SBCC’s Bealer accepts offer from Texas A&M-Kingsville

Imelda Bealer, a first-team All-WSC guard at SBCC, has signed to play women’s basketball for Texas A&M-Kingsville. The 5-6 sophomore from Fairfax High in Los Angeles received a full scholarship, according to SBCC coach Sandrine Krul.

“Imelda will be expected to start for them the minute she steps on campus,” said Krul, who guided SBCC to a 21-11 record this season and a sixth straight Southern Cal Regional appearance. “They are rebuilding and what they like about Imelda is her leadership on the defensive end and her ability to run the basketball. The coach specifically said, ‘I want you to bring SBCC basketball to Texas … run the ball and defend full court for 40 minutes.’ “

Bealer averaged early nine points while leading the Vaqueros in rebounds (6.1). She topped the 14-team Western State Conference in steals (4.0) and was No. 5 in assists (4.1).

She had a career-high 25 points on Jan. 12 in a 76-71 win over L.A. Pierce and made nine steals in a game against Oxnard.

Texas A&M-Kingsville is an NCAA Div. 2 school that competes in the Lone Star Conference. The Javelinas (a distant relative of wild pigs and hippos) went 3-23 last season and 1-13 in conference.

Janelle Wong, another All-WSC choice at SBCC, is deciding between Eastern Oregon and Minot State (N.D.). Lyndsay Bergus, who averaged 9.0 points and carries a 3.8 GPA, is being recruited by Claremont McKenna, regarded as one of the top 10 academic schools in the country.

The Vaqueros are 140-68 in seven seasons under Krul.

“We’ve graduated 97 percent of our athletes with their AA degrees,” she noted. “What is most impressive about this year’s team is that Janelle, Lyndsay and Imelda will all graduate with their AA degrees. Janelle has a double AA in Graphic Design and Media Arts and also in Liberal studies. Lyndsay will graduate with an AA in Biology and Imelda will graduate with her AA in Liberal Arts with a 2.7 GPA.

“I’m very proud of what we’ve built in the last seven years. Our program is about student success and that makes me a very happy coach.”