SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Basketball senior Lauren Pank has committed to play basketball at Linfield College in Oregon.
"The team was really welcoming on my official visit," said Pank. "They have the team energy that we have here at St. Francis and the coach was great. There is also a sense of community throughout the college."
Pank was a four-year letter winner for the Troubadours, playing the CIF State Championship runner-up team as a call up during her freshman season in 2015-16. She played in 95 career games at the varsity level. She went on to become a three-year starter for the Troubies, helping the team to three consecutive Delta League titles and four Sac-Joaquin Section playoff appearances.
"I am really excited to continue playing basketball," said Pank. "It was sad for the season to end so I am excited to continue playing in college so that this was not the end to my career."
Pank averaged a career-high 5.0 points per game as a senior while dishing out a career single-season best 5.2 assists per contest.
"Lauren's an exceptional point guard, and she was the rock of our team, never swayed or shaken," said Head Coach Heather Volek Brownholtz. "I had total faith in her abilities to manage the offense, control the pace of play, and she truly was the Coach on the court."
She tallied 145 assists on the season, the second-best single-season total in school history, while recording three game in double figures, two double-figure assist games including a career-high 14 against Roseville and one double-double.
"We developed a great relationship and she would often make calls and suggestions about offensive adjustments," recalled Brownholtz. "To have a player take ownership and lead her team in our incredibly competitive league served our team well. Most importantly her maturity, understanding of complex offensive plays as well as her great ability to make defensive reads and her overall skill set will serve her well at Linfield next season. She is college ready and as a program we could not be more proud of Lauren as she represents St Francis high school in the Great Northwest!
She finished her career with 309 assists to become the fourth player in school history to eclipse the 300-assist mark. Pank was named to the All-Delta League first team as a senior after leading the league in assists for the second consecutive season. She was eighth overall in the state in Division I.
"With the assists, it is something I can do to help my teammates," said Pank. "It is a good team stat that is more than just me."
Pank plans to study sports management and marketing at the Linfield College campus located in McMinnville, Ore. The Wildcats play in the Northwest Conference where Pank will face former teammate Logan Kelly, who plays for Pacific (Ore.).
"I will always remember the friendships you create as part of a team," said Pank. "I am looking forward to getting to Linfield and I already know the players on the team. I know the friendships I created here with carry through."
Pank joins a list of over 20 Troubies who have made commitments to play collegiate sports.