Head coach Mike Bradbury as brought yet another face he knows well to the New Mexico women's basketball program.
UNM announced on Tuesday afternoon the signing of Richelle van der Keijl a six-foot-five-inch center. Van der Keijl played under Bradbury for three seasons at Wright State and comes in as a graduate transfer after completing her degree in mass communication. She will seek her master’s in sports administration, according to the UNM release.
"Richelle brings a high level of play to our program," Bradbury said in a statement. "She has the size, she can score, and she can rebound. She will bring talent that will help continue to move our program forward."
The post player will use one of Bradbury’s two open scholarships after the departure of Whitney Johnson and Jannan Otto. Van der Keijl, a native from the Netherlands, will replace Johnson’s inside presence and bring about familiar knowledge to the fast-paced offense Bradbury seeks to instill in his squad.
Van der Keijl really blossomed in her junior year under Bradbury, become a full-time starter. The center averaged 9.5 points and 8.6 boards (team-high) per contest. She also led the Raiders with a .550 shooting percentage.
Van der Keijl will enter as a redshirt junior after missing her first year due to injury in the 2013-2014 preseason.
The newest member of the UNM roster not only brings collegiate experience to the table, but international experience as well. Van der Keijl made the Netherlands’ U20 team and participated in the 2013 European Championships in Samsun, Turkey.
Liam Cary-Eaves is the sports editor for the Daily Lobo. He primarily covers volleyball, women’s basketball and baseball. He can be reached at sports@dailylobo.com or on Twitter @Liam_CE.
