WHITEHALL — Whitehall senior McKena Coron didn’t go on a visit to Cornerstone University expecting an offer to play basketball, but when she got one, she jumped on it, joining the NAIA school’s program.
Coron met with Golden Eagles’ coach Jessica Yonkers toward the end of her visit to the school, and shared some of her game film with the coach, not expecting to hear anything back. After all, the team only had two roster spots open at that point.
“I was really overwhelmed...I wasn’t prepared at all,” Coron said. “It was really exciting when I got the offer. I thought I was just never going to hear anything, to be honest.”
Coron already wanted to go to Cornerstone, as it’s her career goal to go into ministry. The chance to play basketball is a huge bonus.
Cornerstone’s offer to Coron is a bet on her demonstrated ability to make herself a better player. Vikings’ coach Derek Westerlund said Coron is a great example of perseverance. She narrowly made the JV team as a freshman, but by the end of her sophomore year was a key starter on that squad. She followed a similar path on the varsity, not playing much as a junior but working herself into a position where she rarely left the floor as a senior. Her defensive abilities in particular were valuable to Whitehall, and despite her slight frame she was the team’s second-leading rebounder, showing the toughness and desire to mix it up down low.
Her success comes from the same thing drawing her to Cornerstone’s hoops program: Love of the game.
“I just love basketball, whether I’m playing on the court for a minute or all 32 minutes,” Coron said. “I just love basketball. I just want to be on a team and be a competitor and play the game.”
