(Most of this story originally ran on Aug. 26 when Karst announced she would sign with UVA-Wise)

Harlan County senior guard Ella Karst has decided where she will continue her basketball career on the next level. 
Karst announced Thursday that she has committed to play at the University of Virginia-Wise. Karst was four-year starter at point guard for the Lady Bears.
“I chose UVA-Wise because coach (Jamie) Cluesman was the first to reach out and was interested in me. After I went on my visit in the spring, I knew it was going to be the best fit for me,” Karst said. “You just see how close the players and the coaching staff were and that’s what I wanted. It felt like a family. I thought the campus was beautiful and it’s close to my family.”
Karst led Harlan County to a 22-10 record as a junior and a runner-up finish in the 52nd District Tournament as she averaged 19.4 points and 3.4 rebounds per game. Karst was named the 13th Region player of the year this season as she scored 28 points per game while pulling down 4.2 rebounds for the 16-14 Lady Bears.
“Ella possesses all the elements you look for in an athlete,” said Anthony Nolan, who coached Karst the past four seasons and recently stepped down after four seasons as coach. “She has determination, discipline, toughness, dedication, and she loves to compete. It has been an honor to work with her through her high school years, and I am incredibly proud of all she accomplished during her career at HC. I look forward to following her career at UVA Wise and expect her to make an immediate impact on their program.”
Karst finished with 2.313 points at HCHS to finish second in school history behind Blair Green. Karst scored 2,826 points in her high school career, including two years at Harlan in junior high, to finish second behind Harlan’s Jordan Brock for the overall county scoring record.