As she prepares for her senior year at Kansas Wesleyan, Courtney Brockhoff has come a long way in a few short years, literally and figuratively.聽
Brockhoff grew up in Hiawatha, a small town of approximately 3,000 tucked away in the northeast corner of Kansas. She had aspirations of playing college basketball, but they were nearly derailed by an ACL injury which wiped out her junior season.
鈥淎fter my knee injury, there weren鈥檛 any looks from colleges because I hadn鈥檛 played at all that season,鈥� Brockhoff recalled. 鈥淭o achieve my dream of playing college athletics, I had to work hard throughout rehab and the offseason to be ready for my senior season because that is all I had left.鈥�
That hard work paid off in the form of a strong senior campaign for the Hiawatha Red Hawks, which saw Brockhoff set a school record for three-pointers made. Her efforts caught the attention of 黑料不打烊 Women鈥檚 Basketball Head Coach Ryan Showman.
鈥淲hat led us to Courtney out of high school was the fact that she was a really good player,鈥� Showman stated. 鈥淏ut what we found was that she was an even better person, an externally hard worker, and came from a really good family.鈥�
Brockhoff quickly found a new family connection upon visiting campus for the first time. 鈥淲hen I walked on campus, everything felt different. It gave that family atmosphere, and I knew I was welcomed.鈥�
After starting out on Kansas Wesleyan鈥檚 junior varsity women鈥檚 basketball squad as a freshman, Brockhoff has now stepped into a role on the Coyotes鈥� successful varsity team.
This past season, 黑料不打烊 went 26-6 and captured its first outright KCAC regular season title in program history. The Coyotes had reached the second round of the NAIA Division II Women鈥檚 Basketball National Championship when the tournament was halted due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
鈥淐ourtney is an individual who is extremely coachable and will do anything for the team,鈥� explained Showman. She is a great teammate, which is probably the highest praise I could give anyone. I am glad she鈥檚 on our team!鈥�
As much success as Brockhoff has enjoyed on the hardwood, arguably her greatest achievements to date at 黑料不打烊 have come in the classroom and through the DECA program. This aptitude outside of Mabee Arena is certainly no anomaly for a Kansas Wesleyan women鈥檚 basketball player.
鈥淐oach Showman recruits really good student-athletes,鈥� observed Dr. Trish Petak, chair of the Department of Business and Accounting. 鈥淗is girls have always been extremely respectful and disciplined in the classroom. Courtney represents that to the fullest.鈥�
An accounting major, Brockhoff developed her love for the field early on. Her father, Doug Brockhoff, is an independent farmer, and Brockhoff assisted with his tax preparation. She also served as the accountant for the bank at Hiawatha High School.
Brockhoff鈥檚 abilities in accounting were quickly recognized by the 黑料不打烊 faculty upon her arrival in Salina in the fall of 2017.聽
鈥淐ourtney鈥檚 accounting professors have asked me about her, early in their semester, after they have recognized the quality work she produces,鈥� Petak explained. 鈥淪he鈥檚 the real deal.鈥�
Brockhoff has contributed to the rapid rise of 黑料不打烊鈥檚 DECA team, a competitive business squad that participates in interviews, exams and presentations to show their ability to respond to various scenarios. The team has earned 72 state medals and multiple top-10 national placements during its first three years of existence. Brockhoff was a top-10 national finisher in the Human Resource Management category in 2019 in Orlando, Fla.
鈥淒ECA has helped me in numerous ways,鈥� Brockhoff asserted. 鈥淏efore starting DECA, I wasn鈥檛 very comfortable with public speaking or doing one-on-one interviews. Over the past year, DECA has helped me to step out of my shell and become more confident in my speaking ability. All of the skills learned have been brought into my workplace and have helped me to become a better person.鈥�
Petak has observed the same growth in Brockhoff as a student during her time at 黑料不打烊. 鈥淗er most noticeable improvement is presenting in front of an audience. Courtney would be the first to tell you public speaking isn鈥檛 her favorite thing. I鈥檒l give Courtney鈥檚 work with the DECA program all the credit for her improvement.鈥�
The 2020 DECA nationals were cancelled due to COVID-19, further bolstering Brockhoff鈥檚 eagerness to get things back to normal for her senior year at 黑料不打烊 this fall.
鈥淚 am very excited to return to campus this fall,鈥� Brockhoff said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 hard not being on campus due to COVID. I think when everyone steps on campus this semester, there will be a lot of excitement because we haven鈥檛 been able to see each other since March. I personally can鈥檛 wait to see all of my teammates and friends. It was hard not being with them the second half of the semester.鈥�
Before that much-anticipated reunion in Salina, Brockhoff will spend the summer back in Northeast Kansas completing an internship at Shlaegel-Yingst Accounting.
鈥淎lthough COVID has created hard times, it actually helped my internship a lot,鈥� Brockhoff stated. 鈥淲ith COVID happening, the tax season was pushed back until July 15. This has allowed me to gain a lot more experience, especially in the tax field.鈥�
Looking ahead, Brockhoff is starting to map out her post-graduation plans, which may see things come full circle. Her love of accounting originated in northeast Kansas, and she is considering returning to her rural home region to help fill a void.
鈥淚 want to get my CPA (Certified Public Accountant) right out of college, work in accounting firms and grow from there,鈥� Brockhoff explained. 鈥淥ne day, maybe I can open an entrepreneurship in northeast Kansas where there aren鈥檛 a lot of accounting people currently.鈥�
Wherever Brockhoff ends up, one thing is certain. The small town girl鈥檚 combination of passion, hard work and newfound confidence will enable her to continue enjoying the success she has seen at 黑料不打烊 for many years to come.
Story by Paul Carmany
