Sports
Straumann Commits to University Rhode Island
The four-year varsity starter to take her talents east to play Division I basketball
It has been a long journey for Cary-Grove’s Megan Straumann coming back from an ACL tear that ended her 2009-10 season in its tracks just as college recruiting began to pick up.
After helping lead the Trojans' to a 28-4 season in 2010-11, the offers began to pick up and Straumann has accepted a full scholarship to play at the University of Rhode Island.
Straumann said that she was looking for a change.
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“I wanted something new, I wanted to leave the Midwest and I have never heard any bad things about Rhode Island. Everything has been about how much people love it,” Straumann said. “Things just worked out and they were looking for a guard and everything went from there.”
Straumann added that she had just returned from a trip to Holy Cross and Rhode Island and just being able to play for a Division I program is something she has thought about for a very long time.
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“It‘s a dream, ever since I started playing that was my goal and especially at times my junior year, I wasn‘t so sure I was going to be able to do it,” Straumann said. “Now having accomplished it, it feels amazing.”
Over the past four years at Cary, Straumann was part of 101 victories and was part of the program’s first sectional championship team in 22 years.
C-G coach Rod Saffert said that Straumann has done so much for the Trojans' over her time.
“I couldn’t be happier for her and I told her thanks for leaving me high and dry,” Saffert joked. “I can certainly refer to her like I have like I have with Amy Heredia and some of the point guards that have come before her as role models and examples of toughness, perseverance and never give up. I don’t know a tougher kid than her or a more competitive kid.”
The process is one that can be long and exhausting but Straumann knew she was in the right place when she got to Rhode Island.
“It’s definitely a difficult decision, every coach you talk to has the best things to say about their school,” Straumann said. “If you really love basketball, the opportunity to play anywhere is amazing so it’s really hard and you have to lay out your options. Everyone told me when I got on campus somewhere, I would know if that was right for me and when I stepped on Rhode Island, I felt at home.”
