Rosary's Rettig chooses Washington University
Rosary senior Jordan Rettig, who is just 8 points away from becoming the Royals' all-time leading scorer, committed to Washington University in St. Louis on Monday night.
Rettig, a 6-foot forward, is going to a school that finished as the Division III national runner-up last year. She turned down three Division I scholarship offers to attend Washington University.
Rettig loves the combination of Washington University's women's basketball program's history of success but also the school's renowned academics.
"I thrive on balance," said Rettig, a four-year starter at Rosary. "I find I am happiest when I can do well in school, play a sport I love, have time for some outreach activities and still have time for family and friends. Don't get me wrong - I love basketball - but I want college to be more than just basketball. They (Washington University) are a top academic school and are ranked annually in basketball with several championships. My goal is to learn everything I can from the Wash U staff/teammates and contribute where I can to go to another championship."
Coach Nancy Fahey has won 4 national championships in her 24 years at Washington University. She led the program to the longest winning streak in NCAA history (81 wins) with an .847 career winning percentage. Washington University is the first team Division III school to win four consecutive National Championships. They have made eight trips to the Final Four and have produced 14 All-Americans and 8 Academic All-Americans.
Rettig has been a force inside at Rosary and will continue playing power forward and center in college. "The coaches at Wash U are great," Rettig said. "Coach Fahey and (assistant coach Bobbi) Morse have been scouting me since freshman year and have made me feel really welcome. Between this year's and next year's senior class, they'll be graduating a bunch of posts so I'll be working toward being a contributor in that area or wherever the coaches need me." Rettig said she plans on studying psychology. She has worked the past two summers as a day camp counselor with Fox Valley Special Recreation.
"I fell in love (with) the program and those kids," Rettig said. "I really want to continue to help individuals with special needs - particularly in the area of autism. I am not certain specifically what area of work I'll focus on yet, but at Wash U I'll have a wide range of areas to explore and research." Rettig also wanted to thank her coaches who have helped her to so much success so far. That list starts in fifth grade with her Rosary teammate Lane Richmond's father Mark, Rettig's first coach at Holy Angles, then her club coach Mike Seberger with the Illinois Lady Lightning to Randy Weibel to trainer Josh Bletzinger and Rosary coach Dave Beebe and athletic director Mary Lou Kunold. "I have been really blessed to have people in my corner from the very beginning," Rettig said. "I am very thankful for all of them."