GRAND MEADOW — When Grand Meadow senior Rio Landers started to look at colleges she wanted to attend and play basketball for, Dordt College didn’t exactly jump out at her.

Before Dordt started recruiting her, Landers had never heard of the NAIA school located in Sioux Center, Iowa. When she heard it was a four-hour drive from Grand Meadow, she was even less inclined to check it out.

But that all changed when Landers made the trip to Dordt to check it out and she researched the school. Before she knew it, Dordt was at the top of her list and she will sign her national-letter-of-intent to play basketball at Dordt under a maximum athletic scholarship in Grand Meadow High School 6 p.m. Sunday.

“I took the time to learn about each team that was recruiting me and after that Dordt moved to the top of the list,” Landers said. “It was a perfect fit and the girls on the team were so welcoming and inviting. They were awesome. The coaching staff really recruits a great person and a great athlete. They’re into good sportsmanship and that really drew me.”

Landers plans on majoring in social work and she said Dordt is a great place to study that field.

The path to play college basketball has been a work in progress for Landers ever since she played AAU basketball as an eighth grader. Landers averaged 16.4 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks per game last year for GM, but she did most of her college recruitment process over this past summer and she had made up her mind to pick Dordt by the time school started in the fall.

“It was a priviledge to play against some really tough competition this summer. It was scary and humbling at the same time. I stuck with it, hoping to get some colleges watching me,” Landers said. “I’m so at ease with my decision and it feels great to not be rushing around to learn about colleges and going on college visits all of the time. I definitely breathed a sigh of relief.”

Landers is hoping the Superlarks can take the next step this winter as they made strides with a younger roster last season. She was also thankful for all of the coaches her helped her in her high school basketball career.

The Defenders finished with a record of 11-19 overall last season.