The Nation’s Leading Rebounder

The Siena Saints have produced national rebounding champions recently in Ryan Rossiter and O.D. Anosike. However, there is one national leading rebounder right here at Hudson Valley that you may not know about.

Raeshelle Frasier is the starting Power Forward on the Women’s Basketball team and she leads all of NJCAA with 16.9 rebounds a game.

“I think that’s something special. It’s something that’s very rare and very hard to do,” said Head Coach Kathleen Russell.

“We may not be playing the best right now but with that I feel like it helps us out,” said team captain Angelica Smith.

“Everyone always makes a big deal about that and don’t get me wrong, I’m happy and it’s an honor to lead the nation in rebounding but I just want to help my team, and if grabbing 20 rebounds a game helps us win, that’s what I will try to do,” said Frasier.

Frasier has grabbed 20 rebounds in one game six times this season and has had two games with 19 and one with 18, but the Vikings have only won seven games.

“For us to be successful we have to rebound and I think that’s something she is very conscious of and it’s something she really tries to work on,” Russell said.

“I feel like if we didn’t have her, it could be a different story and we might not be where we are,” Smith said.

In 17 of 19 games this season, Frasier has gotten a double-double in rebounds and points but neither of those is her favorite statistic.

“I actually really like passing the ball. That’s actually my favorite thing to do,” Frasier said. “When I see a teammate open and I give them the ball and they score, it really gets me pumped.”

“The fact the she has gotten a double-double in 17 of 19 games is amazing,” said Russell.

The Vikings’ lack of success is not keeping Frasier’s spirits down. “I just keep looking forward and I believe that we can win out and I really want to make it to regionals,” she said.

“That’s just the kind of player and teammate she is,” Smith said.

“That’s her maturity. She’s a lot older than the girls on the team and that shows,” said Russell.

Frasier’s teammates and coaches respect her hustle and athletic ability on the court, as well as her work ethic, because when a shot attempt goes up, everyone knows that she will be banging down low and battling for rebounds.

“I feel like she is in for every rebound offensively and defensively,” Smith said.

“I have to get that rebound, I have to get it, I have to get it,” said Frasier.

So far this season, she has done so 281 times.