Sonoma State, Jeanette DeWitt decided, would be a good fit for her.

Thus, the Nipomo High School senior signed a national letter of intent Wednesday to play basketball for the Seawolves next school year. DeWitt signed at the Nipomo High quad area as her high school teammates, and many supportive students and teachers looked on and cheered.

“Say a few words!,” someone in the audience shouted to her.

“Thank you,” DeWitt replied with a grin.

“That's only two!,” someone countered.

DeWitt came back with, “Thank you, TEAMMATES.”

The six-footer had to make a tough decision. DeWitt has burst into the state's elite in the girls discus this season. Her best of 147-4 puts her among the state leaders.

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Sonoma State has no track and field team.

DeWitt said, “It's kind of sad that I'll be saying good-bye to (the sport) this year. I'll miss it. I hope I can go all the way (to the state meet). But playing basketball is what I want to do.”

Nipomo English teacher and girls basketball coach Laurie Decker was on hand for DeWitt's signing. So were her Swoosh basketball club coaches, Jay Ledford and Mike Alexander.

Decker said, “Jeanette is our first student, male or female, who has earned a basketball scholarship. She is the first one in her family who will go to college.

“She'd gotten some looks from Division I coaches in track and field, but she decided playing basketball is what she wants to do. We thought Division II was the best level for her. Jay and Mike were really helpful to her in this process.

“She'd gotten some looks from Division III and NAIA schools for basketball.”

DeWitt said, “I'd been talking some to Cal Lutheran, Monterey Bay. Cal Poly had a five-year program for two-sport players, but I went with Sonoma State. My club coaches, and coach Decker too, were really helpful during all this.”

A quick needs assessment indicates that DeWitt will fit right in as a Seawolf.

Sonoma State finished 20-10 last season, good enough to qualify for the NCAA Division II West Regional. However, its top three 2007-8 scorers are all seniors.

Sonoma State has three underclassmen who are 6-feet or taller. None of them averaged more than 3.7 points or five rebounds a game last season.

Enter the 6-foot DeWitt - soon, anyway. The PAC-7 League's 2007-8 co-MVP, along with Kelsey Wagner of Arroyo Grande, averaged 13.1 points and 12.4 rebounds a game last season for a Titans team that was 5-7 in league games.

Besides a mutual meeting of basketball needs, DeWitt figured there were at least two more reasons Sonoma State was the right fit for her.

One was money - or the lack of it that DeWitt will have to pay there. “I'm a full financial aid qualifier,” she said. “(The program's) giving me a few thousand dollars in scholarship money to play basketball. That, plus all the grants, means there's no cost to me.”

At least as compelling a reason for DeWitt to go to Sonoma State is in the person of Roxanne Rentschler.

The point guard broke Cabrillo's girls school scoring record in January. She is also a good friend of DeWitt's. Rentschler will play at Sonoma State next season.

“Roxanne is a really close friend of mine,” said DeWitt. “She was a club teammate of mine.

“I'll miss being around all this support on a daily basis, but I wanted to get away to go to college, get a new experience.”

Decker said, “She has a dear friend going there in Roxanne. I know Jeanette will have a wonderful time there.

“Jeanette is a good student and a wonderful young woman. You can tell by the number of teachers and students who turned out for this how much support she has. I could not be more proud of her.”

May 08, 2008