Elofson Verbals

#2 posting 10.25.2008
your daily dose of girls basketball news & information

ELOFSON VERBALS
Kara Elofson of Hopkins has made a verbal to Binghamton. The 5-10 guard/forward averaged 9 ppg for the 26-3 Royals last season.
Elofson played with Metro Stars Black this summer.

Binghamton is a D1 school in the America East conference.

Elofson verballed Ohio back on January 14, 2008. In the meantime the previous coach Sylvia Crawley moved from Ohio to Boston College. The current coach Semeka Randall, after stating that the scholarship offer was good back in April, pulled the scholarship offer on August 1 this year.

Elofson is the 31st player in the Minnesota 2009 class to verbal and the 16th headed to a D1 school.

Elofson is the 5th player from Metro Stars Black to verbal this season.

photo: Elofson in a fall league game vs Bloomington Kennedy early in October. photo by kja.

Next up: tomorrow

Even More Ohio/Elofson, Central Dynasty, Big Practice

#1 posting 8.7.2008
your daily dose of girls basketball news & information

MORE OHIO/ELOFSON
The Athens Post (in Ohio) has a story on the Ohio/Elofson situation. Kara's father Rod Elofson, and Hopkins (not Breck) coach Brian Cosgriff are quoted in this story.

HISTORY LESSON
The Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder looks at the dynasty at St. Paul Central that started in 2001.

BIGGEST PRACTICE EVER
The University of Illinois will hold the world's largest practice on October 11th after the football team plays the Gophers. Both the men's and women's teams will practice on a flex court.

OFF TO EUROPE
Here is the NDSU site story on Lisa Bue and her signing with Zeljeznicar.

Next up: more news

Randall Interview

#1 posting 8.6.2008
your daily dose of girls basketball news & information

MORE OHIO/ELOFSON
Caleb Troop of the Athens News is working on the Ohio/Elofson story. He also has a website and looks at the developing story.

Two days before Semeka Randall pulled the Elofson offer she was a guest on the Al Woods Show. She talks about recruiting and the early recruits "ready to rock and roll." The complete interview lasts about 14 minutes.

On gprep they have a long line of reader comments on the Ohio/Elofson fiasco.

Next up: more news.

Ohio Pulls Offer

#1 posting 8.4.2008
your daily dose of girls basketball news & information

OHIO PULLS OFFER
Kara Elofson of Hopkins and Metro Stars Black had her offer pulled by Ohio on August 1st.

Elofson verballed Ohio back on January 14, 2008. In the meantime the previous coach Sylvia Crawley moved from Ohio to Boston College.

New coach Semeka Randall was hired. She assured Elofson that the scholarship offer was good back in April.

Here are the problems with what Ohio did:
#1. Their word is not worth anything. IF Randall would have said in April they were going to re-evaluate all early verbals, that would have been fine. BUT to reassure and the then pull the trigger later, it shows poor professional judment. These things will come back to haunt, and it will make recruiting difficult in this area.

#2. They made no effort to get game tape from Hopkins to evaluate during April/May.

#3. They watched the Metro Stars Black team late in the evaluation process. IF they knew that Elofson wasn't the right fit, they should have told her earlier in the summer. That way colleges would have put Elofson back on the radar.

#4. The coaching staff did not have the courage to tell Elofson herself. They dropped the news to her parents.

"I'm not sure if I have ever coached a player who has worked harder, complained less, and done more of the little things in big game situations than Kara Elofson," said Metro Stars Black coach Andy Meinhardt. "She is as close to a complete team player as any coach can ask for."

I am sure Elofson will find a new school and will be fine. Her work ethic and character will rise above the situation.

Karma has a funny way of working out.

Being honest upfront and being good to your word will get rewarded.

Next up: more news

Elofson Verbals

#6 posting 1.14.2008
your daily dose of girls basketball news & information

ELOFSON VERBALS
Kara Elofson of Hopkins verbally committed to Ohio tonight. The 5-9 forward is averaging 9.5 ppg for the 13-1 Royals. Hopkins is currently #2 in the AAAA poll. Elofson played last winter with Breck. She played last summer with the Metro Stars 15u squad.

Elofson is the 4th player on Hopkins to verbal, but the first in the 2009 class. In the 2008 class Hanna Muegge (Bradley), Caitlin Rowland (Harvard) , and Stephanie Sension (Air Force) signed in the Fall.

Overall in the 2009 class Elofson is the 4th player to verbal. The others are Amber Dvorak (Hinckley-Finlayson), Rachelle Eckmann (St. James) and Katie Loberg (Princeton). Dvorak and Loberg are headed to Minnesota, Eckmann to North Dakota State.

Jackie Hiebert (Hopkins, 2007) is a freshman at Ohio this year.

next up: tomorrow morning.