2021-22 Women's Basketball Roster
Roster
Rucker, Karli
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Jersey Number 3
Karli Rucker
- Position:
- Guard
- Class:
- Senior
- High School:
- North Scott HS
- Hometown:
- Eldridge, Iowa
Bio
SENIOR (2021-22)
Started all 34 games and averaged 28.5 minutes per game … First Team All-MVC, becoming the first Panther to earn first team all-conference honors four times … MVC All-Tournament Team … MVC Scholar-Athlete First Team, the fourth player in program history to earn multiple first team selections … Maui Jim Maui Classic All-Tournament Team … Preseason MVC All-Conference Team … Finished career as UNI’s second leading scorer (1,866 points) … Became UNI’s all-time leader in career assists (512), and tied for most games played (159) … Second in school history in games started, minutes played (4,420), and field goal attempts (1,626) … Ended career seventh in career three-pointers at UNI (190) and tied for eighth in three-point percentage (36.1%) … Led the Panthers in scoring (440 points) and assists (110), while totaling 91 rebounds, 23 steals and 4 blocks … Fourth in the MVC in total points scored, and eighth in assists … Shot 40.1% from the field (176-401), 43.9% from beyond the three-point arc (34-97), and 79.4% from the free throw line (54-68) … Scored a season-high 27 points and tied a career-best with 11 made field goals at North Dakota State (11/17) … Tied career high with 8 made free throws at Loyola (1/9)... MVC Commissioner's Academic Excellence Award recipient.
SENIOR (2020-21)
First Team All-MVC for the third year in a row and is the sixth Panther (Madison Weekly, Jacqui Kalin, Alex Cook, Amy Swisher, Allison Starr) to earn the nod three times...MVC Scholar-Athlete First Team...Preseason-All-MVC...Finished with 399 points, 98 rebounds, and 115 assists...Shot 40.4% (150-of-371) from the field, 32.8% (39-of-119) on three-pointers, and 81.1% (60-of-74) on free throws...Leader or co-leader in scoring in 13 games featuring career-high 32 points at Valparaiso (1/8)....Team leader in points and assists...Ranked fourth in career assists (402), fifth in field goal attempts (1226), seventh in points (1,429), three-pointers (157), and three-point percentage (36.5%), eighth in field goals (512), and 10th in assists per game (3.2) and games played (125) at end of season.
JUNIOR (2019-20)
Preseason All-MVC, First Team All-MVC, and Second Team MVC Scholar-Athlete accolades...Multi-time Student-Athlete of the Month honoree...Started all 29 games...Team-high 398 points while averaging 13.7 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game...Shot 40.9% (141-of-345) from the field, 33.1% (45-of-136) from three-point range, and 79.8% (71-of-89) from the charity stripe…Became 25th member of 1,000-point club at Loyola (3/1)...Scored a season-high 28 points versus Evansville (1/17)...Dished out eight assists at Drake (1/3) and at Evansville (2/15)...Season was cut short due to COVID-19.
SOPHOMORE (2018-19)
Started all 33 games after stepping into the starting lineup to replace two-year starter Kennedy Kirkpatrick and had a breakout season...First Team All-MVC, MVC All-Tournament Team, and Second Team MVC Scholar-Athlete recognition...Finished with a team-high 495 points and 86 made free throws and averaged 15.0 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per game...Shot 45.3% (177-of-391) from the field, 41.7% (55-of-132) behind the arc, and 81.9% (86-of-105) on free throws...Scored at least 20 points nine times including career-high 28 points at Southern Illinois (3/3)...Tallied three double-doubles...10 rebounds apiece at Bradley (1/6), against Loyola (1/13), and at Loyola (2/8)...Perfect on free throws through first five games (15-of-15).
FRESHMAN (2017-18)
Saw action in all 33 games with three starts...Averaged 4.2 points per game on 12.3 minutes per contest...Shot 37.0% (44-of-119) from the field, 41.9% (18-of-43) behind the arc, and 66.0% (31-of-47) on free throws...Recorded eighth-best single-season three-point percentage in program history...Racked up 54 assists compared to 51 turnovers in first season...Breakout game at Omaha (12/6) with 13 points on five field goals with trio of three-pointers...Started next three games in a row against Wisconsin-Parkside (12/10), against Iowa (12/17), and at Kansas State (12/21) to close nonconference play...Hauled in a personal-high five rebounds in a Missouri Valley Conference semifinal victory versus Missouri State (3/10)...Posted five assists in three contests including against Drake (2/16)...Grabbed three steals against Evansville (1/12)...Earned MVC Commissioner’s Academic Excellence Award and Honor Roll accolades.
HIGH SCHOOL
Named Iowa Class 4A Player of the Year…Eclipsed the 1,000-point mark in her high school career with more than 1,250 points scored…Finalist for Quad-City Times Athlete of the Year in 2016 and 2017…Earned All-State, All-Region, and First Team All-Conference at North Scott High School…Two-time IBCA All-Region Team member…Named team captain and MVP…Led the North Scott Lancers to their first state title in 2017…Averaged more than 19 points per game in the state tournament…Earned postseason appearances with North Scott High School in all four years…Averaged 13.8 points per game as a senior…Averaged 14.7 points per game for the Lancers as a junior…Also lettered in soccer with Class 2A state title in 2014… Scored 16 goals and added 13 assists on the pitch.
PERSONAL
Born on October 15, 1998 as Karli Ann Rucker...Daughter of Paul and Dena Rucker…Has two sisters named Ali and Rylie…Majoring in elementary education…Earned scholar-athlete honors in high school...Father, Paul, played basketball at Cornell College…Grandfather, Dennis Rucker, graduated from UNI in 1968…As a pregame ritual, she likes to take a nap…Volunteered at the Special Olympics and Avenue of the Flags…Homecoming Queen at North Scott High School…Past teammates would describe her as unselfish, fun-loving, and compassionate…She chose UNI because of the basketball program and to become a teacher at a great university… Earned High Honor Roll nods in all four years in high school…Received the Artistic Achievement Award at Western Dubuque.
CAREER HIGHS THROUGH 2020-21
Points: 32 at Valparaiso (1/8/21)
Rebounds: 10 [3x], last at Loyola (2/8/19)
Assists: 9 vs. Loyola (2/20/21)
Steals: 4 vs. Omaha (12/21/18)
Blocks: 2 vs. Valparaiso (2/2/20)
FG Made: 11 [2x], last at Valparaiso (1/8/21)
FG Attempts: 22 [2x], last at Valparaiso (1/7/21)
3FG Made: 6 [3x], last vs. Evansville (1/17/20)
3FG Attempts: 10 [2x], last vs. Evansville (2/27/21)
FT Made: 8 vs. Delaware (11/9/18)
FT Attempts: 10 at Valparaiso (1/8/21)
Minutes: 42 at Bradley (1/6/19)
Started all 34 games and averaged 28.5 minutes per game … First Team All-MVC, becoming the first Panther to earn first team all-conference honors four times … MVC All-Tournament Team … MVC Scholar-Athlete First Team, the fourth player in program history to earn multiple first team selections … Maui Jim Maui Classic All-Tournament Team … Preseason MVC All-Conference Team … Finished career as UNI’s second leading scorer (1,866 points) … Became UNI’s all-time leader in career assists (512), and tied for most games played (159) … Second in school history in games started, minutes played (4,420), and field goal attempts (1,626) … Ended career seventh in career three-pointers at UNI (190) and tied for eighth in three-point percentage (36.1%) … Led the Panthers in scoring (440 points) and assists (110), while totaling 91 rebounds, 23 steals and 4 blocks … Fourth in the MVC in total points scored, and eighth in assists … Shot 40.1% from the field (176-401), 43.9% from beyond the three-point arc (34-97), and 79.4% from the free throw line (54-68) … Scored a season-high 27 points and tied a career-best with 11 made field goals at North Dakota State (11/17) … Tied career high with 8 made free throws at Loyola (1/9)... MVC Commissioner's Academic Excellence Award recipient.
SENIOR (2020-21)
First Team All-MVC for the third year in a row and is the sixth Panther (Madison Weekly, Jacqui Kalin, Alex Cook, Amy Swisher, Allison Starr) to earn the nod three times...MVC Scholar-Athlete First Team...Preseason-All-MVC...Finished with 399 points, 98 rebounds, and 115 assists...Shot 40.4% (150-of-371) from the field, 32.8% (39-of-119) on three-pointers, and 81.1% (60-of-74) on free throws...Leader or co-leader in scoring in 13 games featuring career-high 32 points at Valparaiso (1/8)....Team leader in points and assists...Ranked fourth in career assists (402), fifth in field goal attempts (1226), seventh in points (1,429), three-pointers (157), and three-point percentage (36.5%), eighth in field goals (512), and 10th in assists per game (3.2) and games played (125) at end of season.
JUNIOR (2019-20)
Preseason All-MVC, First Team All-MVC, and Second Team MVC Scholar-Athlete accolades...Multi-time Student-Athlete of the Month honoree...Started all 29 games...Team-high 398 points while averaging 13.7 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game...Shot 40.9% (141-of-345) from the field, 33.1% (45-of-136) from three-point range, and 79.8% (71-of-89) from the charity stripe…Became 25th member of 1,000-point club at Loyola (3/1)...Scored a season-high 28 points versus Evansville (1/17)...Dished out eight assists at Drake (1/3) and at Evansville (2/15)...Season was cut short due to COVID-19.
SOPHOMORE (2018-19)
Started all 33 games after stepping into the starting lineup to replace two-year starter Kennedy Kirkpatrick and had a breakout season...First Team All-MVC, MVC All-Tournament Team, and Second Team MVC Scholar-Athlete recognition...Finished with a team-high 495 points and 86 made free throws and averaged 15.0 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per game...Shot 45.3% (177-of-391) from the field, 41.7% (55-of-132) behind the arc, and 81.9% (86-of-105) on free throws...Scored at least 20 points nine times including career-high 28 points at Southern Illinois (3/3)...Tallied three double-doubles...10 rebounds apiece at Bradley (1/6), against Loyola (1/13), and at Loyola (2/8)...Perfect on free throws through first five games (15-of-15).
FRESHMAN (2017-18)
Saw action in all 33 games with three starts...Averaged 4.2 points per game on 12.3 minutes per contest...Shot 37.0% (44-of-119) from the field, 41.9% (18-of-43) behind the arc, and 66.0% (31-of-47) on free throws...Recorded eighth-best single-season three-point percentage in program history...Racked up 54 assists compared to 51 turnovers in first season...Breakout game at Omaha (12/6) with 13 points on five field goals with trio of three-pointers...Started next three games in a row against Wisconsin-Parkside (12/10), against Iowa (12/17), and at Kansas State (12/21) to close nonconference play...Hauled in a personal-high five rebounds in a Missouri Valley Conference semifinal victory versus Missouri State (3/10)...Posted five assists in three contests including against Drake (2/16)...Grabbed three steals against Evansville (1/12)...Earned MVC Commissioner’s Academic Excellence Award and Honor Roll accolades.
HIGH SCHOOL
Named Iowa Class 4A Player of the Year…Eclipsed the 1,000-point mark in her high school career with more than 1,250 points scored…Finalist for Quad-City Times Athlete of the Year in 2016 and 2017…Earned All-State, All-Region, and First Team All-Conference at North Scott High School…Two-time IBCA All-Region Team member…Named team captain and MVP…Led the North Scott Lancers to their first state title in 2017…Averaged more than 19 points per game in the state tournament…Earned postseason appearances with North Scott High School in all four years…Averaged 13.8 points per game as a senior…Averaged 14.7 points per game for the Lancers as a junior…Also lettered in soccer with Class 2A state title in 2014… Scored 16 goals and added 13 assists on the pitch.
PERSONAL
Born on October 15, 1998 as Karli Ann Rucker...Daughter of Paul and Dena Rucker…Has two sisters named Ali and Rylie…Majoring in elementary education…Earned scholar-athlete honors in high school...Father, Paul, played basketball at Cornell College…Grandfather, Dennis Rucker, graduated from UNI in 1968…As a pregame ritual, she likes to take a nap…Volunteered at the Special Olympics and Avenue of the Flags…Homecoming Queen at North Scott High School…Past teammates would describe her as unselfish, fun-loving, and compassionate…She chose UNI because of the basketball program and to become a teacher at a great university… Earned High Honor Roll nods in all four years in high school…Received the Artistic Achievement Award at Western Dubuque.
CAREER HIGHS THROUGH 2020-21
Points: 32 at Valparaiso (1/8/21)
Rebounds: 10 [3x], last at Loyola (2/8/19)
Assists: 9 vs. Loyola (2/20/21)
Steals: 4 vs. Omaha (12/21/18)
Blocks: 2 vs. Valparaiso (2/2/20)
FG Made: 11 [2x], last at Valparaiso (1/8/21)
FG Attempts: 22 [2x], last at Valparaiso (1/7/21)
3FG Made: 6 [3x], last vs. Evansville (1/17/20)
3FG Attempts: 10 [2x], last vs. Evansville (2/27/21)
FT Made: 8 vs. Delaware (11/9/18)
FT Attempts: 10 at Valparaiso (1/8/21)
Minutes: 42 at Bradley (1/6/19)
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