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Playing for one of the most prestigious basketball programs in the country located in your own hometown would be satisfactory for most. Not for Katrina Wheeler.
After spending two years at Georgetown, the 6-foot-3-inch junior realized she had to leave a place where she was familiar to finally feel comfortable. She had to leave a place where she was born and raised to finally grow up. She had to leave the place she spent her whole life in order to finally feel at home.
"After being at Georgetown for two years, I realized that it just wasn't working for me," Wheeler said. "I needed a new system, new faces, and a new team. Maybe it would give me a different outlook on things. Baltimore is only 50 minutes away. I knew Towson would still feel like home pretty much."
Prior to college, Wheeler compiled an outstanding career at Theodore Roosevelt High School in Washington, D.C., where she was a teammate of Towson junior point guard Shanae Baker-Brice. Wheeler surpassed the landmark figure of 1,000 in both points scored and rebounds in four years at Roosevelt. Wheeler was a Washington Post All-Metro selection three times in high school and was a McDonald's All-American her senior year.
The highly touted recruit chose to stay in our nation's capital, committing to Georgetown after high school, and paid immediate dividends for the Hoyas. Wheeler started all but two games as a freshman, averaging 8.2 points per game a team-high 8.2 rebounds per game. She averaged 8.0 rebounds per game as a sophomore, including a career-high 17 rebounds against Towson in the 2006-2007 season opener.
Despite the contributions to her team, Wheeler felt as if she was not playing quite at the level she had become accustomed to. Also during her two years at Georgetown, the Hoyas had a combined 23-33 record, including just six wins in Big East contests. Her desire to play for a championship contender, along with what she considered her own personal underachievement, led Wheeler to reconsider her place at Georgetown.
"I didn't live up to my hype. At Georgetown, I think I set goals for myself that I didn't accomplish," Wheeler said. "I'm not one to point fingers, but I think there is a lot at Georgetown that I couldn't accomplish.
"Our team's success wasn't really what I wanted. We really didn't do a lot of damage. We had the potential to, but we didn't," Wheeler added. "I thought I needed to start all over and take a year off. Just get myself together, work on my game, take my game to the next level, learn from it, and see if I could come back the next year."
After her sophomore season, Wheeler decided to leave Georgetown and transfer to a new basketball program. Although several suitors were interested in the tall post player, Wheeler instantly knew where she wanted her next basketball home would be.
"I already had a good relationship with coach [Joe] Mathews. He recruited me out of high school with Shanae," Wheeler said. "I just needed a different move and I was comfortable with him as a person and as a coach, so I already knew where I would be going before I even transferred."
Wheeler's transition from Georgetown to Towson was made easier not only because of her pre-existing relationship with coach Mathews, but because of her friendship with several women already on the roster; none more than lifelong friend Baker-Brice. Playing hoops with one another since the age of nine, the bond between Wheeler and Baker-Brice extends far beyond the confines of the Towson Center.
"My relationship with Shanae was a major factor in me coming here because she is a point guard and I'm a post player and those are two of the key parts to a team," Wheeler said. "I know how she plays and she knows how I play. I would rather go to a team where I know I'm comfortable. I knew Kandace [Davis] and Ashlee [Keown] before I came here too, but Shanae and I know where each other are on the court.
"Our rapport on the court and our relationship is incredible. That's my cousin. She is my family," Wheeler added.
Due to NCAA regulations, Wheeler was required to sit out the 2007-08 season. Although watching her teammates from the bench was disappointing, Wheeler admits that sitting out last season gave her time to learn about her new teammates and learn more about the game.
"I really just missed being out there," Wheeler said. "Just being out there on the court; there is no other feeling like it. It is a rush and I missed being a part of that.
"But I took it as a great learning experience," Wheeler added. "I got to see who my competition was. I was introduced to the CAA. I got to see who my team really was and how to play with them. I practiced with them and had fun cheering for them, honestly."
The addition of Wheeler this season will add depth to a roster already filled with returning talent. Wheeler's range and skill on the defensive end of the court should further benefit a unit that finished ninth in the country in steals per game (12.6).
After patiently waiting, Wheeler now will have the chance to not only suit up with her new team, but to achieve new goals and chase down the championship she desperately craves.
"They had 22 wins last year without me so I think I could just add on to that," Wheeler said. "I want to bring that little something different. I haven't even played a game with Towson yet, but I feel like I can be a great addition to the team if I play to the level that I know I can play at and do what I need to do in these next two years here at Towson."
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