Shoni Schimmel comments on decision to sign with Louisville

Franklin senior Shoni Schimmel, who announced Tuesday night that she would accept a girls basketball scholarship to Louisville, explained her decision Wednesday in a release issued by her family.

The 5-foot-9 point guard, ranked as the No. 8 recruit in her class by ESPN, was the last of the top 100 to commit to a college. Reportedly, her other finalists were Oregon, Rutgers, UCLA and South Carolina.

"The decision was more than basketball," she said. "It was about an opportunity to get a great education, follow my hoop dreams, and represent my Native American heritage. Playing at Louisville in the Big East Conference offers the best opportunity for me to compete at a national championship level under great administrative and coaching leadership."

Her announcement during Franklin's graduation ceremony caught many off guard.

"Unbeknownst to even family, friends and school staff, the announcement was made as she received her diploma," her father, Rick Schimmel, said in the release. "The decision process has been a long and difficult one, but still an amazing experience."

Schimmel, who averaged 29.9 points, 8.6 rebounds, 7.3 assists and 5.8 steals as a senior, is the highest-rated recruit in a Louisville class that was ranked No. 6 by ESPN.

"This is an outstanding day for Louisville women's basketball," Louisville coach Jeff Walz said in a release. "Shoni is one of the most dynamic players in the women's game and will no doubt be the subject of endless highlight reels.

"She is the perfect compliment to our already highly ranked recruiting class. Shoni can play many guard positions and is a master at getting other people involved in the game. ... Cardinal fans will want to buy their tickets now. They will love watching this kid play!"

Her commitment has created a buzz at Louisville. Charlie Springer, who covers Louisville sports for the Web site "Card Game," wrote about the impact of Schimmel's commitment.

"This is not just another commitment for the University of Louisville women's basketball team," Springer wrote. "This is the reason Jeff Walz has spent many of his waking hours on the West Coast, mentally and physically, hoping to land this phenomenal basketball player.

"She's the reason Walz is doing cartwheels today. She's the reason Geno Auriemma at UConn is wondering what in hell is going on at Louisville. She's the clincher for making this the No. 1 recruiting class in the nation."

Shoni Schimmel expressed her desire to get her college career started.

"I am looking forward to college, meeting my teammates, embracing the Cardinals' fans," she said. "It's exciting to be a part of an amazing 2010 Louisville recruiting class and (I) look forward to getting in the gym and begin working with my new team.

"I offer a heartfelt thank you to the basketball programs that have shown their interest in me throughout this recruiting process, and also to the many supporters that have been there for me. And of course, and most importantly, my family."

-- Jerry Ulmer