After standout careers on the Powers Catholic girls’ basketball team, seniors Kendyl Smith and Paige Ringwelski have known that the next step for them would be college basketball. Smith will play at Division I Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia, while Ringwelski is headed to Division II Davenport University in Grand Rapids.
But what is slightly unexpected is the detour both took to the soccer pitch first. Smith was recruited earlier this month to help out as an emergency goalie when Powers’ lost their keeper to strep throat. And not only did she have such a good time that she wanted to keep playing, she also recruited Ringwelski to join her.
“It was just super fun to play something new,” Smith said. “I haven’t played any other sport besides basketball in high school, and so getting to play with a different team and see how they kind of do things is great.”
“The soccer coach had kind of been asking us all year if we wanted to play,” said Ringwelski, who said she hasn’t played soccer competitively since sixth grade. “So when Kendyl stepped in, she was like, ‘Okay, I’m in it, now you gotta do it too.’ It’s really special to see each other in a different environment than just on the court or in school, so it’s exciting.”
Make no mistake, though: both have bright immediate futures on the basketball court. Smith just finished up one of the best high school careers of any Flint area girls’ basketball player. She’s one of just eight girls’ basketball players in MHSAA history with more than 1,500 points and 500 assists in her career, she’s the all-time leading scorer in Powers Catholic history in boys’ or girls’ basketball, and she was a finalist for the Ms. Basketball award this season, leading Powers to the Division 2 semifinals at the Breslin Center.
During her senior season, Smith averaged 18.7 points, 4.8 rebounds, 4.5 assists, and 2.7 steals per game. She was named the Associated Press Division 2 Player of the Year and the Saginaw Valley League South Player of the Year.
“It’s like having a quarterback that’s a four-year starter leading your offense in a two minute drill,” Powers coach Ryan Trevithick said of Smith earlier this season. “She knows how to execute, knows what we need to do. Kendyl’s our quarterback, she’s our leader.”
Smith joins a Liberty team that finished 18-13 last season. She’s looking forward to beginning the next chapter in her basketball journey.
“I’m just excited to be a part of the atmosphere there,” Smith said. “Getting to go to a Christian school is also something I’m super excited about. I just can’t wait to get started practicing.”
Ringwelski, a four-year varsity player, was a frequent target of Smith’s precise passing during their three seasons as teammates. Her height, hands, athleticism, and work ethic made them a potent combination on the court, and Trevithick sees several of those attributes as things that will translate well to the next level.
“She’s an incredible teammate,” he said. “She’s an elite rim runner, but she’s now kind of added a perimeter game to that as well, which is really cool. She’s been able to stretch her range more from the perimeter and handle the ball more in the open floor.”
Trevithick also thinks her skillset will be a fit into Davenport’s system. Davenport’s sports program has a long history, but the university only recently joined NCAA Division II, moving up from the NAIA in 2019. Ringwelski will play a big role in helping the program, led by coach Shonda Sanders, establish itself in the always tough GLIAC conference.
This season for Powers, Ringwelski averaged 11.3 points, 6.5 rebounds, 1.3 assists, and 1.7 steals per game while shooting 58 percent overall. She was named to the All-Saginaw Valley League South First Team.
“Davenport plays a lot of unique styles that fit Paige’s skillset,” Trevithick said. “I think she’s gonna be able to go in right away and play. She’s strong, she’s been in the weight room every day, so she’s physically ready for college basketball, which that’s a testament to the hard work that she puts in. I’m excited for her because I know she’s gonna make a massive impact in the program.”
Ringwelski has worked hard to achieve her individual success, but one of her greatest attributes is her focus on the bigger picture too.
“I want to be the best I can for those girls on our team and for our community,” Ringwelski said. “That really means everything to me. The fans that come out, I want to put on a show for them, I want them to be like, ‘Oh yeah, that’s Paige.’ I’m trying to leave my legacy.”
Part of what appealed to her about Davenport was an opportunity to continue leaving a legacy.
“I’m really excited and I’m working hard to get myself prepared,” she said. “Coming in as a freshman, I know I’m gonna have to fight for every minute I get. The coaches were really transparent with me, and I think that’s a big part (of why she committed there). It really was an amazing place to be.”
Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to catch up on all of our headlines every Tuesday.
