The future just brightened for the Grand Valley State University women’s basketball team.

The Lanthorn first reported two months ago that sophomore Kellie Watson had verbally committed to GVSU after being granted release from her scholarship at Notre Dame. On April 15, the school formally announced her official signing.

“It speaks well to Grand Valley that a player of her caliber is interested in coming to our school and playing in our program,” said GVSU Athletic Director Tim Selgo. “Grand Valley is a program where students who are playing at a major Division I conference would be interested in if things don’t work out for them.”

Watson said while leaving Notre Dame was a tough decision, it was one she ultimately felt was best.

“It took me a while to decide on whether or not I wanted to transfer,” Watson said. “It ultimately came down to Notre Dame not being the right place for me anymore. I always thought that Grand Valley was probably a good place for me to go and I had pretty much known when I left Notre Dame that I wanted to come here.”

Watson, an Ionia High School graduate, was named Michigan Miss Basketball her senior year for the 2007-08 season after culminating a career in which she set the school career points record for both boys and girls basketball at 1,529.

“Our conference gets solid transfers all the time,” said GVSU head coach Janel Burgess. “Kellie brings a strong character on and off the court that will better our university as a whole. We’re excited to get her to the court and help her mature.”

Watson appeared in 31 games as a freshman for the Fighting Irish, winning the Big East Conference’s Freshman of the Week award twice in the process. On one occasion, she tied Notre Dame’s Joyce Center for a record six 3-pointers against No. 24 Michigan State University, displaying her talents against some of the nation’s top athletes.

“She has a wide range of skills,” Burgess said. “She’s a 6 (foot) 2 (inch) very pure shooter who has the ability to create shots for everyone else. She’s versatile and has a good feeling for the game.”

Watson could not escape the injury bug, having repair work done on both shoulders in high school before going under the knife once again last season. She saw action in only one game before undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery but said her training and conditioning have put her injuries in the past.

“I haven’t felt any shoulder problems since high school,” Watson said. “Obviously, I had a lot of them then but not since I left. I’m not worried about my shoulders anymore. I just had my knee taken care of in November and it’s been completely fine since then, so I’m not worried about my injury history.”

Joining a squad seeing only one senior graduate from this past season, Watson’s experience at a high level of play is expected to be a crucial part of what she mixes with her new teammates.

“Everybody’s excited to be able to add another piece to our puzzle of being successful and making each other better,” Burgess said. “That’s what our kids are focused on, and whoever that is, they’re going to welcome with open arms. They’re ready to enjoy the journey.”

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