Stueve to stay in school after going undrafted
By Jesse Newell
Originally published 01:32 p.m., April 10, 2008
Updated 01:32 p.m., April 10, 2008
Emporia State consensus All-American Michelle Stueve was not selected in Wednesday’s three-round WNBA Draft, and the senior said Wednesday that she would continue her academic career at ESU.
Stueve has two full semesters left in school before completing her degree in biology.
“I knew coming to Emporia when I was a freshman in college that when you’re not in a D-I school, it’s that much harder to go (to the WNBA),” Stueve said, “so it wasn’t really something I was worried about.
“ ... It’s hard, but at the same time, it happens. You adjust and find other things that are important to you.”
Though she wasn’t taken in the draft, Stueve knew there were other options available to her if she wanted to continue with basketball. The most common choice is going to play overseas, where many women’s players have latched on with European leagues.
After considering it, Stueve said it wouldn’t have been the best decision for her.
“I felt like if I wanted to keep playing, that’s my best opportunity to play is to go over there,” Stueve said. “But I don’t know. I’m too much of a homebody, and I’m too close to my family to be all the way over there.”
Though she doesn’t live at home, Stueve said she is close to her parents, who live just a few miles away on a farm outside of Olpe.
Stueve has never been away from her family for an extended length of time.
“You just don’t realize how nice it is to be so close until you are,” Stueve said. “I have everyone around, and their support means more than you can explain.”
If Stueve had been taken with one of the WNBA Draft’s 43 picks, she said she wouldn’t have turned down the offer.
“If I would have gotten drafted, yeah, I would have gone and tried it out,” Stueve said. “I think when you’re given an opportunity like that, you’ve got to give it a shot, because that’s not something that’s going to roll back around for you in 20 or 30 years. You’ve got to take it when it’s there.”
Still, even if Stueve was drafted, there would have been no guarantees. In 2006, Washburn’s Jennifer Harris was taken with the 20th pick but wasn’t able to make the Chicago Sky’s roster.
After graduation, Stueve hopes to attend dental hygiene school.
Until then, she’ll remain an ESU student for a little while longer.
“School wasn’t always my favorite thing. I really like basketball,” Stueve said. “But I know sooner rather than later, there’s going to come a time where even if I was going on to play, your body can’t take it.
“I’m not the type of person that’s just going to sit around. I need to pursue a job or degree.”