OAKLEY, Calif. — Cydnee Kinslow was sure about Pepperdine. So sure she enrolled early, forgoing her senior season at Freedom High School in Oakley, to get a jump-start on her college career.
A semester with the Waves made Kinslow re-evaluate her decision. She made multiple visits in search of a new school and basketball program, including Texas Tech, Texas A&M and Illinois — twice — before ultimately committing to Matt Bollant and Illinois on July 3 and signing her scholarship tender on Tuesday.
“I went down to Pepperdine the day after Christmas,” Kinslow said. “I was a redshirt there for the spring semester and decided I wanted a better program and a coaching staff that cared about me and wanted to see me grow as a player.