Grinnell College Athletics

Laura VanSickle '90-is the most decorated women's basketball player in Grinnell history. The 6'1" center from Lee's Summitm, Mo., was the first female hoopster to break 1,000 points, which proved only to be a small mark along her way to a school best 1,810 career points and 900 rebounds. In 1990 her jersey number was retired after she set school records in five categories. She still holds the school record for number of rebounds in a season with 276 and remains among the top 25 in the nation for career scoring average (21.0). VanSickle was named the team's most valuable player and selected as an all-conference honoree all four years of her collegiate career. She received regional recognition as a three-time Kodak All-District player and national recognition as a two-time GTE Academic All-American. As a senior, Laura was selected as the GTE College Division Player of the Year. The highlight of Laura's career came during her sophomore year when she scored 41 points and grabbed 20 rebounds in an 84-77 overtime win against Illinois College, leading her team to its first conference victory of the season. The summer prior to her senior year, VanSickle played on an Athletes in Action team in Zaire, Africa. Recipient of the NCAA postgraduate scholarship, Laura continued her education at Wheaton College where in 1992 she graduated with an M.A. in clinical psychology. Van Sickle currently works as director of counseling and health services at North Park University in Chicago.