Kraayeveld loves her Liberty

Ex-Duck forward misses Northwest but leads WNBA New York in rebounding while scoring in double figures

By Victoria Nguyen

The Portland Tribune, Jun 26, 2008, Updated Oct 30, 2009 (1 Reader comment)

NED DISHMAN / GETTY IMAGES

New York Liberty forward Catherine Kraayeveld, a former UO standout, contests a shot by Connecticut's Tamika Whitmore in a May 30 WNBA game.

(Editor's note: Cathrine Kraayeveld sank a 3-pointer Thursday to force overtime, and the New York Liberty went on to beat Indiana 102-96 in three OTs at Madison Square Garden. The game matched the second-longest in number of extra periods in WNBA history. Kraayeveld led New York (7-6) with nine rebounds, and added 11 points. Indiana fell to 7-7 in the Eastern Conference, which is led by Detroit and Connecticut, both 11-4).

After three-plus seasons with the WNBA’s New York Liberty, former University of Oregon forward Cathrine Kraayeveld still calls the Pacific Northwest home.

“I’m definitely a West Coast, Northwest person,” says Kraayeveld, 26. “I don’t really feel like I’m so much of a typical New Yorker. I’m a pretty laid-back person.”

Kraayeveld led the Ducks to the second round of the NCAA Tournament in 2005. She averaged 10 points and seven rebounds per game in her five years at the U of O.

The San Antonio Silver Stars took the 6-4 Kraayeveld in the third round of the WNBA draft but released her at the end of training camp. Later that year, she signed with the Liberty.

“I was just hoping to get picked up by somebody,” Kraayeveld says. “It’s worked out for the best, and I feel like I really fit in well here. I wasn’t really opposed to anywhere, I just wanted to be picked up, but I love living in New York.”

Since joining the Liberty in 2005, Kraayeveld has worked her way off the bench. She has started 45 consecutive games, dating to the 2007 opener.

“With our team in general, everyone can score,” she says. “For me, it’s just like I’m rebounding well and playing really good defense. For us as a team, when we focus on that, the scoring comes.”

Kraayeveld, who is third on the team in scoring with 10.2 points per game, sees her offensive game improving, though.

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