Gabby Timmer was a really good high school player at South Christian.
"I didn't really get a lot of recruiting," Gabby said. "I think people just kind of assumed I was coming to Calvin.?"
Those people were right.
"I've always wanted to come to Calvin, so I think even if I did get recruits, I would still be like 'I'm coming here.'"
Gabby is the latest in a long line of family members to play for the Knights which includes both of her parents and her older sister (Anna).
"It is just kind of a tradition in our family," Gabby said. "To be able to have my dad and my sister be such special players here at Calvin, I was excited. I didn't know the career I was going to have, but coming in and just being able to carry on the Timmer name was just something I was super excited for."
The career has been superb.
Gabby has led the MIAA in scoring and rebounding twice already and currently leads the conference in both categories again.
"We are super proud of Gabby for everything she has done in life, but carrying on that tradition in women's basketball here at Calvin has been really special to watch," Dr. Jim Timmer, Gabby's dad and Calvin Director of Athletics, said. "Of course my older daughter (Anna), my wife both played in the program, so I think that makes it even more special the things she has been able to accomplish."
Gabby became the school's all-time leading rebounder earlier this season passing Carissa Verkaik.
While she likely won't catch Verkaik for the scoring title, she is just 64 points from joining her as the only 2,000-point scorers in program history.
"Coming in as a freshman I didn't think I would ever start or play like that so I didn't even think I'd reach a thousand," Gabby said. "To be able to have the opportunity to reach two would be really cool. I am just going to play my game and see if I get there. If I don't, it's not too bad, but if I get there it would be pretty cool."
Gabby has led Calvin (18-3) to its best start in six seasons all while being the center of the opposing teams game plan.
"If you watch in the post it is pretty physical in there and she usually has two or three people around her," fourth year Calvin women's basketball coach Mark Christner said. "To handle that with grace, she has been a fantastic player for us and hopefully we can have a good finish for her."
The Knights have four regular season games remaining and at least one more in the conference tournament, but Gabby is cherishing her time on the court with her team.
"I think I went home Sunday and my parents were like 'you just have a couple games left, take it all in.' That just kind of really grasped me, I'm like, 'I do only have a couple games left,' so I am just going to play my hardest and give it everything I got."
Calvin heads to Holland on Wednesday night to play Hope.
