Todd Rose | Daily Press Bark River’s Cara Zawacki (center) poses after signing her letter-of-intent to attend Lawrence University in Wisconsin Thursday in the Bark River-Harris High School gym. Front row, from left: Marc Zawacki, Cara Zawacki, Raylie Bloniarz and Shannon Zawacki. Back: BR-H Superintendent Jason Lockwood, Carter Zawacki, Justin Bloniarz, girls basketball coach Matt Richer and BR-H Athletic Director Jeanne Lippens.

HARRIS — Bark River-Harris’ Cara Zawacki put pen to paper and made her next athletic and academic steps official Thursday morning in the Bark River-Harris gym as she signed her letter of intent to play basketball and attend Lawrence University in Appleton, Wis.

Zawacki said the opportunity is a dream come true.

“I’m really excited,” she commented. “I’ve wanted to play college basketball since freshman year of playing.”

While there were other schools — Northland University, Finlandia University and Bay College — that Zawacki had looked at, and enjoyed multiple aspects of, Lawrence was the one that stuck out to her as the right choice.

“I had a few places that I looked at and were talking to me, but I just thought Lawrence was the best for my academics and athletics,” she said. “I liked all the campuses, all the coaches and teammates were so welcoming at every college. … But, Lawrence had the academic part of where I wanted to be, and it just felt more homelike. It’s close to my home, and I really liked it.”

Once on campus this fall, Zawacki will major in biology with long terms plans to enter the medical field.

“I’m going to major in biology. Then, I plan to go off to medical school to specialize as a radiologist,” she said. “I’ve always been interested in the medical field, so I knew I wanted to go that route. When I looked at radiology and being a radiologist it just kind of stood out to me.”

The larger school, and overall opportunity, of heading to Lawrence is something Zawacki is especially excited about.

“I’m excited, and I’m a little nervous because I’m going to be away from home, and it’s definitely different than high school, but I’m excited for the opportunity and to see how it goes,” she said. “(I’m looking forward to) getting to hang out with the team and just being a part of a bigger campus because Bark River is small, which I do like, but getting to meet new people and seeing where it goes from there.”

Though her post high school future is set, Zawacki’s time at Bark River, and as a member of its basketball team, is far from over as district tournament play begins next week and Zawacki commented that she is ready to give it her all.

Zawacki added how grateful she is for those that have supported her to this point.

“I just want to thank my coaches and my family for pushing me to be the player I am today and for giving me the opportunities,” he said. “Without them, I wouldn’t be where I am today.”

Coaching Zawacki the last several years at the varsity level has been Broncos head coach Matt Richer.

Richer noted how excited he was to see Zawacki — who joined Aspen Fredrick — as a Broncos player to sign to play at the next level this year.

“I’m excited for Cara. She just loves basketball,” said Richer. “She’s beating down the doors to get in extra shooting and extra open gyms and stuff like that. Their coaches are getting a girl that just loves to be there and loves the game of basketball.

“She’s going to work hard for them like she did for us, and it’s going to be a fun experience for here.”

For the Bark River program, Zawacki has made an impact being a leader and being willing to do what’s asked of her.

“She leads by example. She’s going to be the first one at practice and the last one to leave,” said Richer. “… She’s just a steady player for us, a three-year starter and been on varsity for four years and three years in a row she’s been in double figures as far as scoring, and this year she picked it up to 15 a game. … Anything we’ve asked from her, she’s done whether it’s guarding the centers, guarding the guards or being a point guard herself, which is not her normal position. She’s never complained, done what’s been best for the team, and that’s what you ask from your players. She’s one of the special ones we’ve had.”