Former North Catholic High School standout Rachel Frederick has transferred from Ohio University to Duquesne where she will continue her basketball career after sitting out this season. The news of her decision came as somewhat of a surprise because Frederick, who was heading into her junior season, was having an excellent career.

She was the Mid-American Conference rookie of the year in 2005-06 and last season averaged 13.1 points and 9.9 rebounds per game en route to being named the team's MVP and earning third-team All-MAC honors. She was the team captain and led Ohio in rebounding and the MAC in double-doubles.

Frederick of Gibsonia said the decision to transfer had little to do with basketball or school and everything to do with a desire to move closer to home to help support her family. Frederick's older brother, Adam, a former quarterback who led Shady Side Academy to the 1998 WPIAL AA championship and then played at Kent State, was recently diagnosed with cancer and has started chemotherapy.

"I've always said my priorities were God, then family, then basketball and school," she said yesterday. "And I felt like I needed to really make sure that was the case. This year both of my grandmothers have died and I lost a 13-year-old cousin as well and now this situation with Adam ... I knew I needed to be closer to home.

"I know with what Adam is going through we are going to all have to lean on each other to make it through. We've always been a close-knit family, we've always said family is first and I just felt being three hours away was too far for me to help."

Frederick said that her brother, who is 27 today, has a tumor the size of a softball growing on his hip. It grew so large that it ruined the joint. She said after he is done with chemotherapy, he will likely undergo reconstructive surgery on his hip.

Although she is leaving a good situation at Ohio, she is also moving to a good situation at Duquesne, where former Penn State and WNBA star Suzie McConnell-Serio has taken over as the head coach. Frederick will have to redshirt this season because of NCAA-transfer rules which means she'll be able to spend more time with her family than if she were playing.