Women's Basketball Adds Five Transfers
08/24/2004 | 12:00:00 | Women's Basketball
Aug. 24, 2004
By Jeff Honza
www.SIUSalukis.com
CARBONDALE, Ill. - Southern Illinois University head coach Dana Eikenberg announced today that University of Missouri-Kansas City transfers Rachel Boldt, Katy Freeman, Carlai Moore, Erin Pauk and Jayme Sweere have joined the Salukis. Although the addition is big, all five student-athletes will likely sit out the 2004-05 season per NCAA regulations.
A native of Mt. Vernon, Ill., Rachel is the sister of former Saluki starting third baseman Nathan Boldt. She committed to play for Eikenberg at UMKC last fall. After Eikenberg announced she was leaving to take the head women's basketball coaching job at SIU, Boldt wanted to switch schools.
Because she had signed a letter of intent to play at UMKC, NCAA regulations will require Boldt to sit out the 2004-05 season, thus leaving her with three years of eligibility. UMKC released Boldt from her letter of intent, but hadn't it done so, she would have been required to miss two seasons. She appealed to the National Letter of Intent (NLI) Board with the hopes of getting the ruling changed. If she wins her appeal, she will be allowed to play this season.
A 5-7 guard, Boldt was limited to 11 games in her last two prep seasons thanks to a pair of reconstructive knee surgeries. She was the South Seven Conference MVP as a sophomore, and garnered honorable mention all-state honors for coach Sara Rennie and the Rams.
Freeman, also a freshman, was not released from her national letter of intent by UMKC. Therefore, she was initially obligated to the two-year penalty. However, she appealed to the NLI steering committee and was successful. She is now in the same situation as Boldt and is requesting that her one-year penalty be removed so she, too, can play this season.
A 5-11 guard/forward from Duluth, Minn., Freeman averaged 15 points and six rebounds in her final season at Duluth East High School. One of four players who averaged double figures on the team, she helped lead the Greyhounds to the Minnesota Class 3A state championship game. She was also a two-time Associated Press and Pioneer Press all-state pick. Not to mention, she was a top-20 finalist for Miss Minnesota Basketball and ranked among the state's top-40 seniors.
As for Moore, Pauk and Sweere, each will definitely miss the 2004-05 season.
A junior forward, Moore (6-1) hails from Kansas City, Kan., and led the Kangaroos in virtually every statistical category a year ago. Her team's top scorer and rebounder with 13 points and 8.7 boards, she was named first-team all-Mid-Continent Conference. Additionally, she was the MCC's Sixth Woman of the Year after starting just five of 14 league contests.
Pauk is a 5-6 sophomore guard from St. Charles, Mo. She started all 29 games and ranked fourth on the team with 7.5 points. A solid long range shooter, Pauk also posted a second-best 26 three-point field goals made.
Also a sophomore guard, Sweere stands at 5-9 and is a native of Springfield, Mo. She averaged 7.4 points and 3.2 rebounds per game, and ranked second on the team in blocks (11) and steals (31).
Depending on what happens with Boldt and Freeman, SIU could enter this season with only nine eligible student-athletes.
