July is going to be a quiet month for Alexis Gassion and Jenny DeGraaf.

Unlike many of their peers in the girls high school basketball recruiting class of 2013, both made their college choices earlier this week.

Gassion, a 5-foot-11 guard from Fairborn, is going to Indiana University. DeGraaf, a 6-1 forward/center from Springboro, is headed to Penn State.

July is the pinnacle of the college basketball recruiting season. All of the boys and girls AAU national championships are played. All of the big AAU showcase tournaments are held. Everyone wants a moment with the prospects.

There is insane pressure from friends, parents, high school and AAU coaches, college coaches and questionable characters on the fringe of the AAU scene for players to make their college decisions.

This July will be even crazier because the NCAA is allowing unlimited access to players through tweets, text messaging and phone calls.

“I wanted to make my college choice before July started so I didn’t have to go through all that,” Gassion said. “It’s nice to have the attention, but it can get to be annoying.

“If I hadn’t made the choice, I’d have survived. But I’m glad the pressure is off.”

Gassion chose Indiana over Marquette, Wisconsin, Miami University, Ohio and Bowling Green.

Curtis Miller, the new IU women’s coach, has been recruiting Gassion since she was a freshman and he was head coach at Bowling Green. 

“I really like Coach Miller and his staff,” Gassion said. “That was a big factor, along with getting along with the players, the campus and the academics. IU is close enough to home, but not too close. 

“So my parents (Tom and Crissy Oktavec) and my younger sisters (Evelyn and Natalie) can see me play. I’m really close to my sisters and I’m a role model for them.”

Gassion made her choice on Sunday, which was her birthday. She got tinted windows on her car for a present — along with a scholarship.

Like Gassion and her parents, DeGraaf and her parents — Jim and Michelle — made numerous unofficial visits to various college campuses.

“I don’t know how many campuses we visited going to and coming from AAU tournaments in the summer and on weekends,” said Michelle DeGraaf.

“You learn a lot about recruiting from other parents and coaches at tournaments.

“But actually physically visiting a place gives you a good feeling about what is out there.”

DeGraaf made her college choice on Monday after attending an elite camp at Penn State. Her other choices were Virginia Tech, Marquette, St. John’s, Cincinnati, Bowling Green and Miami.

“You learn a lot just talking to other girls on your AAU team about this coach and this school and what to look for,” she said.  “But it comes down to your gut feeling if a coaching staff and a school feel right for you.

“I liked everything about Penn State and just knew it was right.”

The DeGraafs were in State College, Pa., at the Penn State elite camp last week when the guilty verdict on former assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky was announced.

“It was interesting to see how everyone reacted,” said Michelle DeGraaf.  “My husband and I wondered about the situation at the school. But after being there and seeing how people handled it, we’re confident we’re sending our daughter to a great school and a great coaching staff.”