ASU Women's Basketball Nets 4 Early Signees
TEMPE, Ariz. -- The Arizona State University women's basketball program signed four new recruits for the 1997-98 season, head coach Charli Turner Thorne announced Dec. 14, 1996.
Heading the list is Chandler High School product Ebony Edwards, who just earned Arizona High School Player of the Year honors for the second straight season and led Chandler to its second straight state title. Edwards, a three-time all-state selection, averaged 22.1 points, 3.9 rebounds and four steals as a senior. She averaged 20.3 ppg over her three seasons on varsity.
"Ebony is perfect for our system because she's an outstanding defender and great in the open court," Turner Thorne says. "She already knows how to play with intensity. We want players who come from winning programs like Ebony."
The Sun Devils also signed Perris, Calif., native Leaf Newman. Newman averaged 20 points and nine rebounds per contest as a junior, leading her squad to a 27-3 mark, its third straight league title and a berth in the C.I.F semifinals. She was invited to play at the Elite Nike camp, which featured the country's top 80 players. Newman has cracked the honor roll all three years, maintaining a 3.6 grade point average.
"Leaf's accomplishments speak for themselves," Turner Thorne says. "She should be a big shot in the arm for our offense. She is a tremendously gifted person and we're very excited she chose ASU."
ASU also inked Spokane, Wash., product Jennifer Bennett. Bennett, a three-time all-conference selection, averaged 14 points, 14 rebounds and six blocks per game this past season. She led her squad to the state title in 1996, averaging 10 points, 11 boards and four blocks a game. Bennett also played for the Spokane Stars 18 and under AAU team, which placed seventh nationally.
She is a National Merit Semi-finalist and scored a 1530 on the Scholastic Aptitude Test.
"Jennifer is an incredible scholar-athlete who knows how to win," Turner Thorne says. "She is an excellent low block player who runs the floor well. She will definitely help us right away."
Rounding out the Sun Devils' early signees is Kellie McDanal, a 6-4 center out of Conifer, Colo. McDanal was a 1997 4A honorable mention selection by The Rocky Mountain News. McDanal averaged 12.5 ppg and 6.7 rpg as a senior. She also blocked 48 shots, sixth-best all-time in the state of Colorado.
"Kellie epitomizes the versatility that we are looking for in a post player," Turner Thorne says. "She can play inside and out and can run with the guards. She will be an impact player for us."