It's not just the University of Minnesota men's basketball program that's having difficulty getting commitments from local players.
Rochester Lourdes senior Alyssa Ustby, a 6-2 senior guard/forward combo, announced Wednesday her decision to play for the University of North Carolina. Ustby, a three-star recruit according to ESPN's girls' basketball recruiting rankings, averaged 25.6 points and 13.3 rebounds for the Eagles last season.She goes into her senior season at the second-leading scorer in team history.
Ustby had narrowed her choices to Minnesota and North Carolina. She took an official visit to North Carolina last month.
"I'd been torn between Minnesota and North Carolina. But when I went on my official visit to North Carolina, I didn't want to leave," Ustby told Pat Ruff of the Rochester Post Bulletin.
Ustby's decision means Gophers womens' basketball coach Lindsay Whalen was unable to land any of the Minnesotans she targeted in this senior class, including Hopkins' Paige Bueckers (committed to UConn) and Lakeville North's Lauren Jensen (Iowa). St. Michael-Albertville's Kenzie Kramer (Lehigh) was offered by former Gophers coach Marlene Stollings.
Whalen did, however, get a commitment from five-star recruit Alexia Smith of Columbus, Ohio Wednesday.
