Ursuline's Tyra Grant picks Penn State for next level

The 5-11 senior wing player made a verbal commitment.
By JOHN KOVACH
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
YOUNGSTOWN -- "You just get that feeling when you go there and see it. I thought to myself that I have to be here. I feel that they are going to take care of me the best."
In her own words, Tyra Grant of Ursuline High discussed her verbal commitment Thursday to Penn State over Rutgers and Louisville.
Grant, a highly-recruited, 5-foot-11 senior wing player who will be in her fourth year as a starter at Ursuline for coach Sean Durkin, made her decision when she visited the school recently.
"I went there to see the Ohio State-Penn State football game and I was impressed by the [people] and the community," said Grant, who last year averaged 25.6 points and 12.5 rebounds per game for Ursuline and made the Division III all-state first team. She enters her senior season with 1,500 career points.
"I am looking forward to playing with the girls. They are a nice group. They made me feel real comfortable when I was there," said Grant.
Penn State is attractive
Originally, Grant was attracted to the school because of its athletic and academic reputation. Then, while visiting the campus, she was impressed by the people and the community which clinched her decision to go there.
"You look at all the sports and in practically all of them [Penn State] is ranked," said Grant. And, "If you were to get your degree from Penn State, you have a ticket to go anywhere. If you graduate from there, it is a great opportunity to go places."
The daughter of Faith Grant and Joe McRae, Tyra has a 3.3 grade-point average and hopes to study music at first and eventually some field of science at Penn State, but will enter college as undecided in her major.
Durkin said that Grant was highly recruited.
"There were many schools after her. The final three came down to Penn State, Rutgers and Louisville," said Durkin, noting that Grant is well-rounded and "has it all as a basketball player, student and person, which made her extremely attractive to Penn State."
He said Penn State needs a two-guard player who "can score some points from the perimeter, and that's what she can do."
Good player, student, person
Durkin, entering his eighth season as Ursuline coach, said that Grant will be a four-year starter for him and that he knows exactly what she can do. He said she is very versatile and can score from the outside and inside and also can rebound and play defense," and is a "slasher" offensively driving to the hoop.
"She does everything at the high school level. At this level, she pretty much dominates all aspects of the game," said Durkin. "She is a great shot blocker and extremely athletic. She can just about do it all."
In addition, "She is an excellent student, an A-B student which was another thing that Penn State likes. She works hard in the classroom and is an excellent student."
Plus, "She is a terrific person, a complete kid. She is extremely intelligent, a social person, a fun person to talk to and as good a player to come out of here since I've been here," added Durkin.
Grant ponders her potential
Grant said she is looking forward to finding out what she can do against big-time and Big Ten competition.
"I'm really thinking how things are going to turn out there playing against all those big schools like Ohio State," said Grant. "I just can't wait. I want to see the outcome of playing against those schools and hoping for a chance to win a national title."
kovach@vindy.com