Provo • Kalani Purcell wasn't sure she made the right decision at first.
Heavily recruited out of Hutchinson (Kan.) Community College, Purcell chose to play Division I college basketball at BYU, turning down offers from some of the top women's programs in the country. Provo and BYU were initially "quite a bit of a culture shock" for the laid-back native of New Zealand even though she is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Adjusting to BYU's rigorous academic requirements also was difficult, she said.
Then basketball season started, and the 6-foot-2 forward quickly found her niche. She earned all-conference honors in what was her junior year of eligibility, set a school record with 18 double-doubles and was called "the best player you don't know" in the country by espnW.com.
"I spent more time on that kid than with any recruit in my life," BYU coach Jeff Judkins said. "It paid off."
The coach thought he had landed the youngest of Ingrid and Brian Purcell's seven athletic children when she graduated from John Paul College High School in New Zealand, but there were problems with some of her coursework transferring over, and she had to take the junior college route. So Judkins had to recruit her all over again, but this time against tougher competition.
Purcell has picked up where she left off last year and has helped the Cougars (16-9, 10-4) move into a tie for second place in the West Coast Conference with four games remaining in the regular season. She leads the WCC and is tied for 21st in the country in rebounding (10.5 rpg.).
She recently moved into 10th place on BYU's career rebounds list with 678, and she is a threat to post a triple-double every game. That hasn't happened yet — she's averaging 12.1 points and 5.2 assists in addition to the 10.5 rebounds — but she's flirted with a triple-double in almost every game lately as she closes in on the end of her eligibility.
"She is the best rebounder I have ever coached at BYU, and one of the most versatile players in the country," Judkins said. "I hope she gets it, but it is hard for her to get 10 assists because she doesn't always have the ball in her hands like a point guard does."
Purcell is on track to earn a degree in sociology, and she is loving life in Provo, where the winters aren't as bad as they were in Kansas and she's gotten used to people's kindness that was a bit overwhelming in the fall of 2015.
"I definitely had my doubts when I first got here," she said with a laugh last week. "But as the two seasons have gone on, there are definitely no regrets at all. … BYU has helped me so much, not with just basketball, but with school and my personal life and relationships, obviously. Having a lot of connections through the coaches and just meeting a lot of people here at BYU will help me a lot in my life after basketball."
That life might not happen for awhile.
Judkins said a few agents have spoken to him recently about Purcell's pro prospects, and at least three WNBA teams have inquired about one aspect of her game or another.
"She is definitely good enough to play at the next level," Judkins said. "She is not a great scorer, but she can defend, she can rebound and she can pass. If she gets on a team where she does those things, she can be very successful."
The knock against Purcell is her mediocre outside shooting, a skill she wishes she had spent more time on in the offseason. She also regrets not stepping up and being the "go-to player" for the Cougars until recently, having taken a back seat to all-time WCC leading scorer Lexi Eaton last year and partially to point guard Cassie Broadhead this season.
As for her future, Purcell said she won't think much about it until this season concludes, considering the Cougars will have to win the WCC Tournament to get to the NCAA Tournament for the fourth straight year. She acknowledges that the prospect of playing for money is "frightening" and "makes me nervous," but has had that as a goal for quite some time.
Obviously, the lucrative WNBA would be her first choice, but playing close to home in nearby Australia, which has an outstanding professional league for women, would be fun and exciting as well.
She also plans to pay close attention to the upcoming BYU football season, and not just because the coach is also named Kalani. She's dating linebacker Butch Pau'u.
"In all honesty, I didn't want to date an athlete at all, but it just happened," she said, having met Pau'u at the career advisor's office in the Student Athlete Building. "He's sweet, and he just grew on me."
And so did BYU, and Provo.
Scott Sommerdorf | The Salt Lake Tribune BYU F Kalani Purcell, at the Marriott Center, Wednesday, October 14, 2015.
Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune Brigham Young forward Kalani Purcell (32) scores for the Cougars, in basketball action, BYU vs. Utah, in the Marriott Center, Saturday, December 12, 2015. Rydalch lead all scorers with 29 points.
Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune Brigham Young Cougars forward Kalani Purcell (32) tries to get by Utah Utes forward Tanaeya Boclair (32), in basketball action, BYU vs. The Univeristy of Utah, in the Marriott Center, Saturday, December 12, 2015.
Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune Brigham Young Cougars forward Kalani Purcell (32) tries to get by Utah Utes forward Tanaeya Boclair (32), in basketball action, BYU vs. The Univeristy of Utah, in the Marriott Center, Saturday, December 12, 2015.
Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune Brigham Young Cougars forward Kalani Purcell (32) grabs the ball from Utah Utes guard Katie Kuklok (20), in basketball action, BYU vs. Utah, in the Marriott Center, Saturday, December 12, 2015.
Jaren Wilkey | BYU BYU's Kalani Purcell goes up for a jump shot against Pacific on January 2, 2016.
Aaron Cornia | BYU BYU's Kalani Purcell battles Pepperdine for a rebound during their game on January 23, 2016.
Mark A. Philbrick | BYU BYU's Kalani Purcell takes a shot vs Gonzaga on January 14, 2016. BYU lost the game 58-54.
Aaron Cornia | BYU BYU's Kalani Purcell goes up for a block against Pepperdine during their game on January 23, 2016.
Mark A. Philbrick | BYU BYU's Kalani Purcell drives the ball past Saint Mary's defender on December 31, 2015. BYU got the win 65-59.
Mark A. Philbrick | BYU BYU's Kalani Purcell battles for possession of the ball against St. Mary's on December 31, 2015. BYU got the win 65-59.
Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune Brigham Young Cougars forward Kalani Purcell (32) grabs a rebound from Santa Clara Broncos forward Lori Parkinson (20), in basketball action in the West Coast Conference Semifinals, at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas, Saturday, March 7, 2016.
Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune Brigham Young Cougars forward Kalani Purcell (32) goes after the ball, after knocking it loose from Santa Clara Broncos guard Taylor Berry (3), in basketball action in the West Coast Conference Semifinals, at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas, Saturday, March 7, 2016.
Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune Brigham Young forward Kalani Purcell (32) leads a fast break after stealing the ball for the Cougars, in basketball action in the West Coast Conference Semifinals, at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas, Saturday, March 7, 2016.
Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune Brigham Young forward Kalani Purcell (32) goes for a rebound along with Santa Clara Broncos forward Lori Parkinson (20), in basketball action in the West Coast Conference Semifinals, at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas, Saturday, March 7, 2016.
Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune Brigham Young Cougars forward Kalani Purcell (32) tries to hang onto the ball, as she dribbles past Santa Clara Broncos forward Marie Bertholdt (15), in basketball action in the West Coast Conference Semifinals, at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas, Saturday, March 7, 2016.
Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune Brigham Young Cougars Kalani Purcell (32) and Cassie Broadhead (20) go for a loose ball along with Santa Clara Broncos guard Savanna Hanson (24), in basketball action in the West Coast Conference Semifinals, at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas, Saturday, March 7, 2016.
Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune Brigham Young Cougars forward Kalani Purcell (32) is guarded by San Francisco Lady Dons guard Rachel Howard (11), in the West Coast Conference Championship game, at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas, Tuesday, March 8, 2016.
Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune Brigham Young Cougars forward Kalani Purcell (32) tries to get the ball down court as San Francisco Lady Dons forward Taylor Proctor (32)uses her knee to stop her, in the West Coast Conference Championship game, at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas, Tuesday, March 8, 2016.
Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune Brigham Young forward Kalani Purcell (32) defends for the Cougars, as San Francisco Lady Dons forward Taylor Proctor (32) takes a shot, in the West Coast Conference Championship game, at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas, Tuesday, March 8, 2016.
Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune Utah Utes forward Megan Jacobs (10) guards Brigham Young Cougars forward Kalani Purcell (32), in Basketball action, Brigham Young Cougars vs. the Utah Utes, Saturday, December 10, 2016.
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