Canada, home of lumberjacks and pancakes, doesn’t just make maple syrup and flannel. The frigid land up north is home to two of the Hornets’ newest basketball recruits, Megan Moon and Sarah Craig.

The two Canadians have a lot in common. They both played four sports in high school while on the honor roll. Both led their high school basketball teams to provincial championships and are the first Canadian players to receive full scholarships to the women’s basketball team since moving to Div. I.

In Moon’s hometown of Kamloops, a small town in British Columbia, the average temperature ranges from 37-58 degrees. In October, heavy, dark clouds blot out the sun.

Although there may be little sunlight in Kamloops, there are plenty of Moons. On Mar. 21, 1984, Elaine Moon gave birth to identical triplets: Leslie, Jessica and Megan. The three sisters have played basketball together since the sixth grade.

Moon, a 5-foot-9 point guard, boasts an impressive athletic background. While attending Kamloops High School, Moon played soccer, volleyball and cross-country in addition to basketball, making the honor roll all four years.

“Just being an athlete gives me goals to push for, so that makes me more of a student because I wanted to go to a university and play basketball,” Moon said. “They don’t have money for athletes (in Canada), so you have to get scholarships through academics.”

Moon’s decision-making ability, ball handling and strong work ethic appealed to Hornet head coach Carolyn Jenkins, who believes that these attributes make Moon a “natural point guard.” For Sac State, Moon is a great relief.

Last season, the Hornets struggled with a shortage of point guards. Dolores Olivarez missed the entire season due to injury, Kendra Yancey left the team in mid-season and Sydney Gatson is still suffering from a back injury.

Moon doesn’t just excel at basketball either. While in high school she played as a midfielder on the school’s five-time provincial championship soccer team. Her busy schedule, combined with her love of basketball, however, prevents her from pursuing a two-sport career at Sac State.

“I never really considered playing soccer here, because they overlap a little bit (in the regular season), and I wanted to focus on basketball,” Moon said. “Soccer would be too much of a distraction. I love basketball way more than soccer, there’s no comparison, even though soccer is pretty fun.”

Craig, a 5-foot-11 shooting guard, hails from Calgary, Alberta, where she competed in track, volleyball, cross-country, and basketball. A record setting track star, she was her province’s 800-meter champion and won the provincial high jump twice.

The training and conditioning she received in track significantly helped her performance on the basketball court. According to Jenkins, Craig is “one of the best physically conditioned players on the team.” With an impressive multi-sport record and a high GPA, Craig could have had her pick from a variety of universities.

Because of a broken wrist, however, she was unable to showcase her talent in any major summer league tournaments.

“I could have gone to any school in Canada. Coming down here, though, I didn’t get a lot of exposure,” Craig said. “I’m happy to be here at Sac State, and hopefully I’ll be able to be a contributor.”

When not playing basketball, Craig likes to stay relaxed.

“When I do have time off, I like to give myself a break mentally, as well as physically,” Craig said. “It’s important to get away from it all. At home, I like to be at home. Here, I like to be with my friends because they’re like my family.”

Homesickness hasn’t quite hit Craig, who comes from a large family of three brothers and three sisters.

“It hasn’t really sunk in yet that this is my new reality,” Craig said. “It’s like being at summer camp for a really long time.”

Her success as both an athlete and student stems from her ability to manage time effectively.

“You’ve got to balance your time,” Craig said. “If you think you don’t have time, you’re just not using it well enough.”

Although confident of her ability, the specter of last year’s 0-27 season still looms ominously above Hornet Gym.

“Even being on a team that might not win a lot of games this year, we’re definitely an improvement from last year for sure,” Craig said. “It’s not even a question. I won’t let us lose that much.”

With their excellent physical conditioning and impressive high school records, Moon and Craig offer the Sac State team a solid foundation for future growth.

“Their impact is tremendous,” Jenkins said. “I see them having quite a few opportunities to play extended time. The sky is the limit.”

Although the upcoming basketball season is rife with suspense, at least we one thing: Canada doesn’t just make maple syrup.