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It's official: Altenburg inks with NMS

By MARTIN HARRIS - Free Press Sports Editor
Thursday, November 15, 2007 10:55 AM PST

Elko's Taylor Altenburg, center sitting, signs a letter of intent to play basketball for New Mexico State. She is surrounded by her parents Mike and Catherine Altenburg, sitting, and girls varsity basketball coach Karen Hoem, standing. (Martin Harris/Elko Daily Free Press)

ELKO - Elko standout Taylor Altenburg made it official.

The star basketball player, who verbally committed two months ago to play for New Mexico State, signed a letter of intent Wednesday and will join her future teammates in Las Cruces, N.M., in the fall.

The Tribe senior chose the Aggies over Utah State, Colorado, Texas Christian, North Dakota State, Indiana State and Holy Cross.

“When I went for a visit I liked the coaching staff and felt comfortable with them and that was something I was really looking for,” Altenburg said of her decision. “The girls that I met were nice. It was a real good fit for me.”

Altenburg expects to play either shooting guard or small forward and hopes to contribute right away.

“I'm really excited and looking forward to getting down there and playing with the team,” she said. “I look forward to being in that competitive league.”

With this big decision behind her, Altenburg can focus on her final season in Centennial Gym. The senior has started for the Indians since Day 1 of her freshman year and now has an opportunity to break several long-standing Elko High records.

Altenburg's 1,316 career points place her fifth on the all-time Elko list and trails No. 1 Dyann Rogers by 355 points. If she maintains her 15.3 career points per game average, she should set the mark towards the end of the regular season.

Altenburg appears likely to also set the career rebounding mark. Her 800 boards are third and only 187 fewer than leader Lauren Beckman. The senior's 272 steals place her sixth in the program's history and 127 assists are 10th best.

She, however, is not focused on the records. She'll look back at her place in EHS history after it's all said and done, which she hopes will be after the state tournament in February.

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