Drexel University Athletics
Karlstrom to Play Professionally in Romania
8/28/2007 7:06:50 AM | Women's Basketball
Philadelphia, Pa. - After impressing Drexel fans with her hustle and gritty play for four seasons, Kira Karlstrom, the NCAA's top sub 5-foot-4 rebounder last season, is taking her game to Romania. Karlstrom signed a two-year contract to play for the Cluj-Napoca franchise in the country's top league.
Karlstrom established herself as Drexel's starting point guard in her sophomore season when an injury to Jackie Falson opened the door for the diminutive guard. She would go on to play in 103 games and make 67 starts in her four-year Drexel career. Karlstrom had a knack for coming up big for the Dragons in big games. One of the best in her career came against Old Dominion on March 6, 2005 when she poured in 18 points in Drexel's first ever victory over the conference power Lady Monarchs.
Despite being, by most standards, an undersized guard, Karlstrom has always had a nose for the ball and her fearless style of play often allowed her to outrebound taller opponents. On Dec. 9, 2006 she pulled down a career-high 16 rebounds against city rival La Salle. This performance vaulted her into the team's leading rebounder and gave her the distinction of being the shortest player in the nation to lead her team in rebounding, a title she would hold for the next four weeks.
Karlstrom wrapped up her Drexel career ranked fifth all-time in free-throw percentage and among the program's top 15 leaders in assists. The guard is joined on the "U" Trustul CRE Cluj team by fellow CAA guard Michelle Cosel, who wrapped up her career at Virginia Commonwealth last season.
Karlstrom is the second Dragon to sign a professional contract in Europe over the summer. Catherine Scanlon, who completed her four years in 2006, inked a contract to play in Luxembourg. In addition, Drexel's all-time leading scorer Michelle Maslowski, who has been a dominant player throughout Europe for several years, recently signed with a team in Italy's top league.
