The Collegian

Issue date: 1/29/09 Section: Sports

Media Credit: William Clayton Senior Katie Cezat has earned GLIAC South Division Player of the Week six times this season and an excerpt in Sports Illustrated.

Media Credit: William Clayton

Media Credit: Andrew Dodson

Her team is 15-2. She's averaging 26.5 points, 16.3 rebounds and 3.6 blocks every game. She was just named the GLIAC South Division Player of the Week for the sixth time this season - the honor is presented only 10 times each season.

Currently, she's first in the nation in rebounds and blocks, and second in points.

Top that off with being named in Sports Illustrated "Faces in the Crowd" last week and one might picture the 6-foot center to be a dominating, outspoken leader on the Charger women's basketball team. But asking anyone close to senior Katie Cezat reveals the opposite: she leads by example, not a booming voice.

"She's not the vocal person on the team," Sports Information Director Brad Monastiere said. "She's comfortable with that more soft-spoken leadership role."

Head coach Claudette Charney resonated this, saying, "She's just a true leader. She just wants us to be successful. Our team goals she puts in front of everything else."

In her 24 years in this league, Charney said she's never seen a player like Cezat.

What impresses Charney most about her post player is Cezat's consistently high rebounding numbers, which Cezat said matters most to her.

In their game against Tiffin, Cezat pulled down 26 rebounds, her career best and one less than the entire Tiffin team.

"She's got a knack for it that you can't teach," Charney said.

In practice, Cezat said she tries to motivate her teammates by her individual efforts, a fact which is not lost on fellow teammates.

"My perception is they absolutely love her," Charney said, emphasizing the level of respect the team has for Cezat. "That makes our job that much easier."

On the court, the team knows they can depend on Cezat.

"A team of that caliber needs a real go-to player," Monastiere said. "You can always trust the ball in her hands."

Yet, Charney said this isn't always a good thing.

"I think sometimes when you have a player that good, you have a tendency to watch and wait," she said.

And on Dec. 13, 2008, who could blame them? Monastiere called it the best game he's ever seen.

It was no average night for Cezat. By the final buzzer of the Chargers' game against Ferris State University, Cezat racked up 36 points, 20 rebounds and 13 blocks, achieving the coveted "triple double." But there's more.

About midway through the second half, after being fouled and sent to the line for two, the referee handed Cezat the ball saying it would be announced over the PA system as her 1,001 shot. A few plays before being fouled, one of Cezat's many layups brought her to the 1000th point in her college career.

But Cezat would not even be able to tell you exactly which shot was this career-altering layup. After all, she had other things on her mind; she had a game to win.

She remained unaware of her accomplishment until a couple of plays later.

Though Cezat, did surpass her 1000th shot, she missed her first free throw.

"Sorry for jinxing you," the ref said.

When she sunk her second free throw, he made sure to congratulate her before the game continued.

Not wanting to create a fuss, Cezat said, "I hope the Ferris State players didn't hear that."

Even after such an incredible accomplishment, Cezat remains humble. For her, reaching one thousand points was just one more thing to add to the list, and it was time to move on to the next one. When they informed her they would be honoring her accomplishment after their home game against Northwood University, Cezat protested.

"I told them I didn't know that I needed that," she said. "I already had the game ball. It already happened."

For Cezat, her best accomplishment of the night was not her total career points. It was her

defense.

Out of her incredible 13 blocks against Ferris State, four in particular stood out. They were the only four shots Ferris' post players took the entire night. Cezat rejected each one.

When a player's game play gets as much attention as Cezat's, opponents notice. Cezat said many teams now double or even triple team her every time she gets the ball. Though it's frustrating for her as an offensively-minded player, she makes them pay.

While getting double or triple coverage, it opens up one of her teammates. And she's not afraid to share.

"It's like picking their poison," she said.

Her consistency and team play has, as pointed out by Sports Illustrated, ranked the Chargers the highest they have ever been.

Yet her attitude remained the same since she began playing: win games, work hard.

"She's quiet in how she does it," Monastiere said. "That's just her style."

Page 1 of 1

Article Tools