Klimowicz's blog
Ewing, NJ...The budding basketball career of
Hillary Klimowicz (Scotch Plains, NJ/Scotch Plains-Fanwood) has taken another step forward as the former standout from The College of New Jersey has signed with a professional team in France.
This summer, the former Lion moved to a more competitive league as she will spend the 2011-12 campaign with Limoges ABC en Limousin. That team plays in the country's second division and is located about three-and-a-half hours south of Paris.
Klimowicz signed a one-year deal with the team, which plays a 30-game schedule starting in the fall and running into April.
“I was incredibly excited when I received an offer to play in Limoges, France next year. The French league will enable me to take another step towards advancing my basketball career as well as give me an opportunity to experience another part of Europe,” Klimowicz explained. “My French coach, Jimmy Rela, has already called me to congratulate me on signing with the team and to talk about how I might fit into their program."
Last season was Klimowicz's first in Europe as she played for Nyon in the First Division in the Switzerland League. She excelled for the club as she scored 19.2 points per game and averaged 11.0 rebounds. She also had 94 blocked shots and recorded 12 double-doubles. Her best offensive game was a 35-point outburst against Basel.
"Playing in Switzerland was an amazing opportunity for me. My Swiss coach, Julie LeBris, helped improve and expand my game while also encouraging me to delve into the European lifestyle. Because of my Swiss teammates and my coach, I truly felt like Nyon, Switzerland was a second home to me,” Klimowicz said.
She did this while also overcoming the cultural challenges. The biggest of those was not speaking French, one of the official languages of Switzerland. Klimowicz is hoping that adjustment will also benefit her for the upcoming season as she understands conversations in the language and speaks some phrases that help both on and off the court.
Klimowicz is spending the summer working on the Ewing campus in the Alcohol and Drug Education Program as she pursues her master's degree in counseling at the College.
Klimowicz's collegiate playing career began at NCAA Division I St. Joseph's University in 2005-06 where she was the 2005-06 Atlantic 10 and Big Five Rookie of the Year. She then made the decision to transfer to Division III TCNJ where she quickly made an impression on the Lion program.
Her most impressive season for the Lions came as a senior in 2008-09 when she was named the 2009 Women's Basketball Coaches' Association Player of the Year. She was not only the first Lion to garner this award, but the first player from the New Jersey Athletic Conference to do so. Klimowicz was also selected to the 2009 State Farm Coaches' All-America Basketball First Team. She was a finalist for the 2009 Jostens Trophy, as the top player in Division III. Additionally, she was selected as the 2009 ECAC Metro Player of the Year and an ECAC Metro First-Team honoree.
Klimowicz was a two-time NJAC Player of the Year and a three-time All-NJAC First Team honoree.
She finished her career with her name throughout the program's record book as she recorded a single-season record for points in a season with 587 and ranks second in program history with 1,413 points and 832 rebounds. She is also the program's all-time leader in blocked shots with 314 and holds season marks for rebounds (320), blocks (119), field goals made (232), and field-goal percentage (67.1%).
Klimowicz excelled in the classroom as well as she was named CoSIDA's ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District II College Division Second Team in 2009. She earned her degree in psychology with minors in sociology and women and gender studies and was a three-time TCNJ Scholar-Athlete.
She also served as an assistant coach for TCNJ's program in 2009-10, before beginning her professional career.
While Klimowicz may be overseas during the season, she does keep family and friends back home updated on her travels and experiences by writing a blog. Follow the former Lion at www.thrillsoverseas.blogspot.com.
