Evangelical Christian senior Holly Golden is an Athlete of the Week nominee.
Evangelical Christian School senior Holly Golden signed with Oral Roberts on Wednesday.
Holly Golden had one dream growing up.
The Evangelical Christian School senior, a native of Missouri, wanted to play Division I basketball. It’s been her goal since the fourth grade.
So, when offers to play at two NCAA Division I programs came through, she didn’t wait long in the process to decide a suitor. She didn’t even take any official visits.
Being from the Midwest, Golden knew what she wanted: good school, good basketball, fairly close to home. Some good internet research and a few detailed discussions with the coach were good enough.
On Wednesday, on the first day of the NCAA’s National Letter of Intent period for basketball, she signed as a preferred walk-on with Oral Roberts University, a Division I program located in Tulsa, Oklahoma that went 14-16 last season with a 10-6 record in the Summit League.
“To see my dream finally coming true, I’m ecstatic,” Golden said. “I’m so excited for next year. I want to win a national championships, too.”
The 5-foot-6 shooting guard, a McDonald’s All-American nominee this season, finished her career at ECS with averages of 23.5 points and 9.9 rebounds per game in leading the team to a 23-6 record. The Sentinels won a District 3A-9 championship and Golden was a second-team News-Press all-area selection.
“Since I go to a Christian high school, I like the fact that I will still be going to a Christian college,” Golden said. “Coach (Misti) Cussen was inviting toward me and all the girls are really nice. They have a good program. And obviously, I love the arena.”
ECS senior Holly Golden on McDonald’s All-American nominee list
Being from the Midwest, Golden also felt at home going to Oral Roberts, which is located in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
“I see myself fitting in there,” she said.
Cussen recruited Golden to fit into a team that graduates just two seniors. Golden will join the team in the fall and play from the shooting guard position.
“We are so excited to welcome Holly Golden into our ORU Basketball family,” she said. “Holly’s strength and athleticism in the power guard position are expected to help her make a good transition from high school to college, and we’re looking forward to seeing her reach her full basketball potential.”
2016 News-Press All-Area Girls Basketball
Golden believes she could find time on the floor right away if a few things fell into play.
“Coach (Cussen) said that it depends on my work ethic and other things,” Golden said. “If I come to show out right away, there’s definitely a chance for me to be in the starting lineup. I have to work my way there.
Golden finished her high school career, which included two years at a high school in Kansas City, Missouri, with 1,682 points and over 900 rebounds.
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