Robin Shield, who helped lead Haskell Indian Nations University's women's basketball team to its best ever record and a third-place finish in its first-ever appearance in the NJCAA Div. II national tournament, is now part of Kansas University's team.

Shield, a 5-foot-9 guard-forward from Lodge Grass, Montana, has made the team as a walk-on.  "She really has an upside to her," KU coach Marian Washington said.  "The question will be whether she'll be able to develop the quickness at this level.  She may be able to. I don't know.  She's going to get a chance to practice every day. She's going to learn, and she's going to get better.  "But there's an intensity level, there's a quickness that separates a lot of players."

Shield is happy just to get the chance.  "It is big," she said Monday, just hours after Washington decided Shield would be the Jayhawks' only walk-on.  "The only thing I'm worried about now is, I know that if I keep working, I'll be able to be effective.  But there are still a lot of things I need to work on.  The coaches have been trying to direct me on what I could do better."

As far as how much playing time she'll receive, Shield said, "I think it all will fall into place."  Shield averaged 16 points, 4.3 rebounds and 3.5 steals a game last season, helping the Fightin' Indians to a 28-2 record. That team set the school record for total victories en route to its first-ever appearance in the NJCAA nationals.

Shield considered scholarship offers from a handful of small colleges, but opted to walk on at KU instead.  She will not receive a scholarship and there's no guarantee she'll even play.  "I need to be more aggressive," Shield said.  "I need a lot of improvement all the way around.   When I was at Haskell, it was the same as high school, maybe a little bit higher up.  This is a huge step.  I need to improve on everything. There's nothing I'm good enough at."

Washington said she decided to keep Shield because Shield showed determination in making the team.  She worked out with the Jayhawks over the summer and played pick-up ball frequently.  "We didn't have to keep anybody," Washington said.  "We wanted to keep a young person who certainly showed she had some skills and could bring a good attitude, who could work and blend with the team, and (Shield) has from the very beginning.  "Her message was that she was very serious about trying to be a part of it.  I liked her attitude.  I liked her persistence.

She has a lot of work to do.  It's a different ball game at this level.  But as long as she understands that, we're delighted to have her."  Shield hasn't been assigned a number yet.  She likely will get to choose between No. 20 and No. 32.

(Info from Grant Stafne)