THUNDER BAY – Jon Kreiner continues to retool Lakehead’s women’s basketball team.
The veteran coach on Wednesday added another pair of recruits, announcing the signing of six-foot forward Nikolina Vrcic of Georgetown, Ont. and Winkler, Man. guard Talia Peters.
Vrcic, who played her high school ball at Christ the Kings C.S.S and is currently playing for the Ontario Basketball Association’s Oakville Vytis, said Lakehead was the perfect fit.
“Lakehead is an amazing school with great academics and athletics, which is all pulled together by its terrific atmosphere. The team and coaches are so passionate about the game and everyone pushes each other to be the best person they can be on and off the court. The team is a family that I am so excited to join,” she said in a release issued by the school.
Vrcic had 13.2 points-per-game this past season, grabbing 5.9 boards per night.
Peters, a 5-foot-4 point guard, was a bronze medallist for Manitoba at last summer’s Canada Games and captained the Garden Valley Collegiate Zodiacs to a AAAA provincial appearance, the first in school history. She averaged 22.6 points a game, hauling in 4.2 rebounds and dishing out 5.2 assists.
“I chose Lakehead University because I think it will be a great place for me to further my education as well as improve as a basketball player.
“It’s been my goal to play basketball at the U Sports level since the fifth grade, and I think Lakehead is a great place for me to take that step. They have everything a player could want; talented players, great coaches and an awesome atmosphere,” she said in a release.
Kreiner said both players have proven themselves on and off the court.
“One thing Niki and Talia both have in common is a tremendous work ethic. Niki is multi-talented. Her strength is rebounding and shooting from the perimeter but she can also post up strong and finish inside. Talia is an unbelievable shooter with very good range,” Kreiner said.
“She has the ability to knock down deep threes with volume and is a great scorer overall. She has very good court vision and headman’s the ball very well.”
