Graduating WCI basketball star Shelby Kurt has elected to attend the University of Simon Fraser in B.C. on a softball scholarship.
Kurt, the '08 WCSSAA MVP and a first-team all-star this past year ('09), had full-ride basketball scholarships from several NCAA Division I schools including Binghamton, Northeastern, Fairfield and Kent State.
However, Kurt is still going to be getting a taste of the NCAA ---- the Simon Fraser Clan will be making their NCAA Division II debut this September as members of the Great Northwest Athletic Conference.
(Photo Credit: Peter Lee, Waterloo Region Record)
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"WCI Student Snags Scholarship"
By Mark Bryson, Record staff
Shelby Kurt had a number of options to consider.
Would it be basketball or softball?
Did she want to live in Canada or the United States?
Would she rather play at the NCAA Division 1 level or would Division 2 be good enough?
What sort of scholarship would she be willing to accept?
Would she like fries with that?
When it came to picking her next school, it was a difficult decision for the outgoing Waterloo Collegiate student.
It was her desire to be educated in Canada that made the difference.
Kurt agreed recently to a four-year scholarship deal with Simon Fraser University in Burnaby, B.C., to play softball. And big things will be expected from the talented pitcher when the Clan make their debut at the NCAA Division 2 level in September.
“I had a couple of options for softball and even more for basketball,” said Kurt, who stands a titch over six-foot-tall. “But I liked (Simon Fraser) right away. I liked the girls, the campus and the coach. He coached our national team for 12 years so he knows what he’s doing.
“And getting a Canadian education is very important to me.”
SFU coach Mike Renney is thrilled to have Kurt joining his squad as it becomes the first-ever non-American school to compete at the NCAA level in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference.
“As we move closer to our transition into the NCAA, she’s going to be one of the athletes that we think will be front and centre in leading the charge so to speak,” said Renney, who has been at the helm of the SFU program since 1995.
“She is a dominant, two-sport athlete and we are fortunate and we are pleased that she’s chosen softball.”
Kurt is best known around the halls of WCI as a basketball standout. The fifth-year student was part of four Vikings squads that reached the Ontario championship tournament and was the Waterloo County league’s MVP last year and a first-team all-star this year. She was also a key performer for the Vikings volleyball squad.
Her future, however, will revolve around softball. She led the Guelph Gators to an Ontario midget championship last year and was named the province’s top under-18 pitcher. She’s back with the Gators now and hopes to continue her success with that outfit before heading west in August.
Kurt said she’s been pitching since she “could walk” and has followed in the footsteps of her older sister Lindsay, who is also a good hurler.
Down the road, she would like to represent Canada on the international stage; a feat Renney believes is achievable.
“We have had 11 Olympians come out of our program including (Kitchener native) Rachel Schill in Athens. We’ll do everything we can to help Shelby make it,” said Renney.
Kurt had offers — including full-ride packages — on the table from NCAA Division 1 schools in basketball, including Binghamton, Northeastern, Fairfield and Kent State. She also had softball offers from two schools in New York and one in Missouri.
The Simon Fraser package will pay for everything except books.
Kurt said her decision doesn’t mean she prefers softball to basketball. She just thinks the softball schedule is more education-friendly and will allow her to better focus on her health science program.
“I honestly couldn’t tell you which sport I like better. I like them both and I’m going to miss basketball so much,” said Kurt.
Would it be basketball or softball?
Did she want to live in Canada or the United States?
Would she rather play at the NCAA Division 1 level or would Division 2 be good enough?
What sort of scholarship would she be willing to accept?
Would she like fries with that?
When it came to picking her next school, it was a difficult decision for the outgoing Waterloo Collegiate student.
It was her desire to be educated in Canada that made the difference.
Kurt agreed recently to a four-year scholarship deal with Simon Fraser University in Burnaby, B.C., to play softball. And big things will be expected from the talented pitcher when the Clan make their debut at the NCAA Division 2 level in September.
“I had a couple of options for softball and even more for basketball,” said Kurt, who stands a titch over six-foot-tall. “But I liked (Simon Fraser) right away. I liked the girls, the campus and the coach. He coached our national team for 12 years so he knows what he’s doing.
“And getting a Canadian education is very important to me.”
SFU coach Mike Renney is thrilled to have Kurt joining his squad as it becomes the first-ever non-American school to compete at the NCAA level in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference.
“As we move closer to our transition into the NCAA, she’s going to be one of the athletes that we think will be front and centre in leading the charge so to speak,” said Renney, who has been at the helm of the SFU program since 1995.
“She is a dominant, two-sport athlete and we are fortunate and we are pleased that she’s chosen softball.”
Kurt is best known around the halls of WCI as a basketball standout. The fifth-year student was part of four Vikings squads that reached the Ontario championship tournament and was the Waterloo County league’s MVP last year and a first-team all-star this year. She was also a key performer for the Vikings volleyball squad.
Her future, however, will revolve around softball. She led the Guelph Gators to an Ontario midget championship last year and was named the province’s top under-18 pitcher. She’s back with the Gators now and hopes to continue her success with that outfit before heading west in August.
Kurt said she’s been pitching since she “could walk” and has followed in the footsteps of her older sister Lindsay, who is also a good hurler.
Down the road, she would like to represent Canada on the international stage; a feat Renney believes is achievable.
“We have had 11 Olympians come out of our program including (Kitchener native) Rachel Schill in Athens. We’ll do everything we can to help Shelby make it,” said Renney.
Kurt had offers — including full-ride packages — on the table from NCAA Division 1 schools in basketball, including Binghamton, Northeastern, Fairfield and Kent State. She also had softball offers from two schools in New York and one in Missouri.
The Simon Fraser package will pay for everything except books.
Kurt said her decision doesn’t mean she prefers softball to basketball. She just thinks the softball schedule is more education-friendly and will allow her to better focus on her health science program.
“I honestly couldn’t tell you which sport I like better. I like them both and I’m going to miss basketball so much,” said Kurt.
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