H-BR's Thorp commits to NIU

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Over the last two girls basketball seasons, Hinckley-Big Rock girls basketball coach Greg Burks has been telling anyone that would listen that Jenna Thorp was going to play Division I basketball.

Look beyond the numbers, he would say.

Look beyond the competition in Class 1A, even.

College coaches certainly were, as Thorp secured early offers from Northern Illinois University and Southern Illinois University. And last month, the junior made a verbal commitment to play for head coach Carol Owens at NIU.

"It was kind of nice. I liked everything about their college," said the soft-spoken Thorp. "It's nice that they have my major, something in sports medicine, and it's nice for fan support so my parents can see a lot of home games. Everything about the campus is nice."

A Beacon News second team all-area selection, Thorp helped lead the Royals to the first state title of any kind at H-BR. A unanimous all-Little Ten Conference selection, Thorp was also a first-team IBCA all-state selection as well as an Associated Press all-state honorable mention in averaging 12.5 points, 8.5 rebounds and 2.3 steals.

"Since probably seventh grade I knew I wanted to play Division I," Thorp said. "So I kind of had that mindset all along, and after I made that decision I was like 'Wow, I actually finally decided where I'm going.' That's kind of nice. Along the way, it seemed frustrating to have a bunch of colleges calling you and you have to e-mail all the time but when you look at it, they want you. It's not like you have to look. You're not like an ordinary person going to college."

Thorp picked the Huskies over SIU, Bowling Green, ISU, IUPUI, Ball State and Southern Alabama.

"Northern (is) really handling the recruiting process in the right way," Burks said. "They didn't pull any punches up front. Before the season even started last year they said, 'We want you, we want to offer you a scholarship.' Some of the other schools on the radar, they weren't so up front with it. It's a credit to Carol Owens, who I think is doing an outstanding job, and (assistant coach) Heather Oesterle who was the major recruiter in this instance, they were up front about it right away and said we've got a scholarship for you and if you want it, it's there for you. It came down to NIU handling things the right way and Jenna feeling very comfortable with their program and the process."

Owens, an NIU alumnae herself, will begin her fifth year at the helm in the 2009-2010 season and has recruited Illinois hard. Of the 13 women on the Huskies roster last season, eight are from Illinois.

The Huskies finished the 2008-09 year 15-15 overall and 10-6 in the Mid-American Conference, which was an improvement from the year before (10-18, 6-8).

"I just think she's a real high level player," Burks said. "Other players have better stats and all that, but I think she'll have a very, very good career at Northern."

Girls Basketball