Q2 AOW: ‘Tradition there is insane’ – Billings Central's Kam Reinker eager to join Lady Griz

BILLINGS — Kamryn Reinker's summer just became a lot more relaxed.

“It’s so nice, it’s amazing,” Reinker (pronounced rain-ker) told MTN Sports Monday, seated not far from her backyard basketball hoop.

Q2's Athlete of the Week was expressing relief on her early commitment to play basketball for Montana’s Lady Griz.

Hear Reinker discuss her college decision and what's next:

The decision lifted a hefty weight off Reinker's shoulders after earning additional NCAA Division I offers from Boise State, San Jose State, Santa Clara, Hawaii, Air Force and Eastern Washington.

“I’ve talked to so many of my AAU teammates and they were like, ‘I wish I could just be done with it.’ The process is a hard, long process for many people, so I’m just very grateful that I got to find my fit early and be happy where I’m at,” she reflected.

Sifting through offers, the Billings Central standout said her final three choices boiled down to Boise State, Santa Clara and the University of Montana.

“I mean, the tradition there is insane. I went and watched a practice … how much fun they had, how hard they worked. I went and played pickleball with them for a day and it was a blast,” she said with a smile.

Reinker — who surpassed 1,000 career points last season as a junior — and the Rams will now aim for a three-peat after their dramatic 54-52 championship victory over Dillon in March.

“They just kept hitting 3 after 3, then we would go get a 2-pointer, and they just kept coming back,” Reinker recounted of the Beavers' head-spinning second-half rally.

Reinker already owns four state titles, two each in basketball and volleyball, solidifying her reputation as a top multi-sport competitor.

Shooting casually in her backyard, the senior-to-be reminisced about countless hours of practice and one-on-one battles.

“I’m definitely still just working on making my shot more consistent,” she said.

Although Reinker's hard work is ongoing, that stress of the recruiting process is now behind her. That relaxing summer is a lot more refreshing with sights set on Missoula.