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Lakeview’s Pavlansky makes verbal to KSU

Tribune Chronicle / Bob Ettinger Lakeview’s Annie Pavlansky (10) drives against Howland’s Izzy Albrecht (2) and Mackenzie Maze (4) earlier this season. Pavlansky made a verbal commitment to Kent State University. She can officially sign in mid-November.

Tribune Chronicle / Bob Ettinger Lakeview's Annie Pavlansky (10) drives against Howland's Izzy Albrecht (2) and Mackenzie Maze (4) earlier this season. Pavlansky made a verbal commitment to Kent State University. She can officially sign in mid-November. Annie Pavlansky is a Lakeview person through and through.

Her father, Tom, is the school’s football coach.

She’s grown up around Bulldogs athletics.

Even when Annie verbally committed to play women’s basketball at Kent State University, she was not going to get things confused — not in the least.

The 5-foot-11 junior guard knows the Golden Flashes reference means KSU — not her school’s rival, the Champion Golden Flashes.

“It will definitely feel funny to say I am a Golden Flash,” Pavlansky said. “I’ll always be a Bulldog. I think everyone will know what I mean when I say, ‘Go Flashes.’ “

She’s looking to play shooting guard for the Golden Flashes, who won the Mid-American Conference, East Conference regular-season championship this season and went to the Women’s National Invitational Tournament.

Pavlansky cannot officially sign until the early signing period in mid-November.

Colgate University also offered her a scholarship.

“I chose the Golden Flashes because I felt it was the right fit for me both academically and athletically,” she said. “Everyone that came in contact with me made a positive impression. The environment and culture that I experienced on my visits was something I definitely wanted to be a part of.”

As of now, she’s looking to go into something in the medical field as her major at KSU.

Lakeview coach Jason Senedak said he began coaching nine years ago for the Bulldogs. He remembers hearing more about Pavlansky as the years went along.

“Every year I would hear more and more about ‘that Pavlansky girl’ who was doing so well in the elementary and middle school programs,” Senedak said. “Before the seventh-grade season, I went to an open gym and remembered being impressed at not only her exceptional skill but her positive attitude. Just a solid all-around athlete.”

The first-team, all-Northeast Inland District Team player averaged 19.1 points, 9.1 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game this year.

Senedak said her versatility gives her something KSU was very interested in having on its team.

“Because of her size, strength, and ability, she has the capability to go inside out and can be a headache for anyone trying to guard her,” he said.

“Annie’s ability to guard many different types of opponents will bring a versatility to an already tenacious defensive team. On the offensive end, Annie will always be able to make the right basketball play. Her hoops IQ is so high and she is aware of so much that she will be a great teammate for the rest of the athletes. She has the ability to be a great facilitator of the offense for her teammates, and she can knock down a few shots of her own too.”

Pavlansky suffered a high ankle sprain late in the season, which ended her campaign. However, she’s on the road to recovery.

“My ankle is progressing very well,” she said. “I’m in good hands with Dr. (Christopher) Liebig as well as Mark Wilson at Peak Performance Physical Therapy. I’m extremely thankful for both of them helping me get back and healthy. As a matter of fact, (Saturday) was the first time I really tested it out in practice.”

Senedak said Pavlansky’s rise to the NCAA Division I level has helped bring prominence to a Lakeview program that went to the regionals her sophomore season.

Entering her senior year, Senedak is excited to see more from this talented Lakeview player.

“As far as next season, being a D-I athlete means there will be an additional spotlight on her and a target on her back,” he said. “She has always risen to that kind of challenge and I know she will be ready to go. I could not be more proud of her. It has been my pleasure to watch her grow as an athlete and person over these past years.”

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