Jakubicek commits to NIU women's hoops

Northern Illinois women's basketball coach Kathi Bennett has received a verbal commitment from Cary-Grove senior Claire Jakubicek.

It was good news for Bennett, a first-year coach, after learning she wouldn't have Mauvolyene Adams, the Huskies second-leading scorer last season, for the 2010-11 season. An NIU spokesman said Adams' decision to leave the team was "an issue of when you get a new coach" to take over a program with another coach's players.

Adams, now a senior, started all 28 games last season and averaged 12.6 points and 8.4 rebounds. She will remain a student at NIU and is scheduled to graduate this spring, the team spokesman said.

Jakubicek, a 6-foot senior, gives the Huskies a versatile prospect that can play in the post and on the wing. She avergaed 16.8 points, 8.0 rebounds, 3.1 steals and 2.3 assists as a junior. C-G coach Rod Saffert said Jakubicek also had offers from Ball State and Wisconsin-Milwaukee.