2000/2001 News Last Updated: November 10, 2000

Friendly North star chooses Boston U.

Leadership goes beyond scoring

Parr's choice a slam dunk

By Steve Beaudry
Leader-Telegram staff

But not as common as "determined student" and "always friendly."

All three of Parr's redeeming qualities factored into her decision to verbally accept an NCAA Division I basketball scholarship from Boston University.

Parr, the Huskies' leading scorer the past two seasons, planned to sign a national letter of intent with BU at 3 p.m. today in the North library. The NCAA's official early signing period runs from today through next Wednesday.

"Basketball was big but not the biggest," Parr, who carries a 3.9 grade-point average, said in assessing her reasons for choosing BU over other colleges that recruited her. "They've got an excellent academic reputation. Their psychology department is very strong, and that's what I'm interested in pursuing."

Parr made an official recruiting visit to Boston on Oct. 14-15 and had scheduled others with the University of Evansville, Wright State University, Drake University and Michigan Tech.

But once she toured the urban BU campus and met with several Terriers players, Parr deemed the other visits unnecessary.

"I'd never been to Boston; I loved it," she said. "And the players -- I could tell they were a close-knit team, which is something I want to be a part of. Players and coaches -- you can tell if they're putting on a show just to make you go there. They didn't (at BU). They were totally genuine.

"I know I'll be able to fit in there and have a lot of fun."

Fun -- and success -- has followed Parr throughout her prep basketball career.

After seeing limited varsity action as a freshman, she was the Huskies' top reserve as a sophomore and averaged 11.2 points and 6.8 rebounds per game -- earning All-Big Rivers Conference first-team honors.

As a junior last season Parr averaged 13.0 points and 6.5 rebounds per game and had a steals-to-turnovers ratio of better than 2-to-1. She was the second-highest vote-getter on the All-BRC first team.

Parr, who scored in double figures in 18 of North's 22 games last season, regularly has had her best performances in the Huskies' biggest games:

• She scored a game-high 20 points in North's 39-35 victory over Hudson, at the time the defending WIAA Division 1 state champion, in a regional final during her sophomore season.
• Her game-high 19 points helped the visiting Huskies beat Hudson 64-55 last Feb. 2, giving the Raiders their lone BRC loss of the season.
• Foul trouble kept her on the bench for 21 of the first 24 minutes of the regional final last season between North and Memorial. But she scored nine fourth-quarter points and finished with 14 to help the Huskies win 64-54.

"She's a student of the game, and she can convey her knowledge to her teammates without being pushy or bossy. I can't think of anyone who she doesn't get along with. She's a tough player, but she's got a big heart."

Parr credits the Wisconsin AAU for helping her hone her basketball skills and land her scholarship. Playing AAU basketball in each of the past two summers, she was a member of a 17-and-under team that won the Wisconsin AAU state title and placed third in the AAU National Junior Olympics in Orlando, Fla.

"Through AAU, I've gotten a lot better as a player, I've made a lot of friends, I got the exposure that got me my scholarship, and I've traveled to places I probably never would've seen," said Parr, who has resided in Eau Claire all her life. "It's a great organization -- full of opportunity."

Beaudry can be reached evenings at 833-9212 or (800) 236-7077 or at steve.beaudry@ecpc.com.