Bauer charts promising course for Lake Zurich

So who do you want captaining your ship, your basketball team?

How about the 6-foot girl who stands tall, as if at attention, who greets you with a smile and hearty handshake, who's listened and learned from her family, coaches and teachers?

Wouldn't you trust the girl who brings out the best in you, who thrives under pressure, who's smart, who's been the good soldier, who's produced, who's never sulked about being in big sister's huge shadow?

Bet Gabby Chapa would.

Chapa, a Lake Zurich senior, has been a varsity basketball teammate of Audrey Bauer since the two were freshmen. Bauer has given a verbal commitment to play basketball for the United States Naval Academic, and the more you think about, the more it becomes clear that Bauer is so Blue and Gold.

"There's this essence about her that when she's here, she always makes us work harder," Chapa said at practice last week. "She's always pushing us to always be on our best game. When we're down, she's always there to pick us up."

So is Audrey Bauer officer material, Gabby?

"Oh, for sure, she looks like officer material," Chapa said. "She's very good at knowing how to take constructive criticism. She's perfect (for the Navy). I feel that's such a good school for her. It's a really hard school to get into, and I'm proud of her."

Bauer, in truth, never necessarily considered herself the military type. But then she took an official visit to the Academy in Annapolis, Md., earlier in the fall. As she sat among Midshipmen, she realized her ship had come in.

She verbally committed about a month ago and has received a letter of insurance from the Navy that she had been accepted to wear its blue and gold.

"They contacted me over the summer," said Bauer, owner of a 27 ACT score and 4.0 GPA, and the middle child of Rachel, a former coach, and Andrew, a Lutheran minister. "I never really thought about (attending the Naval Academy) until they contacted me."

At Navy, she should fit right in with her teammates.

"A lot of the girls on the basketball team never really thought about going there either," Bauer said.

Navy women's basketball competes at the NCAA Division I level, but the Mids haven't been high on anyone's poll.

That might be changing under second-year coach Stefanie Pemper, whose Mids went 16-15 last season, winning nine more games than they did the previous season. This season, the Navy is 3-0.

"They had some success last year and they're looking forward to getting better," Bauer said.

Bauer is looking to improve her own game, something she did in volleyball this fall. Playing an increased role and, with her older sister Lydia off at the University of Wisconson-Green Bay, the middle blocker helped Lake Zurich win the North Suburban Conference championship and reach the supersectional.

As a junior, Bauer played front row exclusively, rotating out when it was her turn to serve. This year, she got the chance to deliver aces.

"I think this year was a better year for me," said Bauer, who was named all-conference. "I had a lot of fun serving."

Lydia Bauer was the captain of the Daily Herald's All-Area volleyball team last season and earned the same honor in basketball last winter.

This winter, it's Lydia's kid sister who's the Bears' to-go player.

"It's definitely going to be different," she said of not having Lydia on the same court. "We're obviously going to miss her and our other seniors (who graduated). But we just did volleyball so I feel kind of used to not having her (around)."

That's good, because the Bears will look to their new leader.

"She's adjusting to taking over that leadership role, and I think she's going to do really well in that role," Lake Zurich coach Chris Bennett said. "It's her team."

Who's going to doubt that she can't produce? Her junior season saw her sink winning free throws with .09 seconds left to beat rival Mundelein, score 24 points in a win over Zion-Benton and grab 17 rebounds against Naperville Central. For the season, she averaged 12.2 points and 8.6 boards.

You could say the future Naval officer earned her stripes.

"I think she's bound to have a great year," Bennett said. "She's had three great years. She looks different from last year. She looks stronger and more confident."

So Navy material.

jaguilar@dailyherald.com