Shaylan Reardon, senior at Divine Savior Holy Angels High School, feels the pressure as she comes closer to signing with a team to play college basketball as the early spring signing deadline quickly approaches.
Reardon has handful of offers to play division 3 basketball, including offers from St. Thomas University, St. Olaf and Milwaukee School of Engineering, which Reardon says are her top three choices.
St. Thomas, a Catholic university in St. Paul, Minnesota, with 10,500 students, has a strong women's basketball program with a 31-2 record and third place finish last year.
St. Olaf, a Lutheran college, is located just outside of the Twin Cities in Minnesota. The total enrollment is 3,100 students. Milwaukee School of Engineering is located downtown Milwaukee and appeals to Reardon's major, actuary engineering.
"I want to be a Civil Engineer. Not many schools in the Midwest have a Civil Engineering program, so the defiantly narrows down the list of schools that I can pursue for basketball," said Reardon.
Reardon was also offered a full ride scholarship to play Division 2 basketball at Lewis University.
"I loved the basketball opportunities that I would have had at Lewis, but they did not have an engineering program and my education always comes first. So, I ended up turning down the basketball scholarship while learning the valuable lesson that sometime you have to sacrifice your lesser desires for your greater ones," said Reardon.
Reardon's love and desire for basketball started at the age of four.
"Basketball is the opportunity to just let go and play the game I fell I love with as a little girl," said Reardon.
That love transpired to being part of a national level eighth grade team in just fourth grade. The team traveled to Fort Wayne, Indiana and won the Division 2 national championship. Reardon has also played for Team Wisconsin basketball for fifth through ninth grade and Wisconsin Impact during ninth through 12th grade. Additionally, Reardon made varsity as a freshman at DSHA. As a sophomore, Reardon ranked third on the team in minutes played, assists, steals, and rebounds.
During her third year at DSHA, she was honored with All Conference Honorable Mention and Team Captain. Also, at the Wisconsin Hoops Showcase, Reardon made the All Showcase Team.
The National Scouting Report stated Reardon was, "a very good shooter. Three point threat. Excellent court vision. Sees court well. Hustles. Leader. Very vocal. Encourages team mates."
At 17-years-old, Reardon has already had an impressive list of basketball successes and accomplishments.
"Basketball has always been that one constant in my life. No matter what hectic and crazy things are going on in my life, when I step between the lines, nothing else matters anymore," said Reardon.
As she moves on to decide which path she'll take, Reardon says her support system has helped her career. With the unconditional support of her coaches, grandparents, relatives, siblings, and parents, Reardon will take the next few months to carefully consider and determine the future of the game she loves so very much.