KLAMATH FALLS –

After a two-year stint at Carroll College (Mont.), Nikki McElligott has found a home with the Oregon Institute of Technology women’s basketball team and the Hustlin’ Owls are reaping benefits in Klamath Falls.

McElligott, a 2000 Ione High School graduate, has posted numbers deserving of a Cascade Collegiate Conference player of the year honor with 22 double-doubles in points and rebounds over 26 games.

Thus far, McElligott, a (6-foot-2 junior post player, has reeled in a conference best 10.9 rebounds per game (273 total) and her 16.2 points per game average is second in the conference.

“She is such a great kid and an outstanding athlete,” OIT head coach Tom Loney said. “She is the type of kid we want in this program.”

OIT has fed off McElligott, posting a 17-9 overall record, second behind Eastern Oregon University in the Cascade Conference at 11-5.

“Nikki brings the ability to do anything on the court,” Loney said. “She can pass, score, rebound and defend. She creates a lot of problems for other defenses.”

Carroll College was McElligott’s school of choice after high school and basketball success came quickly, but results were not the same in the classroom.

“I didn’t know anybody, but it was a fun experience,” said McElligott of Carroll College. “I struggled with my grades and was a little homesick.”

At Carroll, McElligott earned first-team Frontier Conference honors her sophomore year and was named the NAIA Division I player of the week Feb. 12, 2002.

“Carroll was more of a slow-pace offense and at OIT we like to run. I like it a lot better,” McElligott said.

McElligott ultimately decided to transfer to OIT for its dental hygiene program and to be closer to her friend Camie Burright, who is also an Ione graduate and OIT basketball player.

“I had to set my priorities and the transfer was the right thing to do,” McElligott said. “I was nervous about the OIT program, but Tom is a great coach and it has really worked out well.”

The women’s basketball team was cut at OIT due to funding issues and is in only its second year after an 11-year hiatus.

“Transfers like Nikki don’t come along often, so we were excited to get her,” Loney said. “She brings more to a team individually than any other player that I’ve seen.”

McElligott said she likes the feel of OIT better because of teammates like Pilot Rock’s Amanda Doherty and La Grande’s Lindsey Carmichael, who play for OIT and are from Eastern Oregon.

“This team has great chemistry,” Loney said. “Off the court, Nikki is happy-go-lucky and seems to be pretty happy with things.”

After transferring to OIT, McElligott used a red shirt and could only practice.

“It really sucked because I wanted to play so bad,” McElligott said. But, she said, “I think I benefited because I got to know the program and the transition was pretty smooth because I had friends who were already here.”

McElligott has benefited from her decisions and three times this season her efforts have earned her Cascade Conference player of the week honors. More importantly, McElligott’s grades are up and she has found her niche in the dental hygiene program.

“It’s exciting to receive player of the week honors, but I just like to play and we want to win,” McElligott said. “Right now, we’re trying to finish as high as possible and make a run deep into the playoffs.”

McElligott said she is not surprised by the team’s success in only its second year and feels the team has let some games get away. With the numbers McElligott is posting, opposing teams pay special attention to her, but McElligott likes the challenge.

“I take a lot of pride in setting others up,” McElligott said. “For me, its more exciting to make a good pass out of a double or triple team.”

At Ione, McElligott was a three-time Big Sky Conference first-team basketball player and led the Cardinals to the 2000 Class 1A state championship game only to lose to Condon, later earning all-state first team honors.

“We beat Condon twice earlier in the season that year and I am still angry about that loss,” said McElligott with a laugh.

McElligott’s older sister Melissa helped Ione earn the 1996 Class 1A basketball title and her younger sister Natalie is trying to earn one this year with Ione.

“I’ve never played with my sisters on the high school teams and I am trying to talk Natalie into playing for OIT,” McElligott said. “We’ll see, but I am really pumped about my final season with OIT next year. This whole experience has been really neat because I always dreamed about playing college basketball when I was in grade school.”

Nikki McElligott

Hometown: Ione

College: Oregon Institute of Technology

Season statistics

(25 games through Feb. 12)

Scoring

Total points: 405

Game average: 16.2

Conference rank: Second

Rebounding

Total rebounds: 273

Offensive rebounds: 92

Defensive rebounds: 181

Game average: 10.9

Conference rank: First

Field Goal Percentage

Field Goals: 163

Attempted: 323

Percentage: .505

Conference rank: Seventh

Steals/Blocks

Steals: 41

Game average: 1.64

Conference rank: 15

Blocks: 29

Game average: 1.16

Conference rank: Fourth

Nikki McElligott’s season

Nov. 14, at Dominican, 75-63 (L), 11pts, 13 reb.

Nov. 15, at CSU-Monterey Bay, 85-78 (W), 19 pts., 19 reb.

Nov. 23, vs. Pacific Lutheran, 63-52 (W), 13 pts., 15 reb.

Nov. 24, vs. San Jose Christian, 94-38 (W), 13 pts. 8 reb.

Nov. 25, at Simpson, 58-55 (W), 19 pts., 11 reb.

Dec. 5, vs. Holy Names, 73-55 (L), 18 pts., 10 reb.

Dec. 6, vs. Notre Dame De Namur, 84-52 (W), 14 pts., 15 reb.

Dec. 12, at Humboldt State, 64-55 (W), 10 pts., 11 reb.

Dec. 13, vs Holy Names, 81-62 (L), 18 pts., 5 reb.

Dec. 17,* Western Baptist, 80-64 (W), 20 pts., 10 reb.

Dec. 18,* vs.Concordia, 89-51 (W), 12 pts. 12 reb.

Jan. 2,* at Evergreen, 70-69 (W), 13 pts., 10 reb.

Jan. 3,* at Northwest, 73-62 (W), 25 pts., 12 reb.

Jan. 10,* vs. Cascade, 84-52 (W), 16 pts., 11 reb.

Jan. 11,* vs. Warner Pacific, 73-67 (L), 18 pts, 10 reb.

Jan. 13,* vs. Southern Oregon, 69-54 (W), 19 pts., 12 reb.

Jan. 16,* at Albertson, 58-55 (L), 12 pts, 10 reb.

Jan. 17,* at Eastern Oregon, 71-53 (L), 12 pts., 10 reb.

Jan. 23,* at Concordia, 70-57 (W), 18 pts., 7 reb.

Jan. 24,* at Western Baptist, 65-52 (W), 16 pts., 10 reb.

Jan. 30,* vs. Northwest, 94-65 (W), 4 pts., 6 reb.

Jan. 31,* vs. Evergreen, 82-63 (W), 19 pts., 12 reb.

Feb. 6,* at Warner Pacific, 74-70 (L), 24 pts., 13 pts.

Feb. 7,* at Cascade, 55-53 (W), 15 pts., 11 reb.

Feb. 8, at Western Oregon, 71-63 (L), 27 pts., 10 reb.

Feb. 13,* vs. Eastern Oregon, 62-55 (L), 19 pts., 13 reb.

*Cascade Collegiate Conference games