CAC’s Tsingine signs to play with NAU

FORT DEFIANCE

Central Arizona College’s Tate Tsingine has taken another positive step in her young career as the former Tuba City Lady Warriors’ standout signed a letter-of-intent to play women’s basketball at Northern Arizona University.

She is continuing the Tsingine tradition at NAU. Her cheiis Willard and Ray Tsingine honed their skills in the old Lumberjack Gym with the men’s basketball team. Willard’s daughter, Nicole, became a force on the women’s basketball team.

Tate Tsingine played two solid seasons at CAC where she was a shooting guard, canning baskets from the perimeter and the three-point arc.

“When I was offered a basketball scholarship to NAU, I was very excited,” the 5-foot-11 Tsingine said. “I had been hoping that they would contact me but when it finally happened, I was in shock.

“When I finally signed, everything finally came to me,” she said. “All the memories of playing basketball when I was small, playing under my dad during my boarding school days, sacrificing so much during the weekends and summers.”

During her sophomore season at CAC NCAA Division II colleges Texas A&M International and the University of Tampa, Florida recruited her. When the season ended, she was recruited by NCAA Division I colleges Fresno State, California and Alabama A&M and a school from Canada, as well as NAIA schools.

But she said when NAU offered a scholarship she jumped at the opportunity.

Tsingine said education is a huge part of her success. She said she was a member of Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society and she maintained a 4.00 grade point average.

Tsingine said her freshman season at CAC was an eye opener.

“I had a specific or set role as a player,” she explained. “The game was more physical and quicker. Everyone there was competitive. So as the season went on, I got more assertive and aggressive as well.”

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