Rachelle Eckman, Class of 2009.

[BlueKeyAlum]

Bison pick up first verbal for 2009. Welcome Rachelle Eckmann out of St. James, Minnesota!!

She's out of the Minnesota Stars AAU program: Incoming frosh Tessa Wilka, Amy Kallemyn, and Whitney Trekker all competed for that program as well.

[lakesbison]

sweet!! starting early.. whats up with that 6'2' girl from Winona???

[sambini]

[QUOTE=BlueKeyAlum;135793]Bison pick up first verbal for 2009. Welcome Rachelle Eckmann out of St. James, Minnesota!!

She's out of the Minnesota Stars AAU program: Incoming frosh Tessa Wilka, Amy Kallemyn, and Whitney Trekker all competed for that program as well.[/QUOTE WELCOME Rachelle++++++++++++

[onbison09]

We got one over the almighty Jacks. Way to go Bison!!!

[BlueKeyAlum]

The forum says that Rachelle had taken an official visit to Creighton, had an offer from North Florida, and was also looking at SDSu and Ball State.

Now, I'm never certain how much emphasis should be put into whether a recruit was being wooed by other schools because that is a two way street and while a recruit may be looking at another school seriously, the opposite might not be true....and vice versa.

That said, I'm glad that recent recruits coming NDSU way are interested in Ball State, Colorado State, New Mexico as opposed to Minnesota State - Moorhead, winona State, and Bemidji.

[mn-bison]

Are recruits able to sign in November for only the next year (2008), or can Eckman sign for 2 years down the road???

[BlueKeyAlum]

The earliest she can sign in November 2008.

[BlueKeyAlum]

The following sentiments were expressed on gbbrecruit:

"THANK YOU MESSAGE
Rachelle Eckmann and Family sends a personal thank you to Scott Antl and Marcus Wilhelm for the hours of time that they put into the Minnesota Stars Program and working with all their Kids. "They are two great up and coming coaches, their leadership and guidance is priceless.""

[BlueKeyAlum]

A recruiting assist to Joe Chapman.

http://www.in-forum.com/Sports/articles/176492

[tcbison]

A recruiting assist to Joe Chapman.

http://www.in-forum.com/Sports/articles/176492

Very nice! President Chapman continues to amaze.

[BlueKeyAlum]

Rachelle has been named to the Minnesota Stars Elite 16/17 team.

http://www.minnesotastars.org/2008%20Minnesota%20Stars%20Rosters.htm

Congrats Rachelle.

[sambini]

Congrats to Rachelle+++

[BlueKeyAlum]

Rachelle has 21 points and 9 boards in St. James first game of the season.

http://www.stjamesnews.com/articles/2007/11/30/sports/sports2.txt

[Jacks#1Fan]

We got one over the almighty Jacks. Way to go Bison!!!

Sounds like a good get...but just to set the record straight...SDSU got verbals from it's top three prospects which fills out our 2009 team...we never offered, nor did I hear of the prospect that verballed NDSU. Katie Lingle, 6-3 center from Pierre verballed in August. Steph Paluch, Pierre guard and teammate, and Tara Heiser, Watertown guard, have also verballed. All three are juniors and will join the team in the fall of 2009.

We are also full for next year, as all three spots have been filled for 2008 with signees, Vanessa Johnson 5-9, of West Central (SD), considered the best guard coming out of South Dakota this winter (and by some ranked as the best guard in the Midwest - she verballed SDSU 15 months ago; Cara Westergard, 6-2 center from Charles City, Iowa, and Jennie Sunnarborg, 6-2 forward from Osseo, MN.

So we have no more scholarships for 2008 or 2009.

[sambini]

Thanks for the info Jacks sounds like you folks are just reloading++

[BlueKeyAlum]

Review of two games from Rachelle this past week. In the one loss, whe came just shy of a triple double.


http://www.stjamesnews.com/articles/2008/01/02/sports/sports2.txt

[onbison09]

Thanks for the info Jacks sounds like you folks are just reloading++
Tradition never graduates down in Brookings. My post wasn't meant as a slam by any means. Nothing but respect for the lady Jacks. They are where we want to be.

[BlueKeyAlum]

Rachelle update.

http://www.stjamesnews.com/articles/2008/01/16/sports/sports3.txt

[sambini]

Thanks Blue Key for the link.

[BlueKeyAlum]

Rachelle's site from gprep:

http://www.gprep.net/204rankings_eckmann_rachelle.html

This is a really cool site that has quite a bit of info about Minnesota kids.

http://www.gprep.net/

[90BISON]

Tradition never graduates down in Brookings. My post wasn't meant as a slam by any means. Nothing but respect for the lady Jacks. They are where we want to be.

Kind of a sad statement if you consider where the Bison women's program has been in the past.:smh:

[BlueKeyAlum]

Rachelle just scored her 1000th careeer point.

She averages almost 16.8 points and 13.6 boards a game.

[sambini]

Congrats to Rachelle++++

[green n gold]

I'm kind of surprised the Bison havent looked at JR Nicole Smart from ada-borup. She's a great all around player. Everytime I see her play I'm more and more impressed with her. She's going to play D1 somewhere. I would think that a player like this right in NDSU's back yard would at least get a look. She just scored her 2,000th point on thursday.
gpreps have her ranked in the top 10 for the class of 2009. They have Eckman ranked 17th. they would make a great combo

http://www.gprep.net/200rankings.html
http://www.gprep.net/204rankings_smart_nicole.html

[lakesbison]

moorhead state or crookston.. probably, not D1

[green n gold]

moorhead state or crookston.. probably, not D1
From what I have heard she has 1 D-1 offer already and a least 2 other D1 schools have been calling her.

[NorCalJack]

Well it looks like you added to the 2009 class today.


North Dakota State University Women’s Basketball Team has a new verbal from Canada. Danielle DeGagne (http://www.basketballmanitoba.ca/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1295) is a 5-10 wing that has been tearing up Canada the last three years. Danielle is from Brandon, Manitoba Canada. Danielle plays her High School Basketball at Crocus Plains (http://www.wheatcityjournal.ca/news_item.aspx?news_id=2940) Regional Secondary School, (The Plains Plainsman). They have made Four Tournaments at which Danielle has been a ALL Star 2 times, MVP 2 times including MVP at Provincial Championships. Along with receiving Female Athlete of the Year both her Sophomore and Junior years. Danielle has put up some very nice numbers, 18.6 points per game, 10 rebounds per game and 5.4 assists per game, concluding with 5.7 steals per game.
DeGagne made the All Manitoba (http://www.basketballmanitoba.ca/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=490&Itemid=316) team last year.


You can read the whole story here (http://gbbrecruit.blogspot.com/).

[BlueKeyAlum]

Rachelle had 12 points as St. James kicked off the season with an OT 71-70 win over Jackson County Central. The 12 points were all on 3 pointers.

http://www.stjamesnews.com/articles/2008/12/03/sports/sports1.txt

[BlueKeyAlum]

Tough week for St. james.

After a season opening overtime win, the Saints split two games this past week.

Rachelle had 18 points and 5 boards in a one point loss to Blue Earth.

In a 63-46 win at Mountain Lake Butterfield, Rachelle had 11 points and 5 boards.

[BlueKeyAlum]

Ouch.

Rachelle will miss several weeks due to an ankle injury.

http://www.stjamesnews.com/articles/2009/01/21/sports/sports2.txt

Get well, Rachelle.

[BlueKeyAlum]

Rachelle is back in action and almost pulled off a triple double.

http://www.stjamesnews.com/articles/2009/02/19/sports/sports1.txt

[Elephants Dream?]

I believe Ms. Eckman and Ms. Beck attended the game
on Saturday night vs. the Jacks.

[Kermit]

I believe Ms. Eckman and Ms. Beck attended the game
on Saturday night vs. the Jacks.

Thank goodness that they'd already signed LOI's. Not a pretty picture for a potential recruit--unless they are looking for immediate playing time. That reminds me of a time many years ago when my parents took my brother and I to a Minnesota Twins game. My brother was probably about 7 years old. After the game, he announced that he was going to play for the Twins. My dad asked why, and my brother said, "because they sure need a lot of help." ;)

[roadwarrior]

What high school athlete doesn't want immediate playing time?

[Kermit]

What high school athlete doesn't want immediate playing time?

You are right, of course. My (weak) point was simply that some high school athletes will pick a school because they think they will get immediate PT, while others will pick a school even though they know they probably won't play right away.

[BlueKeyAlum]

Update on Rachelle.

St. james has struggled mightily this year but Rachelle is putting up some good numbers including hitting 6 three pointers in one of the games described in the link below.

http://www.stjamesnews.com/articles/2009/02/26/sports/sports4.txt