Six NIC women's basketball players headed to four-year schools

COEUR d’ALENE — Coach Chris Carlson announced six players from his 2017-18 North Idaho College women’s basketball team will be continuing their education and playing careers at four-year schools next year.

All five sophomores who chose to pursue basketball at the next level were able to find fits for their educational and basketball priorities. In addition, standout freshman, Sydney Hovde, was recruited early and will transfer with three years of eligibility remaining.

Cierra Dvorak, a former Lake City High standout who was voted the team’s Most Valuable Player and nominated for NIC Female Athlete of the Year both her freshman and sophomore years, has signed an NCAA Division II letter of intent with the University of Nebraska at Kearney. Dvorak earned NWAC Second Team All-Eastern Region honors her freshman year and NWAC First Team All-Eastern Region honors as a sophomore while starting every game for two years at point guard for NIC. In addition, she was named an NWAC All-Star.

Ronnie Harris, who was a redshirt sophomore transfer for the Lady Cardinals last season, has signed an NCAA Division II letter of intent with Western Oregon University in Monmouth. Harris was named to the NWAC All-Eastern Region Defensive Team, earned NWAC All-Star recognition, and was voted as her team’s Best Defensive Player while starting every game at the wing for NIC.

Whitney Meier, another former Lake City Timberwolf who was voted the team’s Defensive Player of the Year as a freshman and the Most Inspirational Player as a sophomore, has signed a NAIA letter of intent with Eastern Oregon University in La Grande. In addition, Meier joined Dvorak and Harris as an NWAC All-Star selection. At Eastern Oregon, Meier will follow in the footsteps of former NIC players Bailey Schroeder, Mariah Swanson and Stormee Van Belle. In addition, head coach Anji Weissenfluh played for Carlson at EOU in the early 1990s.

Lana Berg, who was voted as her team’s John Wooden Award recipient for outstanding character, has signed a NAIA letter of intent with Montana Tech University in Butte. Lana will join her sister, Jaime, who will be an incoming freshman for the Orediggers, and Timberlake High standout, Keelie Lawler, who both played North Idaho Elite high school club basketball for coaches Chris and Carey Carlson, and transferred from NCAA Division II Western State Colorado University in Gunnerson.

Gia Sorn, who started every game for NIC as a freshman, will play at NCAA Division III University of Puget Sound in Tacoma next season. Gia will be just down Interstate 5 from her brother, Riley, who at 7-foot-3 will be an incoming freshman basketball player for the University of Washington next year. Both Sorns were strong inside forces for Richland High.

Hovde, who averaged 10.4 points and 9.1 rebounds for NIC as a freshman, has signed a NAIA letter of intent to play for Montana State University-Northern. She will have three years of basketball eligibility at MSU-Northern while pursuing her bachelor’s degree in nursing.