Coeur d'Alene's Rosenthal verbals to Saint Mary's

COEUR d'ALENE - Carli Rosenthal, a 6-foot-3 senior post from Coeur d'Alene High who had more than a dozen scholarship offers from Division I schools on the west coast, gave a verbal commitment Sunday to play for Saint Mary's College in Moraga, Calif.

Rosenthal was also considering Fresno State and Oregon State.

"It's like a weight off my shoulders, but I'm really glad I found the right place to go," she said. "I really like the coaching staff."

Rosenthal said she met with one of the Gaels' assistant coaches prior to the Vikings going to the state tournament. She said she hopes to make an official visit to Saint Mary's prior to the spring signing period in mid-April.

Rosenthal led Coeur d'Alene High to three straight state 5A championships and a second-place finish at state. She finished her Viking career as the career leader in rebounds (791), and also finished with 1,130 points, 189 assists and 117 steals. This year, she averaged 13.6 points, 8.8 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game.

In Moraga, Rosenthal will join Hayley Hendricksen, a forward from Lewis and Clark High in Spokane, who signed with Saint Mary's last fall. Both played together on the Spokane Stars AAU team.

"I think it's a great catch (for Saint Mary's)," Spokane Stars coach Ron Adams said of Rosenthal. "She could play at the Pac-10 level, as far as I'm concerned. Her biggest improvement (playing for Adams with the Stars) is her confidence to shoot the ball, and to look to score. And she's the best passing big girl I've ever coached."