Schuler signs to play for St. Ben's

Claudia Schuler has joined the ranks of Delano High School athletes who will continue their athletic careers in college next fall.

 

Schuler, a forward on the Tigers basketball team this past winter, signed a national letter of intent on Wednesday, April 11, to play for the College of St. Benedict. The Blazers are a member of the Division III Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference and finished 22-5 overall in 2017-18, reaching the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

 

“I’m so grateful to have the opportunity to play basketball and further my education at the College of St. Ben's next fall. I could not do it without the loving support from my friends, family, teammates and coaches,” Schuler said during a signing ceremony at Delano High School. “I want to thank all my friends who have cheered me on throughout my basketball career. Your support means so much to me.”

 

Schuler credited her coaches in basketball, volleyball and softball for helping her to develop the skills needed to become a successful athlete.

 

“I think it helps being diverse in what you do and not just sticking to one sport. I think that has helped me in the long run,” Schuler said.

 

DHS varsity head coach Seth Potter said during the signing ceremony that Schuler has come a long way since her middle school days, when she struggled with her shooting accuracy.

 

“But she was a gamer, and she had an intensity that a lot of people couldn’t match,” Potter said. “In just a year she went from a shot that would, frankly, take out a backboard to … scoring 36 points in a game in eighth grade. That just came from a lot of hard work.”

 

Schuler acknowledged that her success wasn’t necessarily due to innate talent.

 

“Basketball didn’t really come easy to me. I wasn’t always the best player on the court, but I wanted to work hard,” she said. “I always worked hard and stayed past hours in the gym. Eventually that paid off, and it’s great to have that feeling.”

 

While basketball is her favorite sport, Schuler said she didn’t seriously consider playing at the next level until the past summer. Talks with longtime Blazers coach Mike Durbin, and with Delano staff members who played for Durbin in the past, convinced Schuler that St. Ben’s was the destination for her. She plans to pursue a career in nursing.

 

“It’s a huge weight off my shoulders to know I’m going to an amazing school,” Schuler said.

 

Potter congratulated Schuler and said she is well equipped to excel at the next level.

 

“Claudia is about to go do one of the hardest things that a young person can go do, and that’s to be a college athlete,” he said. “The amount of time it takes to be a good student and a good athlete at college is extremely daunting, but you’re a great student, you’re a hard worker, and … you’ve seen adversity and fought through stuff that a lot of kids haven’t had to. That, tied in with the shot you have developed now, which is pretty much lights out when you’re on, means you don’t just have a chance to be a good player at St. Ben’s, but a leader for them as well.”

 

Schuler is the daughter of Darren and Jennifer Schuler. Darren is the principal of Delano Elementary School.

 

Other DHS student athletes who have signed national letters of intent this year include Mitchell Durst (DI lacrosse at University of Detroit Mercy), Calvin Wishart (DI basketball at Georgia Southern University), Tucker Hart (DII football at Bemidji State University), Jack Paulson (DII baseball at Northern State University), Emma Moonen (DIII lacrosse at University of Wisconsin-River Falls) and Michael Shoultz (DIII football at University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire).