By MATT GOLDBERG

Herald-Whig Sports Writer

Jenna Mueller wanted the recruiting process to be quick and painless.

The South Shelby senior-to-be got her wish.

On Monday, the 6-foot-1 Mueller verbally committed to play basketball at Saint Louis University.

"That's been my goal this whole summer," Mueller said. "I just wanted to have a good senior year and focus on school and stuff and not have to have the stress in my life of finding what I want to do with my future. So just to have this done is a big weight off of my shoulders."

Mueller averaged 14.7 points, 10.3 rebounds, 2.4 steals, 2.6 assists and 1.4 blocks per game to earn a spot on The Herald-Whig all-area first team and Clarence Cannon Conference player of the year honors this past season.

While all of that is impressive, South Shelby girls basketball coach Milly Rash said Mueller's mobility makes her stand out when compared to other high school post players.

Like the fact that Mueller ran a leg of the 800-meter relay for the Lady Birds' track and field team.

"There are a lot of 6-1, 6-2 girls that are tall, but don't have that athleticism that Jenna has," Rash said. "She just has that whole package."

Besides wanting to play basketball for the Billikens, Mueller also chose SLU because she wants to pursue a career in the dental industry.

"I've always kind of been a teeth person," Mueller said. "I've never really had problems with my teeth, so I was really lucky. I just always wanted to help other people have good teeth too."

The whole recruiting process didn't last long.

Mueller said she made an unofficial visit three or four weeks ago and recently went to the team's camp.

She was extended an offer Thursday and verbally accepted it on Monday.

"I just felt like I belonged their and it was the right (school) for me," Mueller said.

So much so, that she didn't feel she needed to take an official visit to the campus to make her verbal commitment.

Mueller, who as a sophomore led the Lady Birds to a second-place finish in Class 3, said the SLU coaching staff envisions her playing in the No. 4 position on the floor.

Mueller said she visited Arkansas State and also was pursued by Quincy University, Murray State and went to a camp at Illinois State.

--mgoldberg@whig.com/221-3367