekend of her junior prom, Bergeson had a basketball tournament in Las Vegas. She flew to Portland for prom night midway through the competition, before flying back to continue tournament play the next morning.

“That was a stressful weekend,” she said.

Despite club basketball often taking Bergeson away from home, she’s enjoyed her experience nonetheless. 

Bergeson played club basketball for NW Select from fourth grade up until high school before joining Team Kidd in California to play AAU basketball, which helped her to gain experience against tougher competition.

Though Bergeson had a lot of fun playing for La Salle, she described AAU as “a lot more competitive” than high school basketball. 

“There’s way more exposure,” she said. “That’s how you get seen by college coaches, and you get to travel across the country to play.” 

Bergeson’s head coach for Team Kidd, Alle Moreno, had a big impact on her journey.

Moving to a new team in California where she didn’t know anyone, Moreno helped Bergeson get acclimated to the new environment and new teammates.

“She definitely grew my game in multiple aspects,” Bergeson said. “She helped my shooting and my confidence.”

In the offseason, besides playing AAU and club basketball, Bergeson gets workouts in with her two trainers: one who helps her with strength and conditioning, and another for basketball-focused workouts. 

She has been with Mike Costello, her basketball-focused trainer, since middle school, and started training with her conditioning coach this past fall.

These training sessions help her prepare for the much more competitive, fast-paced style of play she expects to face in college.

“The rest of my game I feel will come to me,” Bergeson said regarding the transition. “I can shoot whenever I need to — that’s easy to work on —  but getting quicker and stronger [will be key]”

As Bergeson plays a sport nearly every day of the week, it can often be hard for her to stay motivated and keep pushing.

“There have definitely been moments where I feel really burnt out … I just want a break,” she said. “Especially during high school season … it’s [almost four months].”

After her high school season concludes, Bergeson then transitions almost immediately into her club season, leaving little time for a break.

“It’s tiring, but that’s the mental part of it,” she said. “I feel like a lot of other athletes deal with that too.”

However, Bergeson’s hard work over the years has ultimately proved its worth, and she has learned that “practice makes perfect.”

“All the workouts I put in … it hasn’t been for nothing,” she said. “It’s gotten me a full ride scholarship.” 

Just five days after her graduation, Bergeson will head down to UNLV for summer workouts and conditioning, though she does get to come back to Portland a few times throughout the summer before her first academic semester begins.

Bergeson is “excited” for her college journey at UNLV, where she will be majoring in sports broadcasting, and wants to be a sideline reporter for either football or basketball in the future.

Correction: Thursday, April 9, 2026

A previous version of this article incorrectly spelled head coach Alle Moreno’s name.