Koetsier honored as Broncos host No. 9 North Carolina
Jan. 23, 2003
KALAMAZOO -- Western Michigan University and the V Foundation will pay tribute to junior basketball standout Kristin Koetsier, the 2002 recipient of the V Foundation's Comeback of the Year Award.
A two-time All-MAC First Team selection, Koetsier will be honored during halftime of this evening's women's basketball game between WMU and ninth-ranked North Carolina. Tip off for the basketball game is 7 p.m. in University Arena.
A physical education major from Lowell, Mich., Koetsier won the 2002 V Foundation Comeback of the Year Award after overcoming a knee injury and two life-threatening blood disorders to reclaim her spot as one of the top players in the Mid-American Conference. She will be sidelined again for this evening's contest. Koetsier, averaging 18.5 points-per-game this season, suffered a knee injury in the Broncos' 81-48 win over Northern Illinois last week. She did not play in WMU's 86-55 win Monday at Central Michigan and is expected to miss at least four weeks of the season following knee surgery Friday.
Going into this evening's contest with North Carolina, WMU has a record of 10-4 overall and is undefeated, 4-0, in MAC competition.
Koetsier also won the Honda Inspiration Award in 2002. She missed almost the entire 2000-01 season with a knee injury and battled blood disorders prior to both the1999-2000 and 2001-02 seasons.
Koetsier also will be honored at a luncheon beginning at noon today at the Radisson Hotel in downtown Kalamazoo. Tickets for the luncheon are $18 each and include a ticket to the basketball game. For luncheon reservations, call the Athletic Corporate Relations Office at 269 387-3062.
The V Foundation is named for former collegiate basketball coach and television analyst Jim Valvano, who died of cancer in 1993. Part of the proceeds from ticket sales at both the luncheon and game will be donated to the V Foundation, which benefits cancer research. Nick Valvano of the V Foundation will be a present at both the luncheon and basketball halftime ceremonies.
Media contact: Daniel Jankowski, 269 387-4138, daniel.jankowski@wmich.edu