Minster grad Fullenkamp enjoying unique adventure

BOWLING GREEN - Erica Fullenkamp thought she had played her final game in a Bowling Green State University uniform when the volleyball season ended in mid-November.

Little did she know, the opportunity to wear another Falcon jersey would come roughly a month later.

BGSU women's basketball coach Jennifer Roos reached out to Fullenkamp - a former two-sport star at Minster - to come and tryout after five players had gone down with injuries. In a matter of days, Fullenkamp, who hadn't played basketball since the final game of her high school career, earned a roster spot and traveled with the team for their game at Kent State.

"It took a couple weeks to kind of knock the rust off, for sure," explained Fullenkamp, a former two-time All-Midwest Athletic Conference basketball player, "but I was pleasantly surprised how good it came back."

Fullenkamp, daughter of Mark and Jackie, was back home a month ago in Minster enjoying the last week of BG's winter break when she got a text message that ended up changing the trajectory of her senior year.

"I get a text from an unknown number, saying 'Hey Erica. This is coach Roos from the BGSU women's basketball team. There have been five season-ending injuries on our team and I have an opportunity for you if you're willing to take it.' "

Fullenkamp's first reaction was excitement. She shared the news with her mom and dad and then took a step back to ask herself if she really wanted to dedicate a few more months to the rigorous schedule that goes with being a college athlete while continuing to student teach at Bowling Green High School. Ultimately, Fullenkamp decided the chance was too good to pass on.

"I texted coach Roos back and said 'Yes, I'd definitely be interested in what opportunity you have for me.' "

Fullenkamp made the trip to Wood County and practiced with the team a couple days later. She was officially added to the roster on Jan. 8.

"It was like within three days," she explained. "One day, I'm thinking my college (playing) career is done. Then three days later, I'm playing basketball. It escalated quite quickly."

But before making the trip back to BG, Fullenkamp made the stop to practice with former coach Nann Stechschulte and the Minster girls basketball team. When the session concluded, the 5-foot-10 senior broke the big news to Stechschulte.

"I talked to Nann and I'm like 'You know, Nann, the real reason I came here is because there's a good chance I'm going to play for the Bowling Green team.' She got lost. It's was pretty funny.

"I always looked up to Nann a lot, and she told me if anyone could do it, I could do it. I definitely carried her words of encouragement with me."

Bowling Green is the most storied women's basketball program in the Mid-American Conference. The Falcons have won 11 conference titles, five coming in the last 10 years, and have reached the NCAA Tournament 11 times. Despite having a young roster entering the season, Roos had high expectations. However, the team was decimated by injuries - including one to its leading scorer Erica Donovan (15.3 points per game) - and currently has a record of 9-17, 2-13 in the MAC. The roster, down to seven players when Fullenkamp was contacted, has just eight active players.

Fullenkamp, who has been friends with current senior players Deborah Hoekstra (from East Lansing, Mich.) and Jasmine Matthews (Chicago) since their freshman year, has appeared in eight games and is averaging seven minutes of playing time.

"I've always tried to be the teammate that I needed to be in whatever situation that was," Fullenkamp said. "Being a senior leader on the volleyball court or on the basketball court, being the girl that's always cheering for my teammates, the one that's always being supportive, just being that role they need to be filled. It's definitely a humbling experience, kind of being at the bottom of the totem pole again. It's kind of like starting from scratch."

In high school, Fullenkamp was a first team All-Midwest Athletic Conference selection in basketball twice and was named the MAC Player of the Year in volleyball. Additionally, she earned first team All-Ohio honors twice in volleyball and helped the Wildcats' basketball team to a Division IV state final four appearance in 2010.

She became the first player to commit to the BGSU volleyball program who had surpassed 1,000 in career kills and assists while in high school. Once reaching the college stage, the success didn't stop. Fullenkamp started all 28 matches as a setter for the Falcons this past season and led the team in assists and service aces and was second in digs with 225. Those accomplishments earned Fullenkamp Second Team Capital One Academic All-District and Academic All-MAC honors, along with winning the MAC Distinguished Scholar Athlete award in its first year of existence.

Fullenkamp is working towards earning a teaching license in seventh-12th grade social studies. After graduating, she hopes to return to the area to work.

A lot of media outlets have taken notice of Fullenkamp's story, that includes one piece that referenced her as "BGSU's double threat." Fullenkamp laughed that off but added it's been a unique ride.

"A lot of what I'm hearing is coming from my students at Bowling Green High School," Fullenkamp said. "They're like 'Miss Fullenkamp, I heard you're playing basketball now' and 'Miss Fullenkamp, I read about you in the paper.' I think those are the ones I'm mostly hearing about it from. They seem pretty excited about it.

"From the Minster community, it's pretty awesome," she added. "The people who have reached out to me and said they read the article. The people that have talked to my parents - it's pretty cool feeling the support I'm getting from back home."