PORT ANGELES — The Peninsula College women’s basketball team has started to stockpile its next generation of talent with the signing of Madison Pilster from Snake River High School in Blackfoot, Idaho.
Pilster, a 5-foot-9 guard/forward, was a four-year varsity basketball player.
Peninsula head coach Alison Crumb expects Pilster to be an all-around asset to the Pirates as they aim to continue the momentum of the past two seasons, despite the graduation of six major contributors, including five two-year starters.
“We expect big things from Madison. She is an extremely hard worker and gifted athlete, so we plan on using her in a variety of different ways,” Crumb said.
“Her speed, athleticism and competitiveness are going to make her a very capable player to come in as a freshman and potentially do some great things.”
Three-sport standout
At Snake River, Pilster was an accomplished athlete in basketball, soccer, and track and field.
She was first-team all-district in soccer and basketball. Her senior season, the Panthers went 23-2 and won the Idaho 3A basketball state championship, and she was selected as the Boise Idaho Statesman 3A All-State Player of the Year.
Pilster averaged 14.2 points and five rebounds per game, while shooting 53 percent from the field and 41.4 percent on 3-pointers.
As a sprinter in track and field, Pilster runs a 28:04 200-meter dash, and a 62:74 400-meter dash.
Pilster excelled academically, as well, earning 3.1 GPA. She plans on pursuing an Associate of Arts degree while at Peninsula College.
“Not only can she play almost every position, but she has also proven to be a winner,” Crumb said.
“Madison has been a state champion, a leader and a successful student-athlete. What more could you want?”
Pilster is similarly impressed with her new coach.
Pilster told the Idaho State Journal that playing for Crumb was one of the reasons she decided to sign a letter of intent to play for the Pirates.
“I really liked the coach,” Pilster told the newspaper.
“She was really outgoing, nice, and I liked her competitiveness to win.
“I liked it up there [in Port Angeles].”
Knowles joining staff
Along with new players, Crumb announced that the Peninsula College women’s basketball team also will have a new assistant coach next season: former Port Angeles High School girls coach Mike Knowles.
Knowles, whose daughter Alison will be a sophomore for the Pirates next season, was Crumb’s coach when she played at Port Angeles.