Schlegel thrilled for her time in Youngstown

March 8, 2015 at 12:02a.m.

YOUNGSTOWN

Long before Heidi Schlegel developed into one of the best players in Youngstown State history, she was just a high school senior from tiny Wapakoneta, signing up to play for an 0-30 team.

“Well, when I signed, I didn’t know they were gonna go 0-30,” she said following Saturday’s 80-57 win over Valparaiso at Beeghly Center. “But a lot of people asked me, ‘Why are you still going there? Why would you ever want to go there?’

“My mindset was, I wanted to come and change the program.”

As a slightly more famous Wapakoneta native (Neil Armstrong) might say, “Mission accomplished.”

In her final regular season game, Schlegel scored 26 points with four rebounds and three assists as YSU (20-9, 9-7 Horizon League) clinched its second 20-win season in three years as well as a first-round home game in the conference tournament.

The Penguins will play Detroit on Wednesday night at Beeghly Center.

“There was a lot of pressure on this game,” YSU coach John Barnes. “With senior night and getting a home game in the tournament, 20 wins — you want to get to that point — so there was a lot going on.”

Fellow senior Latisha Walker, who played at YSU for the last two seasons after transferring from Xavier, added 14 points, 12 rebounds and a career-high six blocks, while sophomore Jenna Hirsch had 13 points and freshman Indiya Benjamin added 12.

Jasmyn Walker had 15 points and 11 rebounds and Dani Franklin (who missed Valpo’s first game against YSU) also scored 15 for the Crusaders (6-23, 2-14), who finished last in the Horizon League.

Schlegel redshirted as a freshman in 2010-11 after suffering a foot injury earlier in the season, but emerged the following season as one of YSU’s best players. She had a breakout year last winter, setting a YSU junior record with 621 points while earning first team all-Horizon League.

She should be a first team selection again this season after leading YSU in scoring (17.9 points per game) and rebounding (9.6 per game).

YSU handed out T-shirts with Schlegel’s name and number before the game and after holding in her emotions for most of the day, Schlegel got choked up in the postgame press conference, which was broadcast over YSU’s videoboard.

“Honestly, I was good until now,” she said, laughing. “I saw my Dad and I teared up a little bit but I was like, ‘I’m here to play basketball. I’m not going to worry about this. We’ve still got a lot of games to play.’

“I was a little emotional when Tish and I got taken out of the game [with four minutes left] and everybody stood up and just to know that the community was so supportive. And to see everybody wear my jersey was so awesome and so humbling.”

When asked if she was hoping not to cry, she said, “Yeah, I was. But you know what? It shows my emotion. It shows I really do care. And I have cared ever since I stepped on this campus.

“I love Youngstown and I love playing here and I’m so glad to be a Penguin. I’m so glad I had the chance to do this.”

Schlegel played her first three seasons for Bob Boldon, who is now at Ohio University, and had her best two seasons under Barnes, who said she is “definitely special to the program.”

“Her leadership, her work ethic, leading by example, doing anything she can to help the team win and be successful ...” Barnes said. “To come from an 0-30 season to now, two 20-win seasons in the last three years, is pretty special and she has a lot to do with it.

“I was glad to see both of them [the seniors] have a great game and contribute to a win on senior night in their final home regular season game.”