HUNTINGTON — In the recruiting process, the signing came pretty late in the game. But in the end, Huntington University women’s basketball coach Lori Culley got the player she wanted.
And she’s pretty excited about that.
Pendleton Heights graduate Sam Hammel recently signed to play for the Foresters beginning in the fall of 2017.
For an NAIA school like Huntington to sign a player like Hammel — who averaged better than 16 points, four rebounds, three assists and three steals per game as a senior — this late in the year often means other plans for the player did not work out. That was not the case here.
“I don’t necessarily think she was trying to go a whole lot bigger; I think she wanted a smaller college,” Culley said. “A lot of times, there are a lot of talented athletes that come along later in the year when other things they were hoping for have fallen through. I don’t think that was Sam; it just took a while to get everything figured out. She figured out pretty early on that Huntington was a good fit for her.”
Hammel played four sports at Pendleton Heights: basketball, tennis, soccer, and track and field. Culley said having a player so athletic is a boon to her program.
“I’m trying to keep that quiet; I don’t want any of my other coaches stealing her away from me,” said Culley, who is also the athletic director. “It’s awesome to get someone as athletic as she is; she has so many talents and abilities. I think the thing that sticks out about her is how hard-nosed she is. She’d run through a brick wall if you asked her to.”
Culley added that Hammel’s toughness, especially on the defensive end of the court, make her a perfect fit for her program.
“I just love that about her. I love that kind of player,” Culley said. “They help you set the tone, especially defensively. I think she is just going to thrive in the college environment with that athleticism and work ethic.”
Hammel’s athletic ability will come in handy on the court for Huntington. Culley says she is a different kind of point guard and could play other positions for the Foresters.
“She’s making it hard for me to figure out where to play her,” Culley said. “She is great at the point position as far as seeing the court and finding her teammates and getting them good shots. But she’s a good offensive rebounder. I tend to send my point guards back on defense. I think I may have her play a couple different positions, just to figure out where she’ll help us the best.”
Huntington returns 12 players from a team that was 15-16 in 2016. It plays in the Crossroads League of the NAIA, which includes Bethel, Goshen, Grace, Indiana Wesleyan, Marian, Mt. Vernon Nazarene (Ohio), Spring Harbor (Michigan), Taylor and St. Francis.
Hammel’s first game this year will be Oct. 31, when Huntington plays host to Olivet Nazarene (Illinois) at 7 p.m.
