Staff Report
Former Lobo basketball player Chelsea Grear recently signed a contract committing her to the Perik Jumpers, a professional basketball team out of the Netherlands.
Grear is expected to be a major asset to the Jumpers, which were co-champions last season in the Dutch women's professional basketball league.
Perik is one of several European teams that followed Grear throughout her last season in a Lobo uniform. She earned international recognition during her four-year basketball career at UNM, playing a major role in the Lobos' MWC Championship and Sweet 16 appearance last season. Grear finished the 2002-03 season as UNM's leading rebounder and the team's second leading scorer. She also nearly broke the Lobos' all-time record in 3-point shooting percentage.
Although Grear is known for owning the boards on the offensive end of the court, her skill does not stop there - she is ranked fifth in UNM history in steals.
"She was one of our best defensive players," said UNM assistant coach Yvonne Sanchez. Instead of relaxing after signing on with the Jumpers, Grear has dedicated hours at Johnson Center working out and fine-tuning her skills. When Sanchez is not on the road recruiting, she has been spending time with Grear on the court.
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"She works so hard," Sanchez said. "We got started out when she first signed. Even when my schedule got hectic, she continued to work out really hard on her own, which is awesome."
Sanchez says ball handling may be the 5-foot-10-inch forward's weakest point. This is a skill she says all players should improve on and Grear is no exception. Grear accepted the offer from Perik on her agent's recommendation. If Grear learns to produce for the Jumpers like she did for the Lobos, she will prove to be a valuable addition to the team.
"Players always get better after college," Sanchez said. "They mature more, they're a little bit smarter. Chelsea will continue to get better."
