Anderson finishes season strong at MacMurray College

Former White River Valley standout Kelsey Anderson has taken her game to the next level since transferring to MacMurray College in Jacksonville, Ill. Above, Anderson eyes the basket prior to a free throw earlier this season. (Photo courtesy MacMurray College).

After transferring to the NCAA Division III school from Hannibal-LaGrange College, Anderson's collegiate career took a giant leap forward.

"It definitely did," Anderson said. "When I transferred I liked everything better."

After spending a year and a half at Hannibal-LaGrange, Anderson found the Jacksonville, Ill. school to be better suited to her academic and athletic goals.

"Not to be brutal or anything about Hannibal-LaGrange College, but I liked the coach a lot better, the other girls a lot better, the school a lot better," she admitted. "It was more team oriented and the chemistry was a lot better -- it just felt right when I transferred."

Anderson, a 2009 White River Valley High School graduate who scored over 1,073 points (seccond in school history) in her prep career and helped the Lady Wolverines to back-to-back sectional titles in her junior and senior seasons, quickly realized the decision she made was the right one.

"I believe there's a college for everybody," she said. "And this is the college for me."

The numbers seem to support her decision.

She finished her first year leading the team in scoring average (10.2 ppg), free throw percentage (.778) and free throws made (35, 2.2 per game).

The 5-7 Worthington product was second on the squad in 3-point field goal attempts (83, 5.2 per game), 3-pointers made (26, 1.6 per game), rebounding average (5.1) and offensive rebounds (31, 1-9 per contest).

"I just tried to do what I normally did hustling and going after the ball," she noted. "I worked really hard and I really like the offense."

The situation was further aided by the way the MacMurray offense was geared.

"I just pretty much got to the top of all the categories by the way I normally played," she said.

Perhaps the most elated person about the transfer was MacMurray head coach Dave Pavlovich.

The coach says she was a good fit with the team right away and he wasn't hesitant to have her join the Lady Highlanders.

"Kelsey was such an important addition to our program," Pavlovich said. "On the court she is versatile, steady and cares about playing the right way."

The previous year at Hannibal-LaGrange Anderson earned all-conference honors while averaging 10 points per outing with a season-high total of 24. The majority of her production came when she moved into the starting lineup during the second half of the year.

Pavlovich said as soon as she joined the program the Lady Highlanders got what they had bargained for.

"At MacMurray we expected a lot from her right away," he admitted. "Kelsey certainly responded with the challenges we placed in front of her."

Part of those challenges were having Anderson make a transition to the starting lineup.

Both player and coach seemed in agreement that the best thing would be for the new face to slowly work her way into the staring lineup.

"The coach had me coming off the bench the first three or four games," Anderson admitted. "But I was getting a lot of playing time while I was transitioning in."

Part of the reason for the slow transition to the starting lineup was also something Anderson felt was right to do.

She said she didn't want to be the new kid on the block who suddenly appears in the starting lineup over the girls who had been there already.

"That helped me a lot," she said. "But not just me. It also helped the other girls. You don't want someone new coming in and starting over you."

But her success isn't limited to just her team. Anderson finished the year ranked among the best 15 players in the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference in several categories.

The highest standing the sophomore achieved was finishing third in the league in minutes played.

Anderson averaged 34.5 minutes per game in just 16 games played and 12 started.

She was also listed among conference leaders in three other categories. Anderson was 10th in 3-pointers made, tied for 18th in rebounding and 15th in scoring.

But perhaps the most noticeable recognition from the conference came in the form of Anderson being elected to the All-Sportsmanship Team.

The award is based on an athletes attitude during games, practices and other related events. As well as how they relate to teammates and other players.

"I definitely liked it," she said. "It was nice somebody noticed I wasn't so bad."

Solid individual performances have been a part of her game many times this year.

She led the team in scoring seven different times and reached double-figures six times. That includes a pair of 14- and 13-point games as well as a season-high 16 against Greenville College on Feb. 12.

"I was hoping I'd do well coming in but it was definitely nice to get some of those good games in there," she said. "I tried to come in with the attitude that I could do this and come in and play with the same attitude I always had and tried to stay positive."

The skills and abilities she's shown this season have justified the belief Pavlovich had in Anderson, well before she joined his team this season.

"She is also a phenomenal student and person," he said. "I coached against Kelsey last year in the American Midwest Conference when she was at Hannibal-LaGrange College and I am very happy that she is on our side now.

"Our program will be better in the next two years because we have Kelsey."

While her immediate future will likely consist of playing basketball while she pursues a degree in physical education, Anderson hopes it will be a foundation for her future plans as well.

"I'm getting my major in physical education," she said. "But I'm also minoring in coaching and health education."