KUTZTOWN, PA (February 26, 2010) – Moments before Chauntelle Schroeder is introduced as a starter for the 55th consecutive time, she will be sitting in a black chair with her hands clasped together and gathering her final thoughts before she leaps off her seat and slaps hands with teammates on her way to center court.

That's pretty impressive considering her first two years as a Golden Bear; Schroeder played a grand total of 120 minutes and saw action in just 20 games. This current starting streak represents something deeper for Schroeder, who is proof positive that anything can be accomplished with hard work, dedication, patience and faith.

“Everytime I hear my name called as a starter, I feel really proud of what I accomplished,” Schroeder said. “Nothing was handed to me. I am really happy because I know I worked hard to contribute to our team and to prove to myself that I could compete on this level.”

Schroeder has more than made up for lost time. This season she is second on the Golden Bears in rebounding (6.8) and third in scoring (9.2). Schroeder has scored in double figures 10 times and posted two double-doubles. One of the major highlights of Schroeder's season was being selected as a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division Player of the Week on Dec. 23.

Schroeder along with fellow seniors Vivian Melvin, Rachel Wisemiller and Katie Dovey will be recognized for their accomplishments before the Golden Bears (18-8 overall, 9-4 PSAC East) battle Bloomsburg (15-11, 7-6) in a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division game at Kesytone Arena beginning at 1 p.m.

Bloomsburg defeated Kutztown, 46-45, on Jan. 30. Bloomsburg can earn the No. 3 seed and a return trip to Kutztown if it wins, West Chester knocks off East Stroudsburg and Shippensburg loses to Cheyney.

However, thanks to its sterling record, this will not be the final home game of the season for Kutztown. The Golden Bears will host a PSAC quarterfinal contest Tuesday night at 7 p.m. against either West Chester, Shippensburg or Bloomsburg. It will be Kutztown's first home playoff game since 1998 when it defeated Millersville, 48-41.

“To have a home game means so much to us,” Schroeder said. “I know that after we beat Cheyney Wednesday night, I was so excited and my hands were shaking. That was one of my best moments of my college career so far.”

Schroeder never imagined herself playing college basketball. Growing up in Toronto, Schroeder didn't begin playing hoops until she reached ninth grade. Instead, volleyball was her favorite sport. Then she started learning the basic fundamentals of basketball in tenth grade. Despite improving as a basketball player, Schroeder didn't make the varsity or see significant action until 11th grade.

That experience proved beneficial to Schroeder once she arrived at Kutztown. Her road to Berks County was interesting. Schroeder was playing in a basketball showcase at Kean University in New Jersey when she caught the eye of head coach Janet Malouf.

“I had never heard of Kutztown,” Schroeder said. “I just remember getting a letter in the mail from coach when I got home from the tournament. When I saw the campus, I liked it a lot because it had a nice small-town quality about it. I came into Kutztown with no expectations and no ego. All I wanted to do was learn as much as I could and get better.”

Caught in a numbers crunch during her freshman year, Schroeder just quietly went about her business of getting better. She scored four points total as a freshman. Her sophomore year, Schroeder tallied 47 points highlighted by a 13-point performance at Millersville in an eight-minute stretch. Schroeder went back home and played in the Girls Ballers Summer League. She knew her opportunity would come and she was prepared to take advantage. Last year as a junior, Schroeder averaged 10.3 points.

“She has improved the most out of the senior class,” Malouf said. “She worked very hard to become the player she has been the last two years. She is an undersized center in our league, but has a huge heart and plays much bigger than what she is.  Her first two years she struggled with finding a position to really contribute to the team.  Once we settled on the center spot, she worked extremely hard and went from playing 83 total minutes as a sophomore to playing over 670 minutes as a junior.  That is a huge jump and indicative of the time she put in to improving her skills.”

Playing against bigger and stronger women on a regular basis in the rugged world of the post, doesn't matter to Schroeder. Playing with more heart than Hallmark on Valentine's Day, she protects the basket like a pugnacious pit-bit defending its ground. She snatches rebounds like they are million-dollar lottery tickets.

Offensively, Schroeder's hands are as soft as silk. She has developed a short mid-range jumper that helps open up the basket area for her teammates.

Against Cheyney, Schroeder scored 12 of her 16 points in the first half, which helped keep the Golden Bears within striking distance after another slow start. Going against two of the best rebounders and most athletic post players in the PSAC in Cheyney's duo of Angel Stephens and Stephanie Orji, Schroeder did a solid job of keeping the duo in check.

“She is very dedicated and works hard every day in practice,” Malouf said. “She knows her limitations and is always seeking to get better and expand her game. She is a joy to coach and have in practice every day. I am thrilled with Canada's progress during her career at KU and am happy that the last two seasons have become very memorable for her and our team.”

With two more wins, this senior class can depart with an achievement that no other class can brag about: consecutive 20-win seasons. Consider that Kutztown won 20 games combined in Schroeder's first two years.

The marketing major is affectionately called “Canada” by her teammates and those that know her. She is also minoring in public relations. Schroeder is very inquisitive and has a funny sense of humor that keeps her teammates laughing. She knows that her days as a college basketball player are dwindling, but that's not stopping her from passing on the stories of her perseverance, struggles and sacrifices to her teammates.

“I am always telling my teammates who aren't getting the playing time they would like, I just tell them to look at me and what I went through,” Schroeder said. “It is so easy to give up and not try than to buckle down and work hard. If I can do it, then I know anybody can too. It's going to be mixed emotions whenever we play our last game, but no matter what happens, I am extremely proud of everything that I accomplished at Kutztown.”

GOLD RUSH IS STILL ON: Kutztown University hosts Bloomsburg University for a basketball doubleheader on Saturday, February 27 and invites the community, alumni, students, staff and faculty to “Jam the Gym” – celebrating KU athletics and a successful season for Golden Bear men's and women's basketball. Their goal is to fill every seat available in Keystone Hall, home to KU basketball. 

Fans and friends are encouraged to wear their 'gold' apparel to the final basketball games of the season. At half-time of the men's game, a KU student will be randomly selected to shoot from half-court for a Gold Rush prize of $10,000.

The first-ever Gold Rush begins at noon with a Gold Rush rally for alumni, hosted by the Kutztown University Alumni Association in the Student Recreation Center. The Rush continues with the women's basketball game at 1 p.m. and the men's basketball game at 3 p.m. Tickets are just $5 and are available at the door on game day; KU students, staff and faculty are free.