Ex-Cardinal supports home country in 2012 Olympics

Former NIC Lady Cardinal Tugce Canitez played in the 2012 London Olympics for her home country Turkey this past summer.

Turkey went 4-1 in their first Olympics appearance, with their lone loss to the United States 89-58.

Canitez averaged eight minutes per game, 1.3 points and 1.8 rebounds as the youngest member of her team and the 12th youngest overall in the Olympics.

“Canitez has mental toughness and is a tough physical kid,” NIC head coach Chris Carlson said.

Canitez scored 13 points and grabbed 9 rebounds to help NIC win a national championship in 2011.

“She had big goals and she planned on playing at the highest level possible from the get-go,” Carlson said. “So with her attitude, drive and her ability to exceed anyone’s expectations, she was contagious to the other players.”

_{When Carlson was recruiting her, he and his team were looking for a “bigger girl” that could dominate in the paint and pull down rebounds. When they got Canitez, they got more than what they asked for.}

_{“Canitez was a great all around player,” Carlson said. “She was able to pull down a rebound and transition it and push it up the court.”}

_{Canitez will finish her college basketball career as a senior at Westmont College in Santa Barbara, Calif.}