Duquesne University found itself among some pretty unique company recently.
The Dukes were considered along with Ivy League schools such as Harvard, Brown, Cornell and Penn by Oakland Catholic basketball player Christiana Lackner.
Lackner, a 6-foot-1 senior forward, made a commitment to play at Harvard next year.
"It was a tough choice, because I liked all the schools," Lackner said. "I wanted to go to an Ivy League school, but I also liked what Duquesne had too, so that is why Duquesne was among the schools I was seriously considering."
Harvard (4-1) won the Ivy League championship last season and advanced to the NCAA tournament, where the Crimson lost to North Carolina in the first round.
"Harvard won out because that is where I felt most comfortable," said Lackner, whose father, Vince, and an aunt and uncle are Harvard alumni. "The coaches at Harvard also told me I would not start right away and would have to work for a spot. I liked that there are no guarantees and that I have to earn what I get."
Lackner eventually wants to study architecture in graduate school, but hasn't chosen an undergraduate major. She is considering taking foreign language and design classes.
A member of the Pittsburgh Power AAU team, Lackner was instrumental in leading Oakland Catholic to three of its past four WPIAL Class AAAA championships and a PIAA crown in 2001. She averaged 13 points and 10 rebounds per game last season. Oakland Catholic started this season without starters Eve Pyle and Brianne O'Rourke.
"It has been hard without them," Lackner said. "But Eve practiced (yesterday) and said she felt fine."
