Photo Courtesy Athletics Department
Kari Reabold and Joscelyn Shumate, co-captains of the women’s basketball team, played in their last home game Saturday.

The women’s basketball team was elated Saturday night after their second win of the season over Central Washington University, which also came on senior night.

The Nanooks’ two seniors, Kari Reabold and Joscelyn Shumate were honored before the game with their family members present.

“They’re role models for the younger players and (the younger players) see that so they want to play as hard and be successful like them,” said coach Lynne Andrew after the game.

“I’m just happy that we won,” Reabold said, “Never in my career have we ever beat Central besides this year, let alone swept them, and we don’t like their team so it’s just really special tonight.” When asked to elaborate on that dislike, Reabold said that even though Central is an out-of-state team, a rivalry just exists between them.

The co-captains have definitely left a mark on the Nanooks. Both Fairbanks natives, the two played together on team PASTA and at Lathrop High School.

Reabold has been the team MVP for the last two seasons and is currently in the top ten in the GNAC in scoring, rebounding, assists, steals and blocks. She is 12th on the Nanooks’ all-time scoring chart with 1,110 points and is seventh in career rebounds with 610. For the last three years, she has averaged more than 10 points per game, and last season earned second-team all-conference honors.

Shumate set career-highs this season in points, rebounds, assists, steals and blocks this season and tied the UAF record for blocked shots in a single game twice in one weekend; against Saint Martin’s and Western Oregon in January. She has the highest career shooting percentage of 46. Saturday’s contest was her 86th career game, and since her freshman year, has been a staple for the Nanooks; she played in all 27 games that year. Last season she was named Humanitarian of the Year among all student-athletes for her off-court involvement in community service.

Andrew attributed the seniors’ morale as a booster and motivator for the Nanooks. “Joscelyn is probably the most positive out there. When people make mistakes she’s the first one to pick them up.”

For Reabold, it’s her hard work that rubs off: “They just see her work ethic and they want to try to match it.”