Vikings' Standout Adds to Strong 2011 Recruiting Class
Valparaiso High School senior Michelle Rosenbaum has agreed to continue to her education and basketball career at Indiana University Northwest beginning in the Fall of 2011. Rosenbaum will make her decision official at a signing at IU Northwest this Thursday, March 24. The 6'0" senior-forward helped the Vikings to a 7-14 record this past season in the competitive Duneland Athletic Conference. As a senior she averaged 4.5 points and 4.5 rebounds per game while carrying a 3.11 grade point average.
Rosenbaum notched a career high of 15 points while grabbing 5 rebounds with 2 blocks earlier this season vs Michigan City and set a career high in rebounds with 12 while adding 10 points and 2 blocks vs state ranked Merrillville. She was a two-time letter winner for the Vikings. In addition to Michelle's success on the court and in the classroom, she is also active outside of athletics and has participated in the C.A.S.S. Leadership Program (Creating A Safer School), Completed Valparaiso Junior Police Academy and earned Criminal Investigations/Forensic Science certificate of technical achievement 2010. She has also participated in community service projects as a Volunteers for Banta Food drives. Rosenbaum joins another solid RedHawks recruiting class that already includes All-Area point guard and Boone Grove MVP Brittany Dewell and 6'1" forward Paige Hickenbottom of Hebron.
"With Michelle's commitment, our university and basketball program has experienced a tremendous gain both academically and on the basketball court. Michelle is a committed student and dedicated player that is very talented and has potential to get even better with added experience at the college level. In getting to know Michelle and her family over the past few months it became apparent that Michelle is a great fit for our university and team. We're very excited and looking forward to her arrival on campus in the fall," said IU Northwest Head Coach Ryan Shelton.
Rosenbaum will join a RedHawks squad that enjoyed three consecutive 20-win seasons to go along with back to back A.I.I. Conference Championships and consecutive NAIA National Tournament Appearances. IU Northwest finished 22-9 this past season that concluded with a 75-61 loss in the opening round of the NAIA national Tournament to #3 Morningside College. Michelle plans to major in Criminal Justice at IU Northwest with a specific interest in forensic science and behavioral analysis. After college she plans to join the U.S. Marine Corps.