When all was said and done, probably 300 schools of all sizes contacted point guard Aislinn Konig.
And when the dust had settled, the 17-year-old from Langley had chosen North Carolina State, verbally committing to join the Wolfpack women’s basketball team for 2016/17.
“It is a lot quieter around the house,” Konig said about having the decision out of the way.
She gave the Atlantic Coast Conference Division 1 school her verbal commitment last month.
Konig, a five-foot-10 point guard who enters Grade 12 in September, has captured back-to-back most valuable player awards in leading the Brookswood Bobcats to consecutive B.C. 3A senior girls provincial titles.
“Probably the best player I have ever coached, and I have coached some good ones,” said Brookswood coach Neil Brown.
“She is a kid who is very focused on what she wants.”
Brown said he was amazed that his point guard was able to maintain her focus this past season, given the level on interest she was generating from college and university coaches.
“Every practice, game, there were coaches sitting and watching,” he said, adding that there was also the constant barrage of emails, texts and letters.
“To keep an even keel … she is just an extremely talented and focused kid.”
Brown also said that despite all the attention she has received, Konig has never gotten an ego, and maintained her work ethic.
Out of all her recruiters, Konig said she went on 10 unofficial campus visits, but just two official visits: Stanford and then North Carolina State.
And after visiting the Raleigh school, she was sure of her decision, although she did not give her verbal commitment until about 10 days later.
“When I got there (Raleigh), I pretty much knew,” she admitted.
“It wasn’t a super easy choice, but after I made it, I had no regrets.”
Konig said she felt a good bond with the people she met from the program and that was important to her.
“You want to be surrounded by people who you think you will have a good relationship with and enjoy talking to because on those difficult days, those are the people that are going to be there for you,” she said.
Another factor was making the school and the program had ample support from the athletic department, as well as liking the potential of the Wolfpack.
With the decision out of the way, Konig will gear up for the AAU season, playing for BC’s Finest out of the BC Elite Basketball program coached by her father Frank.
