PITTSFIELD, Mass. – When seven former players were enshrined in the Berkshire County High School Girls Basketball Hall of Fame on Saturday, their numerous accomplishments were chronicled.

 

Not surprisingly, some of their crowning achievements – 1,000th career points, Berkshire County MVPs and all-Western Massachusetts recognitions – came in their junior and senior years of high school.

 

Then, there was Pittsfield High graduate Dasen Woitkowski.

 

“Desan played varsity her freshman and sophomore years, missing all of her junior year and half of her senior year with an ACL injury” Hall of Fame Board member John Vosburgh related. “Going through her bio, if she hadn’t gotten hurt, her statistics would have been off the charts.”

 

Instead, Woitkowski showed off the charts resilience and dedication to the sport.

 

Overcoming her high school setbacks, Woitkowski went on to score more than 1,000 career points at Smith College, where she was a two-sport athlete and was named the school’s Athlete of the year in 2003 and ‘04 before playing semi-pro basketball in Denmark.

 

“Today, we celebrate not just an athlete but a testament to what it means to persevere, to rise after fall and to never let adversity define your story,” Woitkowski’s sister Jaclyn said of Desan. “Grit, resilience, perseverance and humility explain, perfectly, Desan Woitkowski. They are the foundation of her journey.