SLIPPERY ROCK — Bethany Koch likes contemporary Christian music, Oreo cake, Dwyane Wade and the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Her teammates call her the "Queen of the Weight Room" and she's always smiling and hustling on the basketball court for the Clarion University women's basketball team.

Things are good now for the Union High graduate and junior for the Golden Eagles.

But things weren't always that rosy. That Oreo cake tasted bitter the last two years.

"You go from the best player on your team to rock bottom," Koch said. "You just have to work your way back up. I realized I had to work for it."

Koch's first two years at Clarion were lost ones.

She averaged 2.6 points and 1.8 rebounds per game as a freshman. Last year, Koch played 15 games while battling back from a broken fibula and averaged 1.7 points and 1.2 boards per contest.

"Everyone just kept getting better through the season," Koch said. "And I was just trying to catch up."

Last summer, Koch finally did.

She spent hours in the weight room, getting stronger and more agile. Koch worked on her ball handling and shooting skills and showed up this season much stronger, healthier and refreshed.

The results have been apparent.

Koch has been one of the pleasant surprises for coachGie Parsons. She is averaging 12.3 points and a team-leading 8.1 rebounds per game for Clarion.

"She was in our gym working hard every day," Parsons said. "She's the type of player you want to do well because she works so hard. To see her come into fruition and see her do what she is doing is very satisfying as a coach."

Koch has helped Clarion get off to a 2-2 start in the PSAC West after a win over Slippery Rock University Saturday.

Clarion lost three starters and four of its top six scorers to graduation.

At Union, Koch helped the Damsels get to the PIAA Class A semifinal during her senior year by averaging 17.2 points and 10.2 rebounds per contest.

But at Clarion, Koch had to change the way she played the game.

The biggest difference is her outside shot. Koch has made 19 3-pointers this season.

"I was kind of surprised myself," Koch said. "Especially the rebounding."

Parsons said she isn't shocked by Koch's emergence. This was the kind of player the coach thought Koch would be when she recruited her three years ago.

"She always had that ability," Parsons said. "But because of this reason or that reason, it never really happened for her until now."

For Koch, nothing could be better — except meetingDwyane Wade at a Steelers game.

"It's been just kind of a sigh of relief to finally get to contribute and play as well as I knew I could play," Koch said.