Mother-daughter duo at La Salle Prep look to capture another state basketball title

MILWAUKIE, Ore. (KPTV) - In this High School Spotlight, FOX 12 highlights longtime La Salle Prep coach Kelli Wedin who sees her third daughter come through the program.

Kelli is just a mom living in the moment on Senior Night at La Salle Prep in Milwaukie.

“We have a really special senior group this year, and every year we do and every year I cry like a baby,” Kelli said.

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Coach Wedin is in her 12th season coaching the Falcons and the last of her three baby birds.

“It’s been a really unique situation and it’s a special situation,” she said.

Ella Wedin, a 1,000-point career scorer, is the final Wedin kid to soon flee the nest.

“I have grown a lot as a mom/coach over the years and I am still pretty hard on Ella, but I think I am probably softer on her than I was on Taycee and Addi... she might not agree,” Kelli said.

“I don’t think so but I don’t know, but I was pretty young when Taycee was here, so I don’t really remember but she definitely balances out the compliments with the criticism so it’s not too awful,” said Ella.

Taycee, 22, is in her last season at Saint Mary’s, the same spot as Addi who is in her second season with the Gaels.

“It was definitely really competitive when we were little. We would always play outside in the front yard and we’d get yelled at by our parents because we’d get in arguments,” Ella said.

Having that fight is the Wedin way. Mom and dad are both Franklin High School class of 1990 grads. Kelli went on to hoop at University of Portland and University of Nevada, Reno.

“I love the game of basketball, period. I am just very passionate about it and just to have that commonality with myself and my three daughters, it’s just such a blessing,” said Kelli. “I think it’s very unique and I just love that we can share that together.”

“The Brick Oven” has been the Wedin’s home away from home.

“We have been in this gym countless hours growing up. I got this job when Taycee was in 7th grade, Ella was in 2nd grade, Addi in 4th grade, and we just were here all the time,” she said.

State Champions in 2015, 2017, 2019, Ella hasn’t played at Gill Coliseum since the 5A tournament was shutdown ahead of the semifinals as the youngest Wedin was a freshman in March of 2020.

“I can’t get over that. I still have a chip on my shoulder about that,” Kelli said.

Ella and her 3.5 GPA have committed to play at Loyola Marymount.

“I want to go into product design, so LA is a really good spot for that, and obviously being in LA is really cool and everything I was looking for was there and I am really, really excited,” Ella said.

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So what will mom and dad do next year with an empty nest?

“I don’t know. Travel a lot to see our kids play hoops? I am always like, ‘Let’s get a little Sprinter van and just go and embarrass the girls and pull up,’” Kelli said.

Between them, the Wedin girls have three state titles at La Salle Prep, and Ella would love nothing more than to make it four in 2023.

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