MASON CITY – NIACC sophomore Emily Bell has verbally committed to play basketball next season at Grand View University in Des Moines.
Bell, a 5-8 guard from Algona, averaged 6.9 points per game during her sophomore season as NIACC placed third at the NJCAA Division II tournament.
Bell, who was a third-team all-NJCAA Region XI selection as a sophomore, ranks second on NIACC’s all-time 3-point list with 110. Julia Oertel (1992-94) is the school’s career leader with 115 3-point goals.
Bell, who was 77 of 225 (34.2 percent) from 3-point range as a sophomore, connected on 7 3-point goals in NIACC’s 100-49 first-round win over Dakota-Bottineau at the national tournament on March 18.
Grand View was 12-14 overall and 5-7 in the Midwest Collegiate Conference in the 2013-14 season. The Vikings, under veteran coach Garey Smith, have qualified for the NAIA national tournament three of the last five years (2010, 2012, 2013).
Grand View will join the Heart of America Athletic Conference in the 2015-16 season.
Bell is the third player from NIACC’s record-breaking team to verbally commit to a four-year school. Sophomore Chelsey Jacox has committed to the University of San Francisco and freshman Cortni Rush has verbally committed to Drake University.
All three players are expected to sign their national letter of intents on April 16.
Bell’s career highs
Points – 21 vs. Dakota-Bottineau (3-18-14)
Rebounds – 7 vs. William Penn junior varsity (11-4-13).
Assists – 3, twice.
Steals – 3, twice.
Notes: Bell scored 402 career points with 110 career 3-point goals, which ranks second on the school’s all-time list.
