The incoming class at Rainy River Community College next fall will include three members of International Falls’ boys basketball team.
The Bronco seniors — forward Shawn Filipiak and guards Trevar Carlson and Nick Bujold — signed letters of intent Monday to become the first incoming freshmen to commit to play for the Voyageurs next season under first-year head coach Jack Cook.
The three players had been part of the Falls team in 2010-11 that advanced to the Section 7AA semifinals, where their season ended after losing to Moose Lake-Willow River.
Cook said he’s pleased to have the three local players commit to RRCC.
“Shawn Filipiak is really athletic and a good scorer,” he said. “He can really jump out of the gym — a good team player.
“Nick Bujold is a great point guard. He can really handle the ball well, handle pressure really well, bringing the ball up the floor.
“Trevar Carlson, he’s a good ball-handler, too, and handles pressure really well. He can score.”
Cook said he expects at least three sophomores will return next season from last year’s team that went to the MCAC state tournament, and he is presently recruiting more freshmen from locations ranging from Canada to the southern United States.
“One for sure from Manitoba that’s coming — a big kid,” he said. “There’s a couple others I have to talk to yet from Fort Frances right across the river here.”
RRCC athletic director Mel Millerbernd said she is excited that three local players decided to commit to the Voyageurs’ program.
“We like to keep local players here, so when they sign a letter of intent, what that shows is their commitment to us, attendance here and commitment to our basketball team,” she said. “They probably have a lot of other choices, but it’s so much more economical, probably, for them to stay here, too, and just to be local, so friends and family can continue watching them play.”
Though a two-year community college cannot offer athletic scholarships like a four-year university at the Division I or II level, Millerbernd said athletes who attend RRCC to pursue an associate’s degree could become eligible for an academic scholarship.
