All-American basketball player Shoni Schimmel kept quiet about her college decision until Tuesday night.
But that’s when she stunned many at Portland (Ore.) Franklin by announcing during her graduation ceremony that she had signed with the University of Louisville.
A release by her family said, “Unbeknownst to even family, friends and school staff, the announcement was made as she received her diploma” during the ceremony.
Schimmel, the No. 8 player in the Class of 2010 by Hoopgurlz and the highest-rated recruit ever signed by the U of L women’s program, picked the Cardinals over Oregon, UCLA, Rutgers and South Carolina.
The 5-foot-9 guard averaged 29.9 points, 8.6 rebounds, 7.3 assists and 5.8 steals a game as a senior. She was Oregon’s Class 6-A Player of the Year and a four-time member of the first-team All-State team.
“The decision was more than basketball,” she said in the release. “It was about an opportunity to get a great education, follow my hoop dreams, and represent my Native American heritage. Playing at Louisville in the Big East Conference offers the best opportunity for me to compete at a national championship level under great administrative and coaching leadership.
“. . . It’s exciting to be a part of an amazing 2010 Louisville recruiting class and (I) look forward to getting in the gym and begin working with my new team.”
Schimmel, one of eight children in her family, is the sixth member of the Class of 2010 that had already been ranked in the top 10. The addition will raise U of L into the top five.
U of L coach Jeff Walz called it “an outstanding day” for Louisville women’s basketball. She’s the fifth top 60 player – according to Hoopgurlz – in the Cardinals’ class.
“To see our investment of hard work and diligence pay off is extremely rewarding,” Walz said. “Shoni is one of the most dynamic players in the women’s game and will no doubt be the subject of endless highlight reels. She is the perfect compliment to our already highly ranked recruiting class. Shoni can play many guard positions and is a master at getting other people involved in the game.
All-Star Girls Report analyst Brett McCormick called the Schimmel get “awesome” for the Louisville program.
“It was really a weird recruiting process,” McCormick said. “They have such a big family and all that you just had to kind of hang in there and Jeff and his staff did that.”
McCormick said more than anything the late pickup and the top class for the Cardinals shows the country that “Jeff Walz and his staff are out there getting it done.”
“He showed what kind of a coach he was (when U of L made it to the 2009 title game), now they are showing it in recruiting,” McCormick said. “They are not going away. They will keep getting these talented kids.”
