Greta Kampschroeder is coming home.
Or at least, a lot closer to home than she was.
The former Naperville North star announced Sunday she’s transferring to Michigan after spending her freshman year playing for Oregon State.
“I’m excited to be back near friends and family,” Kampschroeder said. “Just being closer to home and getting to play in front of my family and seeing my friends and family more will be fun.”
Kampschroeder, a three-time Naperville Sun Girls Basketball Player of the Year, played in all 31 games and started 25 for Oregon State. The 6-foot guard averaged 5.2 points and 2.5 rebounds in 21.5 minutes for the Beavers (17-14).
But Kampschroeder wasn’t completely comfortable with Oregon State’s style of play, so she entered the transfer portal in March.
“There’s a lot of little things that go into it,” Kampschroeder said. “One of the main things is just figuring out where am I going to thrive as a player, where am I going to develop into the player I know I can be and play in a system I can thrive in?”
Oregon State’s system emphasized a half-court offense.
“I kind of realized the way Oregon State plays basketball was not something I’m super comfortable playing in,” Kampschroeder said. “There’s nothing wrong with the way they play.
“But I’m used to balance of run and transition — get easy buckets, and if we have to, slow it down.”
Kampschroeder believes Michigan will be a better fit. The Wolverines (25-7) are coming off a season that included their first trip to the Elite Eight.
“They’re going to be great,” Kampschroeder said. “I think coach (Kim Barnes) Arico has done a great job the past 10 years developing that program.
“They’ve got a great group of girls and my class has a really good group of girls. They have some good players coming in the next couple years, so it’s going to be fun. I’m really looking forward to that.”
Kampschroeder is the first McDonald’s All-American to commit to Michigan. The Wolverines are graduating four seniors, including standout Naz Hillmon.
“I have known Greta for a long time,” Barnes Arico said in a statement. “She is a perfect fit for our program, especially for the culture we have created here. She is incredibly hardworking and disciplined, both as a basketball player and as a student.
“Greta’s versatility and ability to do so many different things on the basketball court will immediately make an impact for us.”
The immediacy of the transfer portal was an eye-opening experience Kampschroeder, who also visited Illinois and Colorado before choosing Michigan.
“It’s super weird,” Kampschroeder said. “It’s sort of like going back to the recruiting process again, but it is a little bit different because you have to consider other things like how many roster spots they have.
“I’m also taking my visits a little bit more seriously. When I was in high school, I was kind of in the moment, but now it is almost an investigation to make sure I don’t get it wrong this time.”
Naperville North coach Erin Colletti thinks Kampschroeder made the right choice.
“She knows her worth, she knows her value, and it’s just so different now than it used to be — that you don’t have to redshirt and sit out a year,” Colletti said. “When you’re that far from home, and if you feel like you could be at a better place for yourself, why not?
“She has a chance to go far and play in the (NCAA) Tournament as well as being closer to home. That was really important to her because her family has been watching and supporting her whole life.”
Matt Le Cren is a freelance reporter for the Naperville Sun.