For the past three seasons, Karry Callahan has forged a reputation as a tenacious rebounder, prolific scorer, and versatile player who can do almost anything on a basketball court.

It’s a reputation she hopes to build on, now that she’ll have a chance to play at the next level.

The Vicksburg High senior signed with Copiah-Lincoln Community College last week and celebrated with friends and family during a brief signing ceremony in the VHS gym on Monday.

Callahan picked the Lady Wolves over another offer from Hinds Community College. Alcorn State and Jackson State also showed some interest.

“It was something that all my family members agreed on, and something I was happy with. I think I’ll be happy down there,” Callahan said. “I got a chance to scrimmage with the girls and they made me feel like I was at home. It was like another high school team, and I think I’ll fit in well.”

Callahan was the top rebounder in Mississippi each of the past two seasons. She averaged a double-double each of the past three seasons, finishing at 15.7 points and 16.5 rebounds per game in 2015-16 while winning The Vicksburg Post’s girls basketball Player of the Year award for the third straight year.

As great of a rebounder as she is, however, Callahan did it more with effort and heart than height. She’s only 5 feet, 9 inches tall. Because of that, she figures she’ll move from the power forward position she played with the Missy Gators to a guard or small forward spot in college.

“In high school, I mostly played out of position,” Callahan said. “I think my position will be a guard in college. I think I can work at it and get comfortable. If I just work on my shooting, I’ll be better than I am now.”

Callahan did occasionally play guard in high school, which is where her versatility shined through. She averaged 4.0 assists, 4.3 steals and 3.7 blocks per game last season in addition to her scoring and rebounding. Other than her assist total, which dipped slightly from her junior to her senior year, Callahan improved in every statistical category from year to year at Vicksburg.

Vicksburg coach Barbara Hartzog said Callahan’s ballhandling skills made playing her at guard a good fit, but it was also a move intended to showcase her all-around game.

“It gave (Co-Lin coach Gwyn Young) the opportunity to see the other things she could do. If I would have just had her just down low, her height would have never got her there. He came to the Terry and Greenville games, where they had big girls, and that’s where he was impressed,” Hartzog said. “He was really impressed with her passing and her unselfishness.”

Hartzog added that Co-Lin, which is a powerhouse in the Mississippi junior college ranks, was a good spot for Callahan to develop into a four-year player.

Co-Lin finished last season 27-1 and won the MACJC state championship before losing in the semifinals of the NJCAA Region 23 tournament.

Young is entering his 39th season at Co-Lin and is a member of the NJCAA Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame. The Lady Wolves haven’t had a losing record since the 1980-81 season.

“I think it was the best choice she could make. Coach Young has an excellent program, and he’ll make sure she can continue to improve and move on after her two years down there,” Hartzog said. “He’s going to make sure she works hard. If she’ll go down there and listen to him, and do what he says, then she’ll be able to come out of there.”

That’s what Callahan is banking on by choosing Co-Lin.

“I was going to Hinds at first, but when I visited Co-Lin it changed my mind,” Callahan said. “I was more comfortable going to a junior college before a four-year college. I know if I go to a junior college, I’ll probably have better opportunities and better offers coming after junior college.”