Christensen pulls first signee from Nebraska

MITCHELL, S.D. – Dakota Wesleyan University head women's basketball coach Jason Christensen traveled south on Wednesday to pick up his first signee of the 2017-18 recruiting class. Sarah Castaneda, a 6-foot forward from Bloomfield, Nebraska was surrounded by family and friends as she signed the dotted line to stake her claim as a future Tiger.

 As a junior last season, Castaneda averaged 17 points and 10 rebounds for the Bloomfield Bees. Under head coach Terri Mlady, she was a first-team all-conference selection and received recognition on the all-state honorable mention list. She led her team to a 15-9 record and a trip to the sub-district finals. Her length and athleticism are most exciting to Christensen.

 "I'm very excited to have the chance to coach Sarah," Christensen said. "She's a small-town kid who knows how to work hard and her athleticism will provide a lot of opportunities for her in our style of play."

 Off the basketball court, Castaneda is a well-rounded student-athlete. She is a two-time letter winner in volleyball and a three-time letter winner in basketball and track, while placing high on the Bloomfield High School honor roll and earning a spot on the National Honor Society. She is currently training for a half marathon on Oct. 16 in Des Moines, Iowa.

 The Tigers are coming off a 27-9 season that was highlighted by a trip to the NAIA Division II National Tournament, making it to the quarterfinals.

 Christensen and Co. open the 2016-17 season at Johnson and Wales University for a nonconference match up at 7 p.m. on Oct. 27, in Denver, Colo.