When Sinclair’s season ended in the final round of the Ohio Community College Athletic Association’s District 12 tournament, Sinclair guard Danielle Forrer’s basketball career seemed to be over as well.
But through the efforts of Sinclair’s head coach Jeff Dillon, Forrer will be playing basketball for the University of Dayton next season.
Forrer is an Exercise Science major and is transferring to the University of Dayton to finish her degree.
“I was transferring to UD no matter what,” Forrer said. “This is just kind of a bonus to be able to play.”
Forrer has earned a spot on the Flyers basketball team as a walk-on, which Forrer said has always been one of her dreams.
“I’ve always wanted to play at a high level,” Forrer said. “I never really could see myself being able to play [at a four-year school]. So it’s really a huge privilege to get the opportunity.”
Dillon said the University of Dayton’s head coach Jim Jabir is a long-time friend and sold him on Forrer’s work ethic—something that he knew Jabir would admire.
“I know how he recruits, and she is just the prototype player that he recruits,” Dillon said in a phone interview. “He likes the blue-collar, hard-working kids. And that is Danielle Forrer.”
Jabir said in a phone interview that he expects the same type of effort from Forrer that he expects from any of his other players and said her success is going to depend on how hard she works.
“From everything that I’ve heard about her, she is somebody who is very hard-working,” Jabir said. “From the course load that she had to take just to get into school… it is pretty impressive. [But] we’re not going to treat her like a walk-on. She’s going to have the same responsibilities, and the same load as everybody else. It’s up to her to see how this plays out. She’ll be given every chance [to succeed].”
Forrer played in 27 games for the Tartan Pride last season and averaged 9.9 points and 4.7 assists in her sophomore season.
She said she hopes to ease her way into the rotation, but she knows she has to prove herself before she can.
“I just have to prove myself over the summer,” Forrer said. “We start working-out in the summer, so that’s my time to shine and show what I can really do.”
Dillon said Forrer is the epitome of a student athlete. And no matter what, he knows that she will give it her all as a Flyer.
“I’ve had a lot of players in my nine years at Sinclair, but she truly is just one of those special kids that you come across that just fits all the things that you are looking for,” Dillon said. “She’s got great character, and she’s a great student athlete. Every day in practice, she’d give you everything she had.”
Forrer said she plans on using her strong work ethic to earn playing time for the Flyers, and Dillon said he wouldn’t be surprised if she earned an athletic scholarship by her senior season.
“Before she’s done there, her work ethic will probably get her a one-year scholarship,” Dillon said. “She’ll go in, and I guarantee before she’s done that she will out-work some of the people that they’re bringing in. Her hard work will be rewarded.”
As she is moving on to the University of Dayton, she said that her time at Sinclair was a huge success.
“Sinclair has really showed me how much I love basketball,” Forrer said. “I really want to thank coach Dillon. Coach Dillon has been nothing but amazing to me.”
The University of Dayton’s women’s team finished last season with a record of 23-7, winning the Atlantic-10 Conference Tournament, and earning a trip to the NCAA Tournament for the third consecutive season. They fell to Arkansas in the first round by a score of 72-55.
Forrer said she is excited to get the chance to potentially play in the NCAA Tournament.
“I think it would be awesome,” Forrer said. “It’s just amazing to think that I could be in that position finally.”