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BIG RAPIDS — Majenica Rupe has played basketball on all levels and all over the world.
But on Wednesday, Rupe will come back home and be recognized for all of her sports efforts with her induction into the Mecosta County Sports Hall of Fame.
The program starts at 6:30 p.m. at Hemlock Park.
Rupe is a 1989 graduate from Big Rapids where she was All-State girls basketball and volleyball in 1987, 1988 and 1989.
She was a starter on Final Four basketball teams and regional title teams. Rupe led her team in shots blocked and rebounds in 1988 and 1989.
Rupe graduated from Notre Dame in 1993. She was a three-year Monogram winner for the women’s basketball team. She played in the NCAA women’s basketball postseason tournament in 1992 in 1993, which was the first ever for ND women’s basketball and was the first Notre Dame female athlete to participate in the NCAA tournament for two team sports in basketball and volleyball in 1993. She led the basketball team in shot blocks 1989,1992 and 1993.
She was selected as preseason “athlete to watch” for in an ESPN article in 1992.
Rupe played in 10 leagues worldwide and on five international tours in 10 countries. She averaged 15 rebounds, 13 points and three block shots for her pro career. She was chosen as league All-Star in Venezuela, Luxembourg, China, Iceland, Germany, Syria and Portugal. She played in a championship league in Iceland, Germany and Portugal. Her teams finished in the league standings Top 4 several times.
She led her teams in rebounds and shot blocks.
Rupe has also been a college coach and coached 10 all-conference players and three All-American players. She wrote two books and currently facilitates the Rupe lecture series at Ferris.
Rupe said she’s been back and forth in Big Rapids in and out since last September.
Basketball has opened up “a lot of doors,” Rupe said. “I retired around 2006. Then I transitioned into teaching.”
Rupe was 6-foot-4 or 6-5 during her high school career.
“I was always tall,” she said. “I think I hit six feet around the seventh grade.”
Rupe said her favorite season was playing in China three different times.
“I enjoyed seeing the country and I’ve seen a lot,” she said. “It’s intriguing to live there and I like the culture. The Middle East was wonderful, too. Spending time in Syria was great. I learned so much. It’s a challenging region.”
Rupe is looking forward to Wednesday’s Hall of Fame program.
“I’m so honored,” she said. “There’s nothing like being recognized in front of people who truly know you. I come back to Big Rapids and everybody knows me and my family and it means a lot to me. I’m thrilled.”
