From Tom Eckmann, Rachelle Eckmann’s father, on her transfer to St. Cloud State: it had nothing to do with grades, she pulled a 3.0 GPA her first year, but it had more to do with the consistency of the coaching staff.

She was recruited by Amy Ruley and Kelli Layman out of high school, but Ruley left coaching for her administrative position. Still, Tom Eckmann said, Rachelle developed a good relationship with new assistant Mary Grothe, who was also her academic coach. But Grothe left this summer and that brought St. Cloud State head coach Lori Fish back into the picture.

Tom Eckmann said Rachelle, originally, would have liked to play for Fish if NDSU wasn’t in the picture.

Now it appears that will be the case. Tom Eckmann said he still loves the Bison program and he had lofty praise for women’s athletic director Lynn Dorn.