RECRUITING: Lainhart tops busy week with commitment to Idaho

It’s hard to imagine a busier schedule this week for Silverado senior Natalie Lainhart.

But between school work, track and field season and an official recruiting visit to Idaho for basketball, Lainhart found nothing but joy in her loaded itinerary.

A large measure of that happiness came when the versatile forward committed to Idaho on Wednesday, accepting a scholarship offer from the Vandals to fulfill a lifelong dream.

“It’s a fun thing. Nothing’s been hectic; it’s been great,” Lainhart said Thursday, hours after she won the discus with a mark of 113 feet, 10 inches in a home meet against Del Sol.

Lainhart plans to sign with Idaho when the NCAA spring signing period begins April 13. Players are not bound by oral commitments.

“I’ve wanted to play college basketball all my life, and it’s an amazing feeling,” she said. “I feel grateful to get to play and have my school paid for.”

Lainhart left her visit to the Moscow, Idaho campus impressed with the atmosphere and coaches within the program.

“I instantly fell in love with the atmosphere, and the coaches were great,” said Lainhart, who also received attention from New Mexico State and Weber State.

The 5-foot-11-inch Lainhart earned third-team all-state and first-team All-Southeast League honors as a senior. She averaged 16.6 points, 13.7 rebounds and 3.6 assists to help Silverado finish 12-10.

Lainhart said that versatile skill set led to increased recruiting interest during her senior year. The Vandals recruited her to play a mix of shooting guard, small forward and power forward.

“I think my guard skills improved the most,” she said of her senior season.

Lainhart is the second Silverado senior girls basketball player to earn a Division I scholarship in as many seasons. Former Skyhawk Shea Collins averaged 5.5 points as a freshman guard at IUPUI this season.