Katie Peneueta is ready for the challenge that awaits this month when she arrives at NC State on June 16.
Peneueta averaged 8.4 points and 5.8 rebounds per game, and shot an impressive 45.5 percent from three-point land for 25-8 Hornets. The Big Sky champs fell 67-45 to UCLA in the NCAA Tournament, which gave Peneueta [pronounced Penny-wetta] a glimpse at higher levels of competition is. The 6-foot-2 stretch four will have two years of eligibility remaining with the Wolfpack, and she is majoring in communications.
“I didn’t want to stay local and wanted to get away,” said Peneueta, 19. “Raleigh itself is beautiful and the campus is beautiful, and a big change from what I am used to. When I walked into the gym area, that is when I felt it click. I could see myself being there and playing there.”
NC State went 20-12 overall and 9-9 in the ACC, losing 64-63 to Princeton in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Coach Wes Moore welcomes a touted class of 2023 recruiting class, plus Peneueta and Southern Utah center transfer Lizzy Williamson.
“He seems like a very genuine honest guy,” Peneueta said. “He was straight up with me with what he is looking for and what he expects from me. He seems like an amazing coach and has had a lot of success, and he’s looking for more.”
Peneueta appreciated her time at Sacramento State, but also knew that the program was going to shift rapidly. Second-year coach Mark Campbell got hired at Texas Christian, star point guard Kahlaijah Dean was graduating and talented center Isnelle Natabou transferred to Iowa State. None of the starting five will be back next year at Sacramento State after the coaching transition.
When she entered the transfer portal, the thought of going cross country wasn’t pondered until NCSU assistant coach Ashley Williams contacted her. The Vancouver, Wash., native officially visited NC State on April 24-26 and that was all it took to convince her where to spend the next two years of her college career.
“I was definitely a little nervous [entering the portal] and what kind of looks I would be receiving,” Peneueta said. “We had been coming off a great historic season. The first few schools that reached out were schools that recruited me out of high school. I already had their numbers in my phone.
“When Coach Ashley reached out, it was ‘Wow, not really what I was expecting.’ It is definitely a big blessing to see.”
Peneueta is excited about playing in the ACC and get challenged in new ways. She remembers while in high school stopping by Notre Dame while driving to Chicago for a basketball event. Now, all these years later, she’ll be playing the Fighting Irish.
“I know it is going to be a whole another level,” Peneueta said. “It will be a lot more work to put in. The ACC is a much better conference than the Big Sky. I know it’s going to be a newer and fresh team [at NC State]. It’s going to take a lot of work.”
Sacramento State played four out around Natabou in the post, and 276 of Peneueta’s 301 field-goal attempts came beyond the three-point line (46.0 percent).
“I was successful in that four-out and one-in and we had a great inside presence from Issy,” Kahlaijah was a phenomenal driver and could collapse the defense. Based off of what I have seen from what the coaches shared with me from previous seasons, and what the coaches explained to me, there is a lot of great drivers, that can collapse a defense at NC State. I think I can fit in well there.”
Peneueta said she has “grown up” this past season as a post player. She had 20 points and nine rebounds and went 6 of 8 from three-point land in a 82-73 win over Montana State on Feb. 23.
Peneueta averaged 18 points per game at Vancouver (Wash.) Heritage High, and was second in the shot put and fourth in the discus in the 4A/3A GSHL Invitational meet in 2021.
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