It's academic: Wilson chooses Purdue

When she was a young basketball player, Ashley Wilson always wondered what it would be like playing for the big-name collegiate women's teams like Connecticut and Tennessee.

"But when I got older I realized those schools were great for basketball," she said, "but I didn't always hear much about them for academics."

When Wheeling's 6-foot all-area junior forward recently committed to play basketball for Purdue University, she was choosing the Indiana school for its academic reputation as well.

"I know I can get a good education, which is the most important part," Wilson said. "And I knew I'd be playing for a good team and coach."

Wilson plans to study psychology.

"Ashley and her parents (Charles and Jennifer) met with the professor of that department,"' said Wheeling fourth-year coach Shelly Wiegel. "And they (staff members) did a real nice job introducing Ashley to the university and she felt that it fit her needs real well."

Wilson hopes to fit with the Boilermakers basketball program.

"They expect her to be a No. 3 or 4 position," Wiegel said. "They are really impressed by her versatility and athleticism. Ashley's level of talent is pretty outstanding, and everyone on the Purdue staff expects her to have an incredible four years."

Wilson has already had an incredible career at Wheeling, where she has scored more than 1,000 points and grabbed more than 600 rebounds.

She is averaging 14 points per game this season despite seeing limited playing time early while recovering from a stress fracture in her leg.

"The coaching staff at Purdue made me feel real comfortable," Wilson said. "They were straightforward and everything they said was what I was looking for."

Wilson will probably be able to keep the No. 52 that she wears as a Wildcat.

In junior high, Wilson wore No. 34 but when she got to Wheeling that number belonged to Lana Rukavina, who is now a senior. So Wilson took No. 52.

Rukavina has committed to Illinois, giving the Wildcats (17-3) two Big Ten recruits on their frontline.

"I always dreamed of playing for a Division I school, but I never had heard of Purdue." Wilson said. "It's a good school academically and when I said I wanted to stay kind of close to home, my mom suggested Purdue.

"We had heard of Purdue through Taylor Lawless (former Wildcats star now at Illinois State), whose cousin Erin plays for Purdue (after starring at Fenwick). It's nice now not having to worry anymore about making the decision."

Instead, Wilson will try to make the most of her season and a half remaining with Wheeling before she switches from the blue and gold to the black and gold in West Lafayette.

"Ashley wanted to make this decision before this summer so she could just play and have fun her senior year, " said Wiegel, who has led the Wildcats to three straight seasons of 20 wins or more.

"When she went down there last time (Jan. 6 when she watched Purdue play Connecticut at Mackey Arena), she knew Purdue was the place she wanted to be. She visited last October and they really made her feel like she belonged. And that meant a lot to her and her mom and dad."