Lady Bruins basketball started up with humble beginnings at St. Bede Academy in 1982-83. The only basketball experience any of the 14 girls had before was playing in the backyard with their brothers and watching the boys’ games.

They were fast-learners, winning nine games that very first year with only five defeats. They started a winning tradition which 30 years later has netted the Lady Bruins the 500th victory in the history of the program. That came Monday 40-32 over Dakota at the Byron MLK Invite.

“It’s nice to see that the 500th victory came during the 30th season of the program,” said former coach Don Carlson, the granddaddy of the Lady Bruins, who started up the program in the early ‘80s.