What you see is not necessarily what you get with Valparaiso center Taelynn Oelling.

“She sneaks up on people and surprises them,” Valparaiso coach Candy Wilson said of the senior. “She uses her body very well and does a nice job of getting in position for rebounds and putbacks for us.”

Oelling is averaging 10.2 points, six rebounds, two blocks and 2.5 deflections per game, while shooting 54 percent from the floor and 42 percent from 3-point range.

“Taelynn handles the ball well and is very versatile,” Wilson said. “She’s been very consistent for us. She has a presence inside and, defensively, she does an incredible job. She has a good inside-outside game, and isn’t afraid to step out and shoot.”

Oelling said she likes to try to pull defenders to the perimeter in order to clear room for her guards in the post.

“Honestly, I like to play outside more,” she said. “Opponents usually have the bigger girls on me, because they tend not to come out as much.”

In a 36-31 loss to state-ranked Penn two weeks ago, Oelling turned in a solid performance. The Indiana Northwest recruit scored eight points on 4-of-5 shooting, grabbed eight rebounds, blocked four shots and had three deflections.

Despite those numbers, Oelling didn’t feel like the Vikings took advantage of an opportunity they had to beat Penn.

“In very tight situations, sometimes we try to do it ourselves, and not as a team,” she said. “It was like we thought we had a shot clock, but we didn’t. We weren’t patient enough and didn’t wait for the best shot. We had better options and didn’t really take advantage of them.”

If Oelling sounds a lot like a coach, there’s a good reason.

Her dad, Jeremi, has coached her for the past seven years, including four with the AAU Northwest Indiana Thunder.

All of her basketball experience has helped enhance her basketball IQ.

“I always try and use every opportunity I can to help my team win,” Taelynn said. “I’m very good in communicating with my teammates.”

The self-professed gym rat never feels the need for a break from basketball.

“She works hard and plays year-round, and I mean year-round,” Wilson said.

Oelling said the Vikings (11-6, 3-1 Duneland Athletic) have at least a couple of goals they’d like to reach this season. They want to win the conference title — they’re tied for second with Chesterton and Lake Central, a game behind LaPorte — and win a sectional.

“We can do it ... if we can play well together,” she said. “We’re so good. We don’t even know it yet, but we are.”

Oelling also is successful in the classroom, carrying a 3.7 GPA. She plans to major in elementary education.

“School comes first,” said Oelling, who was recruited by Grace College before deciding to play at IUN.

“I knew I was meant to go there as soon as I stepped on campus,” she said. “The atmosphere there was very welcoming. It was just a comfortable feeling for me. It’s going to be an easier step for me, too, because they basically run the same things that we do.”

John O’Malley is a freelance writer for the Post-Tribune.