PEDRO – Michelle Matkins is excited about Urbana University.

Thursday, July 27, 2000

PEDRO – Michelle Matkins is excited about Urbana University. And Urbana University is excited about Matkins.

The former Rock Hill Redwomen 5-foot-8 guard has signed to play basketball at Urbana and she couldn’t be happier.

"I’m excited. I think I’ll like it," said Matkins. "I’ll fit in there. The girls made me feel like I belong."

Urbana was 25-3 last season and won the American Mideast Conference tournament. As an NAIA Division II team, Urbana qualified for the NAIA national tournament as the ninth rated team in the country.

Urbana coach Rob Phillips is excited about reloading the roster with Matkins.

"Michelle is an outstanding talent, an excellent student, and a class individual," Phillips said.

"It’s hard to go wrong with someone like Michelle. I think she will become a very important part of our effort next year very quickly, and I believe she will have a great career here at Urbana. Her accomplishments at Rock Hill speak for themselves, and there is no reason to think she won’t have the same type of success here."

If Matkins matches her success at Rock Hill, Urbana is getting quite a player.

During her senior year, Matkins scored 19.0 points a game, grabbed 6.3 rebounds, handed out 3.5 assists, shot 48 percent from the field and 83 percent from the line, and earned first team all-district honors in Division II.

She capped the season by being named second team All-Ohio and being selected to the Ohio-Kentucky and Ohio-West Virginia all-star series.

Matkins said the all-star games helped her realized the talent level she’ll have to adjust to next season.

"I’ll have to work on my ballhandling. They pressure you more in college. It’s a lot tougher than high school," said Matkins. "And the college game is a lot faster and the players are more skilled.

"I can tell the difference. College girls are stronger, so I’ll have to lift weights so I won’t get banged around."

Matkins was more of a shooting guard for Rock Hill and she exhibited excellent defensive skills. She will probably play point guard initially at Urbana.

"They really don’t have a point guard. I’d rather play the two guard, but it (playing point guard) is my role, I’m willing to do that. I won’t have as much pressure to score with so many good players around me," said Matkins.