Campbell filled checklist for Trinity’s Dahlquist

Trinity High School’s Courtney Dahlquist likes playing a fast-paced style of basketball. She also doesn’t mind a fast-paced recruiting process.
Dahlquist, who will entering her senior year at Trinity, gave an oral commitment Monday night to the Campbell University women’s basketball program. The Camels play in the Big South Conference and won the league’s regular-season title this past season, finishing with a 21-8 record.
Campbell didn’t start recruiting Dahlquist, a 6-1 post player, until after Trinity’s season ended in March. Because of the coronavirus pandemic that stopped the Hillers’ season in the PIAA Class 5A quarterfinals, Campbell’s coaches have not been able to watch Dahlquist play in person. They have, however, watched plenty of video of Dahlquist and they’ve liked what they’ve seen. So much so that they offered a scholarship in May.
“It was really a fast recruiting process,” Dahlquist said.
Dahlquist said she had received four Division I offers and two from Division II programs, but Campbell offered exactly what she was looking for in a school and basketball program.
“It was a combination of things. They have a great nursing program and great basketball,” she said. “Plus, it being in North Carolina, I always wanted to go down south. I had an offer from Coastal Carolina, which is at the beach (Conway, S.C.), so that was hard to beat, but it didn’t have a nursing program and I’d have to major in something else.
“Campbell just checked off all the boxes for me. It offered everything I was looking for. My mother (Carla) asked me if there was anything I didn’t like about Campbell and I said, ‘No, it’s everything I wanted and more.'”
Dahlquist said she has been in contact with all four of Campbell’s coaches with her lead recruiter being assistant coach Megan Hall.
Campbell had a 16-4 record in Big South games last season. The Camels attempted 703 three-pointers – 315 more than their opponents – and played a fast and aggressive style.
“They love playing a fast-paced game. They like to score in transition, score off turnovers, score quickly. They emphasize defense and I told them I love playing defense. They play a style that is similar to what we play at Trinity,” Dahlquist said.
“Campbell said they see me as a stretch 4 (forward) position on offense. They said if I have a mismatch that I can step out and take my defender off the dribble. I would also be able to shoot the three-pointer. I love to shoot the three.”
That was something Dahlquist didn’t get an opportunity to do much of at Trinity. This past season, Dahlquist averaged 12 points and six rebounds per game, spending much of her time in the post with her back to the basket.
Dahlquist made a visit last month to Campbell’s campus, which is located in Buies Creek, N.C.
“They have such a nice gym and a beautiful campus,” Dahlquist said. “The visit was more of an academic visit because of the recruiting restrictions now. I was able to see the dorms and nursing buildings.”