By ALAN HOSKINS
For the second year in a row, the University of Sioux Falls has landed one of Kansas City Kansas Community College’s top women basketball players.
Only this time the Cougars are getting a two-sport standout with the signing Tuesday of 6-0 Mikenna Greathouse to play both basketball and soccer.
A graduate of SM North, Greathouse played one year of soccer at Butler County Community College before transferring to KCKCC for two seasons of basketball.
The Lady Blue Devil leader in rebounds at 8.5 per game, Greathouse was also second in scoring with a 10.7 average in a 13-18 season. A two-year starter, she averaged 9.9 points and 7.3 rebounds in her first season in helping compile a 19-12 record.
Greathouse will be reunited with her 2010-11 KCKCC teammate at Sioux Falls. The 2011 Blue Devil scoring leader, forward Alyssa Rushton, started all but one game for the Cougars this past season, averaging 9.2 points and 4.2 rebounds in a sparkling 23-3 campaign.
“I really liked the coach (Travis Traphagen), staff and team,” said Greathouse after a campus visit. “The whole atmosphere was really good. And having a good friend there helps.”
Greathouse said the opportunity to play both soccer and basketball was a factor.
“They’ll overlap just a couple of weeks when I’ll be doing both but I will be in good shape for basketball,” she said. A Jayhawk Conference Player of the Week in her first year at KCKCC, Greathouse is expected to play power forward for the Cougars.
KCKCC Coach Valerie Stambersky said Greathouse will continue to improve at the four-year level.
“I think she’ll do great things,” said Stambersky. “She’s a very good rebounder and will fit right into their program. She’s leaving very big shoes to fill.”
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PHOTO: With all her Lady Blue Devil teammates as witnesses, Kansas City Kansas Community College forward signed to play both basketball and soccer at the University of Sioux Falls in 2012-13. (KCKCC Photo by Alan Hoskins)
