Eagles basketball standout will head to Greeley after 2008-09 season and Kirkwood graduation
A standout player for the Kirkwood Community College women’s basketball team will take her talents to Greeley, Colorado next year. Jayne Strand has signed a letter of intent for the University of Northern Colorado and will transfer there in the fall of 2009.
The 6-foot sophomore forward was a key contributor to the Eagles’ second NJCAA national championship in 2008. She averaged 4.9 points and 4.2 rebounds per game in her first Kirkwood season, with 154 total rebounds in 2007-08. Strand was also effective at the free throw line with a 59 percent average. She saw playing time in every one of Kirkwood’s 37-game schedule last year.
The Ames, Iowa high school graduate also competed in soccer and cross country at Ames High School. In three sports, Strand was able to compete in six total state tournaments. She will earn her Kirkwood degree in business administration before transferring to the UNC Bears team.
Kirkwood Head Coach Kim Muhl said Strand “should be a great asset to UNC” in the coming years.
“Jayne came to us as a good player and improved even more during the year, both inside and outside. She had an exceptional summer in the Iowa City Prime Time League play, too. That summer work showed her willingness to get better and improve her skills to the next level. We are happy for her opportunities in Colorado but look forward first to her contributions at Kirkwood this season,” Muhl said.
The Kirkwood Eagles women ended last year at 31-6 overall on their way to a repeat NJCAA Division II national championship. The success also garnered Muhl with WBCA D-II Coach of the year honors.