In the 12 years that I covered high school sports on a daily basis for the Salt Lake Tribune and in the past few months that I have authored this blog, I have talked to hundreds, maybe thousands, of prep athletes who had recently made commitments to college programs.

In other words, I've heard the term "I really like the coaches and the players on the team" a million times.

Other popular replies are "I like the direction the program is heading" and "the school has a strong academic program."

Last week, however, a Davis High basketball player who committed to Southern Utah University's women's program brought up something I can't remember ever hearing before.

Dani Hosking, a 5-foot-8 guard, said she chose SUU because of the respect she felt among the players for coach Steve Hodson and his staff and the respect that the coach had for his players on and off the court.

"He treats his players like human beings," Hosking said. "That was evident from the moment I got there, and I could tell there was a lot of genuine respect from both sides."

Hosking, who averaged 16 points a game for the Darts last season, didn't have a lot of other comparable offers -- only Snow College, Salt Lake Community College, Western Wyoming and Dixie State had expressed interest.

However, her primary reason for picking SUU was one of the best I have heard.