Bishop Ludden High School senior Danielle Rauch on Wednesday signed her National Letter of Intent to continue her education and basketball career at the University Michigan next fall.
Rauch was named the 2017 All-CNY Girls Basketball Small School Player of the Year after averaging 17.9 points, 8.0 assists, 6.6 rebounds, and 5.0 steals per game. She led Bishop Ludden to its first Section III Class B championship since 2006 and became the school’s all-time leading scorer in the process; she enters her senior season with 1,484 career points. She said one goal for this season is reaching 2,000 career points.
Rauch also earned a spot on the all-state first team following her junior season. A three-star recruit by ESPN, she played AAU for I-90 Elite. Her father, Len, played for Michigan men’s basketball head coach John Beilein when he coached at Le Moyne College.
“She comes from another great basketball family,” Michigan Wolverines Women’s Basketball Coach Kimberly Barnes Arico said in an email.
She continued: “Coach Beilein always tells the story about how her dad changed his life because he was such an impact player for his program at Le Moyne. I think Danielle fits in that same mold. She is a fierce competitor who will run through the wall to chase down a loose ball; she will take a charge to win the game. She has a toughness about her, kind of old school that you don’t really see in today’s game. She has great leadership skills and can play multiple positions. Her toughness allows her to defend the other team’s best player. She is a winner; she will sacrifice whatever she needs to in order to win the basketball game. She is just a hard-nosed, tough player who you need in your program, similar to Michigan great Jenny Ryan.”
Rauch said she intends to study kinesiology, the study of the mechanics of human motion.
The University of Michigan quoted Rauch: “I chose Michigan because after visiting, I had a feeling of belonging. I felt that I could see myself going there for the next four years and being successful in all aspects of my life. I knew that attending Michigan would help me develop further as a player and a person. Michigan also gives me an opportunity to receive a great education, which was a big factor in my decision as well. I hope to go into coaching, athletic training, or athletic administration.”
