Last Wednesday, Katie Simon, a senior at Roseville High School, signed a letter of intent with the University of Nebraska to play college basketball. Simon was awarded a full-ride scholarship, which includes up to five years of classes, and all four years of basketball eligibility.

     Simon chose the Nebraska Cornhuskers over schools such as Vermont, Gonzaga, Long Beach, UC Davis, and even Ivy-League school Princeton. Simon, who carries a 4.1 GPA, was also contacted by other ivy-league schools. The 6’2’’ Simon averaged 15 points and 12 rebounds last year at Roseville.

     “I chose Nebraska because I love everything about it,” said Simon. “The facilities are amazing, the coaches are great, the area is nice, and they are sponsored by Adidas, which is really cool.”

     Simon, who has played since the third grade, was first spotted by Nebraska while playing in a tournament in Arizona with her AAU club team.

    “I got emails from a couple of schools after the tournament, which was really cool,” said Simon.

     Simon’s signing took place last Wednesday in the Moeller gym at RHS. Athletic director Erin Granucci and head varsity girls basketball coach Ron Volk coordinated the press conference that announced the signing, from making sure all attendees knew when to attend to make sure the background of the interview table looked perfect.

     “I haven’t been able to talk to Katie directly, but I think it’s really cool that she has signed at Nebraska,” said Granucci.

     Along with Granucci and Volk, Nebraska’s head women’s basketball coach Connie Yori, Simon’s AAU coach Marvin Nakamoto, booster club president Tom Hack, Surewest Sports Channel’s Mike Finnerty, and multiple Roseville Press-Tribune photographers attended the press-conference.

     Simon will begin taking summer school classes and attending team workouts at Nebraska following the 2009-2010 school year, and will move to the Lincoln, Nebraska area during her attendance at the school.

     “I’m really excited,” said Simon. “I can’t wait to get going. It’s going to be a great experience.”