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  • Pater off to Europe to play Pro Ball

    http://www.argusleader.com/sports/Fridayarticle2.shtml

    New challenges await former SDSU star
    From Staff Reports


    published: 4/30/2004

    Pater will continue hoops career in Netherlands

    A year after leading South Dakota State to its first national championship in women's basketball, Melissa Pater is embarking upon a new adventure - professional basketball in the Netherlands.

    SDSU's career scoring leading, Pater has signed to play with the Perik Jumpers . . .

    Pater expects to report to the team in early September. The season, with playoffs, could last as late as June 2005. She will be one of only two non-European players on the squad, and her contract offers a club option for the 2005-06 season.

    "This was too good of an opportunity to pass up," Pater said. "I feel like I'm in pretty good shape. I just have to get back in the gym shooting consistently."

    Originally contacted by the team following the Jackrabbits' 2003 national title, Pater opted to stay at SDSU for one more year after committing to serve as a graduate assistant coach for the 2003-04 season. She also began work on her master's degree.

    A native of Holland, Minn., Pater doesn't expect a big jump in competition from North Central Conference play. She could meet up with an old foe in the European circuit. Former North Dakota standout Theresa LeCuyer has played for an opposing team in The Netherlands the past couple seasons.

    "Height-wise, I haven't noticed that much of a difference from the NCC," said Pater, who is expected to play at power forward.

    Pater averaged 19.5 points and 8.1 rebounds per game during the 2002-03 season. Pater led Division II in field goal percentage, shooting at a 65.0 percent clip (267-of-411), and her 681 points set an SDSU single-season record and gave her the Jackrabbit career scoring mark with 1,747 points.

    She was named the most outstanding player of the Elite Eight in St. Joseph, Mo., as SDSU captured the school's only Division II women's basketball national title.

    Jackrabbit Standout

    Melissa Pater (left) is the leading scorer in Jackrabbit history with 1,747 points in her career. She led the Jacks to the 2003 national title and spent last season as a graduate assistant coach with the team while starting work on her masters degree.


    Congrats to Melissa! ;D

    Go State!


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