Last year, she reached a crossroad and informed VanDerveer that she couldn't do it anymore; she wouldn't be wearing a Cardinal basketball jersey come December.

As much as the Stanford coach hated the idea of a player missing a practice, let alone three months of the season, VanDerveer couldn't lose Folkl. The Stanford Coach had no choice, but to ask her sixth man to reconsider her decision. By Feb. 17, Folkl was back on the basketball court, and by post-season time she was averaging more than 12 points and eight rebounds per game.

With that turbulent 1996-97 season by the wayside, Folkl entered her junior year witha newfound balance between the two sports. Thisunderstanding with VanDerveer and her acceptanceof her role has enabled Folkl to develop into thenation's most dominating sixth woman.

University of Washington Head Coach JuneDaugherty has seen her fair share of Folkl thisseason. In the Huskies' two regular season lossesagainst the Cardinal, Folkl netted a total of 62points.

"I think we need to have Kristin [Folkl]checked," Daugherty said following her team's90-70 loss against Stanford. "I don't believeshe's one of us. I think she's from Mars orsomewhere because that girl flat out gets up.She's amazing."

She is indeed one of the few women incollegiate basketball who can legitimately dunk,and it is no surprise that she is also the onlynon-starter who has been nominated for the Playerof the Year Award.

This season in particular, Folkl's immediateimpact was unparalleled. After seven Folkl-lessgames, Stanford was off to one of its most dismalstarts in recent memory, posting a 3-4 record.

Since volleyball season ended, however, theCardinal, with Folkl coming off the bench, hasbeen on a 19-1 clip.

In addition, it took little time for Folkl toemerge as Stanford's primary offensive weapon,averaging 18.9 points per game with an astounding69.5 field-goal percentage.

"I think that part of it has to do with focus;knowing that when you shoot you are going to gethit in the air and maintaining focus on thebasket," said the 6'2 Folkl. "And as much as I kidabout it, I think it has a lot to do with being soclose to the basket. I feel that probably 50 to 60percent of my shots are somewhat uncontestedlay-ups."

Those crucial points and those precious gimmebaskets from Folkl are now a thing of the pastsince her knee injury has proven to beseason-ending.

Nygaard has already decided to post-pone herknee surgery until after the season, and willattempt to play in the Tournament if Stanfordsurvives its first-round game against Harvard onSaturday. For Nygaard, however, the decision wassimple. She is a fifth-year senior, playing in herfinal post-season. In one month, surgery willstill be an option; the Tournament will not.

"There is an opportunity for me to play and tocontribute to my team, so I can't pass that up,"Nygaard said. "I didn't really think twice aboutsitting out and protecting my knee. I am a seniorand a captain of this team."

Folkl, on the other hand, is only a junior, andshe still harbors realistic dreams of playing bothbasketball and volleyball after her college years.

But with the news of the severity of herinjury, the decision has been taken out of herhands.

Two days ago, the worst injury Kristin Folklhad ever endured was a broken pinkie. When she wasasked if she could envision herself in Nygaard'splace, Folkl joked, "You're jinxing me," unawareof the irony that would soon befall her.The Folkl File