Though the Gustavus Adolphus College Golden Gusties have played only eight games in the 2019-20 season to this point, true freshman Caitlin Rorman is already making her mark.

Rorman was named MIAC (Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference) Women’s Basketball Athlete of the Week for Dec. 2-8.

“I was not expecting it, just being a freshman in college and trying to find my place on the team still,” Rorman said. “But it’s been going really well, I was really happy. Coach was the first one to call and tell me, coach (Laurie) Kelly, so that was really cool. She congratulated me and then I got a lot of support up here from my teammates and my friends at college, but then also even people from Blue Earth texting me and congratulating me still. That’s what I love about it, even though I’m in college, there’s so many locals from Blue Earth who are still so supportive and still watch my games on live stream or come watch me and I love that.”

Rorman, the No. 2 all-time leading scorer in Blue Earth Area girls basketball history with 2,031 points, is averaging 15.5 points per game for the Gusties.

On Dec. 4, Rorman scored 13 points on 5-for-7 shooting in a 76-57 win over Hamline. Rorman then scored 20 points on 9 of 13 shooting and grabbed seven rebounds, while leading the team with 37 minutes played, in the Gusties’ 62-57 win over then-ranked No. 6 St. Thomas. The win snapped St. Thomas’ 77-game MIAC win streak and gave the Tommies their first home loss since Dec. 16, 2017.

The two performances add to Rorman’s already excellent first eight games. In addition to points per game, Rorman is also leading Gustavus Adolphus with 59 rebounds for an average of 7.4 per game. The 5-foot 11 forward has scored at least 10 points in seven of eight games, and scored more than 20 on two occasions.

The Blue Earth Area product also is second on the Gusties with 29.1 minutes played per game and 20 total assists, while being third on the team with 17 steals.

Rorman’s success has helped the Gusties to a spot in the NCAA Division III women’s basketball rankings and a 7-1 record to open the season. The Gusties sit at No. 25 after their win over St. Thomas.

Rorman said even she is surprised at how quickly she has adjusted to the college level.

“Coach Kelly acted like I would probably, if I kept working hard enough, I would be playing,” Rorman said. “But I wasn’t expecting to maybe start right away and score as much as I have been scoring. And just understanding the game right away because there is a different speed and different rules at the college level that I have to get used to, but I feel like I adjusted pretty quickly.”

Rorman said a couple of the differences she’s had to adjust to in college are the shot clock and speed of the game, and the team aspect where scoring could come from all over the court instead of from a couple of main players.

She said adjusting to the speed of the college game has changed how she watches high school ball.

“It is just the speed of the game and having there be a shot clock, that was a different change for me. I went and watched Blue Earth play high school (Tuesday at Martin County West) and I kept thinking, ‘Oh they have to score soon,’ but then I remember there’s no shot clock in high school,” Rorman said with a laugh.

Along with adjustments on the court, Rorman has had to adjust to college life through her first semester. She said it has gone well, though it was difficult to get used to early on.

She said the community at Gustavus has really helped her.

“Gustavus is really supportive and great when it comes to academics first over athletics,” Rorman said. “Also, if you have family issues or need time off, they’re very understanding of all that and they really care about your well-being. And they’re very adjustable and flexible for classes, which is nice for when we have games. Most professors understand and they’ll let you make up assignments and labs on other days. I do appreciate how supportive academically they are up here and all the resources they have to help.”

Rorman has not yet declared her major, but said she wants to go into either exercise physiology or exercise science because she wants to stay involved with sports and fitness through her post-college life.

For now, Rorman will continue studying for finals coming up this week and working on her game with the Gusties. She said though Gustavus wasn’t where she thought she would be, Rorman is happy with her choice.

“I really did not think I would choose Gustavus at first, but after going to other colleges and comparing them, I just felt I already had a home at Gustavus,” Rorman said. “I’ve been up here throughout my life for different basketball camps and coming to games. There are Blue Earth locals who I’ve grown up with who are older than me who went to Gustavus and said they loved it. … I also liked the distance from home, not too far and not too close, and it’s a smaller, more intimate community here at Gustavus. You can feel like you’re at a whole different place, but you also see people all the time who you know. You kind of feel like your own person, but it is a community and everyone is so supportive and kind.”