Sprinkle to aid Statesmen women’s basketball

Cloverdale senior Chloe Sprinkle recently signed to play collegiate basketball at Lincoln Trail College with (left to right) sister Taylor Hull, father Adam Hull, mother Amanda Seniour, Lincoln Trail assistant coach Haley Kropp, principal Sonny Stoltz, assistant principal Brent Saylor, athletic director James Wade and Travis Dorsett at the signing.

Contributed Photo

Basketball season might have finished recently for Cloverdale but it won’t be for good for Chloe Sprinkle.

The Clover senior recently signed to continue her basketball playing days at Lincoln Trail College starting in the 2022-23 school year.

“It’s small, like being in a hometown with new people,” Sprinkle said about Lincoln Trail. “It’s not too big to be overwhelming and while I’ll be meeting new people, it fits me like Cloverdale fits me.”

The Statesmen, located in Robinson, Ill., currently sit at 8-14 this season with two games remaining and 4-8 in Great Rivers Athletic Conference play.

Sprinkle said playing an additional two years of basketball wasn’t originally what she thought she’d be doing next year.

“I wasn’t planning on playing basketball before Lincoln Trail offered me a full ride for basketball,” Sprinkle noted. “I didn’t want to give up basketball and with the offer, I figured I could play a few more years before transferring to a four-year college.

“I’m looking to study nursing to become a nurse practitioner. That will take six to eight years of school and at Lincoln Trail, I can get my electives done then transfer to Indiana State to get my nursing done.”

The Statesmen are currently under new coach Zach Loll, who joined the program in May of last year, though it was a name closer to home that gave Sprinkle her initial impression of the school.

“Tori Combs went there a few years back and we went and watched her play,” Sprinkle said. “(Lincoln Trail) has a new coaching staff that has kept up with me, told me when games are and constantly touched base with me to see if I needed anything, when workouts were and other things.

“I’ll be going to the game on Saturday to watch them. The coaches said my ability to shoot the ball is good and they could use that.”

Though still several months out, Sprinkle said she was eager for what challenges were to come.

“The speed of the game is definitely going to be a change,” Sprinkle said. “Going there and not knowing anybody while being an hour and a half away from home was also going to be different.

“I am beyond excited to go and excited for a new chapter in my life to open.”