May 20, 2010
TEMPE, Ariz. - Arizona State University head women's basketball coach Charli Turner Thorne today announced that Olivia Major and Olivia Simmons have signed national letters of intent to study and play basketball at ASU.
Major and Simmons are the second and third members of the Sun Devils' 2010-11 class, joining guard Adrianne Thomas (Summit HS, Fontana, Calif.), who signed with ASU last November.
"Today everyone associated with ASU women's basketball feels extremely fortunate that two exceptional student-athletes, Olivia Major and Olivia Simmons, will be joining our program," Turner Thorne said. "Both of these outstanding young ladies are excited to be Sun Devils and both are very much looking forward to contributing to the collective success of the program on the court, in the classroom and in the community."
A 5-7 guard, Major will be joining the Sun Devils from Central Arizona, where she helped lead her team to a 65-4 record in two seasons, including a perfect 35-0 record and the NJCAA title in 2009.
"We could not be more excited to have Olivia as part of our Sun Devil family," Turner Thorne said. "She is a prolific shooter and a tenacious competitor. She can also attack the basket and create for herself and others. Her work ethic and passion for the game are truly inspiring. It is always great to have great Arizona players stay home and become Sun Devils. "
This past season Major turned in a brilliant campaign, which culminated in being named a first-team NJCAA All-American and the Arizona Community College Athletic Conference Player of the Year. The Phoenix, Ariz., native concluded the 2009-10 season as the sixth leading scorer in the country (20.4 ppg) while her 142 3-point field goals were far and away the most in the NJCAA. Major's 39-percent shooting percentage from beyond the arc was tied for the second-highest percentage in the country among players who had 200 or more attempts.
Prior to attending Central Arizona, Major starred at Phoenix Washington High School where she finished her career with 2,301 points and a 4A-record 317 3-point field goals while leading her team to three consecutive 4A Division II state titles. The Arizona Republic's All-Metro Phoenix basketball Player of the Year in 2008, Major scored in double figures 123 times in 127 career games.
A 6-0 forward, Simmons (an incoming freshman) will be coming to Tempe from Australia where last November she helped lead Box Hill Secondary College to the Australian Schools Championships title. Serving as team captain, Simmons averaged 16.0 points and 5.3 rebounds per game during the Australian Schools Tournament, scoring 22 points in the championship game to help Box Hill defeat John Paul College 75-51.
"We are thrilled that Olivia is joining us," Turner Thorne said. "She is a savvy, skilled forward who comes from a family rich in basketball tradition. While she has many strengths, we are especially excited about how hard she plays and how well she shoots the `three.'"
The winningest coach in program history, Turner Thorne will be entering her 15th season in 2010-11. She has led the Sun Devils to the postseason each of the last 11 seasons, including seven NCAA Tournament berths and a pair of Elite Eight appearances.