During her senior season at Fort Thomas Highlands, Katie Allen wasn't sure she wanted to play basketball anymore. But Campbellsville University Lady Tiger Coach Ginger Colvin is glad Allen had a change of heart.

"I just knew that once the season was over I wanted to continue to play," said Allen on the day she signed scholarship papers with Colvin and CU Assistant Miranda Denney.

"It's very rare to find someone as talented as she is and not be signed yet," said Colvin. "She fits our style because of her versatility and that will help her with playing time. We play a lot of people."

The 9th Region Player of the Year was one of 12 players to be chosen to play for Kentucky in the Kentucky-Indiana All-Star game - an experience she said was fun and an honor just to be chosen.

"Tryouts were held there at Campbellsville and I got to play in their gym and got to see the campus," said Allen. "I just loved everything about it."

The 5'7'' Allen is friends with recent signee, sophomore-to-be Courtney Clifton, and that friendship may have had something to do with Allen's decision to cast her lot with the Lady Tigers.

"I think they (Allen and Clifton) played some pickup games in the Cincinnati area and Courtney told us how talented she was," said Colvin. "That kind of opened up a line of communication. Realistically speaking, we're going to have seven kids graduate after this season and you have to have a good caliber team to step in and step up."

Allen says she's a combo point/shooting guard. She averaged 18 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists and 4 steals a game as a senior for the 19-8 Bluebirds. Allen was named the Northern Kentucky Division II Player of the Year during her sophomore, junior and senior seasons and one Internet recruiting web site says Allen is: "A very skilled and heady player."

Allen has played high school ball since she was in the sixth grade and has been a varsity contributor since the eight grade. She scored 1,909 points during her career at Highlands.

"For someone who has scored 1,900 points she is very unselfish and a great ball handler," said Colvin. "She'll be a good addition to a team that is already guard oriented."

A 3.2 GPA  student with a 27 on her ACT, Allen has her eye on a career in occupational therapy. She  plans to major in biology and psychology. She hope to be on campus in the next few days to revisit the campus and register for classes.