DURHAM, N.C. -- The year's top-ranked prep prospect is headed to Duke, and for the second straight year, Blue Devils coach Gail Goestenkors has signed one of the nation's top recruiting class.

Brittany Hunter, the top-ranked senior by the All-Star Girls Report, has signed a letter of intent for the 2003-04 academic year. Alison Bales, the nation's No. 8 prospect, also has signed with the Blue Devils.

Both players are from Ohio. Hunter is a 6-foot-3 post player from Columbus, while Bales, a 6-6 center, is from Dayton, Ohio. Former Blue Devils Georgia Schweitzer and Rochelle Parent also were from Ohio.

"We have had some very outstanding players from Ohio in the past," Goestenkors said. "We are more than happy to get two more players coming our way. Both of them will fit in very well with our style of play."

Hunter averaged 19.6 points, 14.0 rebounds, 4.0 steals and 3.5 assists as a junior, while guiding her Brookhaven HS squad to a 21-3 record and city and district championships last year.

"Brittany runs the floor better than any post player in the country," Goestenkors said. "She will be excellent in our running and pressing style of play. Brittany is also very skilled down on the low block and can play any of the three, four or five positions."

Last season as a junior, Hunter was a first team Street & Smith's All-America, third-team Parade All-America, first team All-Ohio, USA Today Junior All-America, Associated Press Division I All-State first team and Ohio Girls Basketball Magazine Dream Team selections.

Bales, a 6-6 center, is ranked as the eighth best senior in the nation by the All-Star Girls Report. The Beavercreek HS product averaged 17.2 points, 10.0 rebounds and 5.4 blocks as a junior, while blocking 135 shots and shooting 62 percent from the field.

"Alison at 6-6 is perhaps the most skilled big player that I have seen come out of high school," Goestenkors said. "With her size she can score down low; she is also an excellent 3-point shooter and a tremendous passer. She will help us with our motion as well."

As a junior, Bales was a third-team Parade All-America, first team All-Ohio, USA Today Junior All-America, fourth team Street & Smith's All-America, Associated Press Division I All-State first team and Ohio Girls Basketball Magazine Dream Team selections.

Over the summer, Bales guided her Dayton Lady Hoopstars to an AAU national championship.

By landing two of the top-eight recruits, Duke's recruiting class has already been tabbed as the top-ranked group by the Blue Star Report and second-best in the nation by the All-Star Girls Report. It marks the second consecutive year Duke has collected the top-ranked class nationally and the fifth consecutive year the Blue Devils have brought in a top-four ranked recruiting class.

"Brittany and Alison will give us tremendous depth in the post," Goestenkors said. "With their versatility, it will allow us to move Iciss Tillis out to the three a little more. We fell like we will have the ability to go with a very big lineup at times next year, which is exciting."

Two headed to Tennessee
Forwards Sidney Spencer and Dominique Redding have signed letters of intent to play for Tennessee, the Knoxville News-Sentinel has reported.

Spencer is a 6-2 forward from Hoover HS in Alabama, while Redding is a 6-1 forward from Clearwater HS in Florida.

Tennessee coach Pat Summitt told the News-Sentinel she was comfortable with signing just two players this season because of next year's possibilities. The group of high school juniors across the country is said to include several hugely talented players.

"I would not have a problem signing five next year," said Summitt, who has reportedly already received a verbal commitment from high school junior guard Sa'de Wiley-Gatewood of Lynwood, Calif.

Three commit to Connecticut
Three players -- Kia Wright (Amityville, N.Y./Copiague), Kiana Robinson (Brandon, Fla./Laurinburg Institute (N.C.) and Liz Sherwood (Castle Rock, Colo./Highlands Ranch) -- have signed letters of intent to enroll at Connecticut beginning in 2003-04.

Wright, a 5-7 guard who suffered a torn ACL in her right knee in July during AAU play, joins the Huskies from Copiague HS, where she averaged 24.3 points, 8.1 rebounds, 6.7 assists and 6.7 steals as a junior. Wright is currently second in Suffolk girls basketball history with 1,992 career points and led Copiague to its first Suffolk Class A and Long Island Championships last season. She was named the 2002 Suffolk Player of the Year, is a three-time All Long Island First Team honoree, and attended the adidas Top Ten Camp and the USA Basketball Development Festival in 2002.

"The first thing that strikes you is the way she explodes with her quickness," UConn coach Geno Auriemma said. "A lot of kids are quick and athletic, but it's how well she sees the floor."

Robinson, a 5-8 guard, was a standout student-athlete for three seasons at Brandon HS before transferring to North Carolina's Laurinburg Institute for her senior season. The guard averaged 28.0 points and 10.0 rebounds as a junior at Brandon and was named the Times Hillsborough County Player of the Year as her county's leading scorer. Robinson was a USA Basketball Youth Development Festival participant and an adidas Top Ten Camp Upperclass All-Star.

Said Auriemma: "I think she's a strong, physical guard that can play with or without the ball, and will add to the quickness we're looking for in the backcourt."

Sherwood, a 6-4 center from Highlands Ranch HS, is a two-time USA Today All-American, and helped Highlands Ranch to back-to-back state titles. As a junior, she averaged 20.2 points, 10.5 rebounds and 8.0 blocks per game. Sherwood, a two-time Nike All-American Camp attendee, was ranked No. 8 by the Blue Star Index and was a 2002 Second Team Street & Smith All-American. The center will join former Falcon teammate Ann Strother at Connecticut.

"Liz was a top priority all summer and we feel like we signed the best post player in the country," Auriemma said. "She's used to winning and we're really excited about her."

Maryland's Frese signs first two players
Shay Doron and Kalika France have signed letters of intents to play for Maryland next season. The pair Top 25 recruits are the first set of early signees under first-year Terrapin head coach Brenda Frese.

Doron has been a standout at Christ the King in New York City, averaging 17.1 points per game and making more than six steals per contest. She was the third-ranked guard by the All Star Girls' Report and listed in the USA Today Super 25 for high school girls basketball. Doron was also a fifth team All-American on Street & Smith's.

"We are ecstatic to get a player of Shay's caliber to join our Terrapin family," Frese said. "She is a versatile guard that can break down defenses in a variety of ways but still feels comfortable enough to run the point when needed. Her experience with the Israeli National Team helped her develop a leadership style that is mature beyond her years and we expect to see her make an immediate impact in our backcourt next season."

The top player in Maryland, France averaged 12.6 points and 4.7 assists last season and was ranked the No. 6 guard in the class of 2003 by the All-Star Girls Report. A third team All-American by Street & Smith, she was selected as one of 48 high school players to participate in the Olympic Festival Games in Colorado Springs, Colo., this past spring.

"Like Juan Dixon did for the men's program, we have high hopes that Kalika will be one of the players that fans remember for making the commitment to stay home and helping return Maryland women's basketball back to national prominence," Frese said. "Kalika is a lightning-quick guard that can shoot the 3 or break you down off the dribble."

LSU adds third signee
After receiving letters of intent from Amber Long and Khalilah Mitchell on the opening day of the early signing period, LSU now has added a third signee.

Marian Whitfield, a 5-9 guard from Augusta, Ga., is a senior at Glen Hill HS and ranked as the 12th-best player in the nation by the All-Star Girls Report.

"Marian is very athletic with a scorers mentality," Gunter said. "She can score off the dribble and can turn the corner as quick as anybody I have ever seen. Down the road she will be a big impact player."

Whitfield led Glen Hill to a 30-2 record and a state championship last season as a junior, scoring 16 points, grabbing six rebounds and dishing out five assists per game. She earned both Nike and Street & Smith's All-America honors.

Long, a 5-6 point guard from Irmo, S.C., averaged 16 points, five rebounds and five assists as a junior at Dutch Fork HS last season. She was recently named one of the top five players in the state, adding to her All-Region, All-State and Adidas All-America honors.

"Amber is a point guard and is not so much a scorer as a thinker," Gunter said. "She will score if needed, but knows and studies the game a lot. She is also an outstanding athlete on the track."

In addition to leading her high school team to back-to-back regional championships, Long holds the school record in the long and high jumps on the track.

Mitchell, a 5-11 guard from St. Mary's HS in New Orleans, averaged 18 points as both a sophomore and junior and added just more than 10 rebounds per game during her junior season.

"Khalilah posses great speed and quickness," Gunter said. "She is very athletic and had great skills with the basketball. She is a very smart player with speed to burn."

New trend: Minnesota recruits staying 'home'

MINNEAPOLIS -- Fosston's Kelly Roysland, one of the top high school girl's basketball players in the state, said she can't wait to play basketball for the Golden Gophers. Roysland was one of three blue-chip Minnesota players to sign letters of intent Wednesday on National Signing Day. Lakeville's Liz Podominick and Eastview's Jamie Broback round out one of the best recruiting classes in school history. "I'm excited to be a Gopher,'' Roysland said. "This class will hopefully keep others in the state down the line.'' Roysland's attitude represents a growing trend in Minnesota -- home-grown players staying home to play collegiate basketball. It's been a good news/bad news situation for the Gophers in recent history. The good news? Minnesota has become one of the top states for women's basketball in the country, churning out talented players such as Kelly and Coco Miller, Kelley Siemon and Megan Taylor. The bad news? Every high-profile recruit since Apple Valley's Carol Ann Shudlick in 1990 has spurned the Gophers for other top programs across the country. They had good reason. Before last season, the Gophers were one of the worst teams in the Big Ten. They also had a coach, Cheryl Littlejohn, who was always in the middle of controversy. "When I was growing up, I thought that it was too bad those players couldn't stay in state,'' Roysland said. "The 'U' program really wasn't successful at that time. That really turns people to different places.'' No more. Last year's 22-8 record and NCAA appearance under Brenda Oldfield. After Oldfield (now Frese) left for Maryland, many, including Roysland, thought the Gophers would continue to lose the battle for top recruits. But new coach Pam Borton's enthusiastic recruiting style has Minnesota prep stars wanting to play at Minnesota. "I always wanted to stay in Minnesota,'' said Roysland, who also considered Iowa State, Wisconsin, Kansas State and Colorado. "The coaches made me feel welcome here and I wanted to stay where my family could see me play.'' Even though she won't be a freshman until next season, Roysland will have plenty of experience playing with her teammates on the Gophers. Roysland played on the North Tartan AAU team with Podominick, one of the top 20 players in the country, and last year's prized recruits -- Shannon Schonrock of Blue Earth and Shannon Bolden of Marshall. "I cannot think of three better individuals to sign to our first recruiting class,'' Borton said. "I am very proud of these home-grown Minnesota athletes.'' Podominick was the biggest catch. A 6-2 center, she averaged 20.4 points per game last year in leading Lakeville to a 29-0 record and Class 4A state title and was named Associated Press Player of the Year. Podominick, a state throwing champion, will also compete in the shotput and discus events for the track and field team. Roysland, a 5-9 guard, led Fosston to Class A state titles in 2000 and 2002, as well as a state-record 78 wins in a row. Broback, a 6-2 post player, averaged 20.6 points and 11.8 rebounds for Eastview last season. All three recruits will be freshmen in the 2003-04 season. -- The Associated Press

WSU lands a transfer
PULLMAN, Wash. -- Vasha Adams, a 6-foot-1 forward from St. Vincent, West Indies, has signed a national letter of intent to play women's basketball for Washington State University next year.

Coach Sherri Murrell said Tuesday that Adams will transfer to WSU from Clarendon College in Clarendon, Texas.

As a freshman during her first year playing organized ball, Adams averaged 6.3 points, 3.5 rebounds and shot 43 percent from the field. This season, Adams' Clarendon team is off to a 6-0 start.

''Vasha is going to bring a physical presence and maturity that is so critical for Pac-10 basketball,'' said Murrell. ''Her strength and aggressive play will make her a force in rebounding and defense.''

The addition of Adams marks the completion of Murrell's fall recruiting class.

Murrell, in her first year at WSU, has signed Adriane Ferguson, a 6-foot guard from Mead High School near Spokane, and Nicole Stratton, a 5-foot-11 guard from Coronado High School in Colorado Springs, Colo.

Longhorns boosts frontcourt, land Texas recruit Jackson
Texas signed three frontcourt players Wednesday, including 6-foot-3 forward Tiffany Jackson (Duncanville HS, Texas), who is rated as the No. 2 recruit in the nation by All-Star Girls Report and chose the Longhorns over Tennessee.

Jackson, who's from Dallas, averaged 13 points and 10 rebounds last season in leading Dallas Lincoln to the Texas Class 4A state championship.

The Longhorns also signed 6-5 center Kalee Carey out of Canyon HS, which won the 4A title in 2000. She averaged 17.5 points and 9.5 rebounds as a junior and is rated as the 44th-best player nationally by All-Star Girls Report.

Katrina Robinson, a 6-2 forward, averaged nine points and five rebounds for South Grand Prairie HS last season. She also was a 2002 USA Junior Olympics performer and an All-District standout.

"Last year, we focused on shoring up our guard play during recruiting, and this year we turned our attention to post play," coach Jody Conradt said. "To sign a player with a national profile and a talent like Tiffany is tremendous for our program. She can play at any position, and she is so explosive in the open court.

"Not only does Tiffany headline our class of signees, but she headlines the Class of 2003 nationally."

Sooners sign third recruit
Leah Rush (Amarillo, Texas) has signed a national letter of intent with Oklahoma for the 2003-04 academic year, bringing Oklahoma's recruiting class to three players.

"Leah Rush is a talented, tough basketball player who has an extremely high ceiling," OU coach Sherri Coale said. "She's in the mold of two prestigious Sooner greats -- Phylesha Whaley and Caton Hill. Leah plays the game with great passion and has a chance to become a special player here."

Rush, a 6-1 forward, was a preseason Street & Smith's High School All-American honorable-mention pick. Rush entered her senior season ranked as the fourth-best power forward and the 36th-best overall player in the nation according to the All-Star Girls Report.

She averaged 17.0 points and 13.5 rebounds per game last season for Amarillo HS. She also shot a solid 48.9 percent from the field while her team went 30-6. Last summer, Rush was among the elite to be invited to the USA Basketball Youth Development Festival hosted at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Spring, Colo. She was also invited to participate in the 2002 Nike All-America camp.

Irish ink two
Notre Dame coach Muffet McGraw announced Thursday that Crystal Erwin, a 6-2 forward from St. Paul High School in Santa Fe Springs, Calif., and Susie Powers, a 5-11 guard from Highlands Ranch High School in Denver, Colo., are the first players to submit letters of intent to the Irish in the early signing period.

"With the addition of Crystal and Susie, we have come up with another great incoming class," McGraw said. "That's a tribute to the hard work of the entire staff, especially (associate coach) Carol Owens, who has now helped bring us seven straight top-20 classes."

Erwin has averaged 22.6 points and 14.5 rebounds over her three-year prep career, and is ranked third in the nation by the All-Star Girls Report.

Powers, who averaged 11.5 points and 6.8 assists last season, is an honorable mention Street & Smith's All-American who competed at the Nike All-America Camp in 2001 and '02, and was a part of the USA Basketball Yourth Development Festival in 2002, as well.

Seminoles sign four
Alicia Gladden, a 5-11 wing from Orange Park, Fla. (Orange Park), Dorian "Shante" Williams, a 5-7 guard from Jacksonville, Fla. (Ribault), Nikki Anthony, a 6-3 post from Pickens, S.C. (Pickens) and Ronalda Pierce, a 6-5 post from Ashburn, Ga. (Turner County) have all signed to play for Florida State in 2003-04.

"The quality of this class is a reflection of the quality of Florida State University as an institution both academically and athletically," FSU coach Sue Semrau said. "They're great athletes but they also are very skilled players. Obviously losing the experience we have in the post next year, Ronalda and Nikki will fill a large need. Dorian and Alicia bring tremendous athletic ability to our backcourt and perimeter play and signing two of the state's top players is a high priority for us."

Another Dydek makes headlines
Marta Dydek, a 6-6 forward from Zabki, Poland, has signed a national letter of intent to play for UTEP starting in the fall of 2003.

Marta's sister, the 7-foot-2 Margo Dydek, was the No. 1 pick in the 1998 WNBA draft by the Utah Starzz. Last season, she averaged 13.1 points and led the WNBA with 3.57 blocks per game. Her eldest sister, Khaska, who is 6-8, played in the ABL in 1996-97 and still plays professionally in Poland.

As a college freshman last year, Marta Dydek helped Seward Community College (Kan.) to a 38-0 record and the NJCAA title. She averaged 8.6 points (291 points), 5.2 rebounds (177 rebounds) and led the Kansas Jayhawk Conference with 2.9 blocks (75 blocks) per game.

Entering the 2002-03 season, she is ranked as the third-best junior college player in the country according to the All-Star Girls Report.

Dydek shot 45 percent (115-257) from the floor last season. She also buried three treys to go along with 31 assists and 16 steals.

Dydek made official visits to UTEP, Connecticut and Maryland before choosing to play for the Miners.

When she arrives on campus next fall, Dydek will be reunited with junior college teammate Vaida Zagurskyte. She will also be the tallest player in school history. Betty Bogers, who played for the Miners during the 1977-78 season, stood 6-5.

Lady Raiders sign three Texas standouts
Texas Tech has signed Brooke Baughman (Canyon, Texas), Tawanna Flowers (Levelland, Texas) and Alesha Robertson (Plainview, Texas) to letters of intent.

Baughman, a 5-10 guard, has been a three-year starter at Canyon HS. Last season, she averaged 15.9 points, 5.1 assists, five rebounds and 3.8 steals while being named first team all-state by the TGCA, TABC and the Texas Sports Writers Association. The first team all-region and all-district honoree helped her team compile a 31-2 record her junior year and finished regional runner-up. Baughman has also been named honorable mention All-America by Street and Smith's. She is ranked 147th by the All-Star Girls Report.

"I love Brooke's mentality," coach Marsha Sharp said. "She is a great passer and a great scorer, and one of the things that may help her become an impact for us the quickest is the fact that she can play three positions on the perimeter."

Flowers, a 5-10 forward, averaged 15.2 points, 6.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 2.4 steals as a junior. She was named honorable mention all-state by TABC and a BCI All-American. Flowers, a three-year varsity letterwinner, was selected first team all-district and second team all-region. She was also named her team's MVP and the defensive MVP of the Levelland Tournament, and is ranked 70th by the All-Star Girls Report.

"Tawanna is a great athlete," Sharp said. "She also has a chance to play a couple of different positions. I love how competitive she is and I really like her focus."

Robertson, a 6-0 guard, was a first team all-state selection by the TABC and was named the Texas Sports Writers Association Player of the Year as a junior. The all-district and all-region honoree averaged 18.3 points and 8.5 rebounds last year, while being named the Amarillo Globe-News Super Team Player of the Year, the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal Super Team Co-Player of the Year, Most Valuable Player of the regional and the state tournament MVP.

Robertson, who was named a Women's Basketball Magazine All-American top 10, has helped lead Plainview High to two-consecutive state championships as a sophomore and junior. Robertson is ranked 29th by the All-Star Girls Report.

"Alesha has the chance to be one of the best power forwards to ever play at Tech," said Sharp. "I believe from day one she will contribute, and the offensive potential she has is unlimited.

Georgia gets two
Cori Chambers, a 5-10, combo guard from Elmsford, N.Y., signed a national letter of intent to attend Georgia on Thursday.

"Cori is a player that can do it all," Lady Bulldogs coach Andy Landers said. "She can defend, she can handle the basketball, she can pass, she can penetrate can create a shot for herself and others. Most importantly for our team right now, she can jump up and shoot the basketball. Cori also represents the return of some height in the backcourt for us."

Chambers has been rated as the nation's No. 23 overall prospect and No. 4 wing player by the All Star Girls Basketball Report. She was named to USA Today's preseason Super 25 team of the top players nationally and was tabbed fifth-team All-America by Street & Smith's.

As a junior, Chambers averaged 19.5 points, 6.6 rebounds and 4.4 assists per game while leading Ursuline to a 21-3 record and the Section 1 Class A title for the second time in three years. She also connected on 60 percent of her field-goal attempts and 46 percent of her 3-pointers.

Chambers is the second player to sign with Georgia during the NCAA's early signing period. On Wednesday, Rebecca Rowsey, a 6-3 forward from Chester County High School in Henderson, Tenn. signed with the Lady Bulldogs.

Stanford signs Wyoming player
Kristen Newlin (Riverton, Wyo./Riverton) has signed a letter of intent to join Stanford beginning in the 2003-04 season.

Newlin, a 6-foot-5 forward/center, was the 2001-02 Gatorade Wyoming Player of the Year after averaging 25.8 points, 13.3 rebounds, 4.2 blocks and 2.04 steals as Riverton went 19-6 and finished fourth in the state. Also as a junior, she broke the Riverton records for career scoring (1,493 points), single-season scoring (646) and single-season rebounding (333). She was also named a 2002 Street & Smith's Honorable Mention All-American.

Newlin also is a standout in both swimming and track at Riverton. She is a Wyoming state record holder in the 100 breaststroke, and is a school record holder in nine different events. In addition, she is also the school record holder in the shot put.

Purdue adds third signee
Purdue women's basketball recruit Indi Johnson signed a letter of intent on Thursday. She joins Katie Gearlds and Erin Lawless, who signed letters of intent on Wednesday, in the Boilermaker Class of 2007.

Fourth-year Purdue head coach Kristy Curry believes the trio has a bright future in West Lafayette.

"This may be the best impact-type class we have signed since arriving at Purdue," Curry said. "The singular most impressive thing about Katie, Indi and Erin is that they already understand what it takes to be the best because of their outstanding high school programs. They want to win, and we are excited about having them do that in a Purdue uniform."

Johnson, a 6-foot-2 forward/center from Narbonne, Calif., averaged 10.0 points and 10.0 rebounds for Narbonne High School as a junior. Johnson plays for one of the most highly respected high school programs in the nation. Narbonne was named national champion by USA Today in 2000 and 2001, and has won the prestigious Nike Tournament of Champions three times.

Johnson, who has attended Nike All-America Camp three times, played on the 2002 USA Basketball Women's Youth Development West Team. She averaged 3.4 points and 2.4 rebounds.

The All-Star Girls Report ranks Johnson 140th among high school seniors. She is ranked 24th as a power forward.

Gearlds, a 6-foot-1 guard from Indianapolis, averaged 26.5 points, 10.0 rebounds and 6.2 assists for Beech Grove HS last season. As a sophomore, Gearlds averaged 27.1 points, 9.3 rebounds and 6.3 assists per game. Gearlds has scored a school-record 1,647 points in three years, and might break the Beech Grove records in rebounds, assists, steals and blocks by the end of her senior season.

Away from prep play, Gearlds also was the Most Valuable Player of the 2002 AAU National Championships after leading Indiana's Finest Black Cats to the title in July. Also during the summer, Gearlds was one of 48 high school players to participate in the 2002 USA Basketball Women's Youth Development Festival in Colorado Springs, Colo. Gearlds averaged 10.0 points and 4.0 rebounds for the North Team, which went 5-0.

Lawless, a 6-foot-2 forward from Berwyn, Ill., averaged 21.5 points, 10.5 rebounds, 4.0 blocked shots and 3.7 assists for Fenwick HS last season. Lawless earned first team all-state honors as a junior. She helped Fenwick win the 2001 AA state title as a sophomore.

Lawless was a teammate of Gearlds on the 2002 USA Basketball Women's Youth Development North Team. She ranked second on her team in scoring, averaging 11.8 points. She also averaged 3.8 rebounds per game.

"Erin is an inside-outside threat, runs the floor as well as anyone I've ever seen, and has the ability to dominate on both ends of the court," Curry said. "Her competitiveness and work ethic make her special."

The All-Star Girls Report has Lawless ranked as the No. 15 senior in the nation, while Gearlds is ranked 34th. As a power forward, Lawless is considered the nation's third-best prospect. Gearlds is considered the seventh-best wing. The rankings were released in the report's August edition.

Colorado adds in-state recruit, Missouri signee
Emily Waner, a guard from Highlands Ranch, Colo., and Leslie Howard, a guard from Salem, Mo., signed letters of intent to play basketball at Colorado, coach Ceal Barry announced Wednesday.

Waner, a 5-8 guard, was a Rocky Mountain News All-Colorado selection following her junior year, capping a campaign that saw ThunderRidge advance to the state semifinals with a record of 21-3. Waner averaged 15.0 ppg, 5.9 apg, 3.4 spg and 3.5 rpg as a junior. She was named First Team All-State by the Rocky Mountain News, Honorable Mention All-State by the Denver Post, First Team All-Continental League and a 2002 Street & Smith's Honorable Mention All-American.

"We are really excited (Emily) decided to stay in-state and is coming to Colorado to go to school," Barry said. "We will really benefit from her ballhandling. I really think she is a steal on the recruiting trails."

Howard, 5-10, was the South Central Association (SCA) Conference Co-Player of the Year as a junior, averaging 21.3 points per game and 6.0 rebounds per game as her Salem team went 16-10. She also earned First Team All- Conference, First Team All-Southeast Missouri and First Team All-Southwest Missouri honors as a junior. Her 21.3 ppg average is a Salem HS record.

"Leslie Howard is an awesome shooter. She will really be able to open things up for us against zones from the outside," Barry added. "With Jenny Roulier and Mandy Nightingale graduated, and Kate Fagan as a senior next year, we really needed to find a shooter. We found her, and she has a really sweet stroke."

Hatchell speaking highly of three UNC recruits
North Carolina received letters of intent from Ivory Latta, Camille Little and Mary Hall McArver.

Latta, a 5-6 point guard from McConnells, S.C., earned South Carolina Miss Basketball honors last season as a junior at York (S.C.) Comprehensive High. In 2001-02, she scored 40 or more points nine times and 30 or more 23 times -- both state records -- and led York to a state championship, averaging 36.3 points per game. She holds state marks for career 3-pointers and free throws and is closing in on the state's all-time scoring mark.

"Ivory is going to be one of the most exciting players we've had here," UNC coach Sylvia Hatchell said. "She's extremely quick and hard to guard and an outstanding three-point shooter."

Little, a 6-1 forward/guard from Winston-Salem, N.C., led Carver High to a state championship as a freshman and has earned all-state honors the last two years. Little also is a three-time conference player of the year and a two-time MVP of the Mary Garber Holiday Tournament, as well as a member of the National Honor Society. Her father, Robert Little, played at North Carolina Central and for the Harlem Globetrotters.

"Camille is smooth as silk," Hatchell said. "She has the whole package -- she's a tremendous athlete, she can shoot outside, she can drive and she can rebound. She can do it all."

McArver, a 5-9 guard from Gastonia, N.C., was conference player of the year as a freshman and a junior and a finalist for 2002 North Carolina Miss Basketball honors at Forestview HS. She also is a Street & Smith's All-America honorable mention, a member of the National Honor Society and a nominee for UNC's prestigious Morehead Scholarship.

"Mary Hall is without a doubt one of the best shooters we've had here," Hatchell said.

Arkansas lands top recruits Allen, Peoples
Arkansas women's basketball coach Gary Blair signed two top players on the first day of the early signing period Wednesday.

Harrison's Danielle Allen, one of the state's top recruits and a two-time MVP in Class AAAA, and Columbus, Ohio, guard Kristin Peoples both signed national letters of intent to play for Arkansas next year.

"We couldn't have picked two better players to fit the needs of our team,'' Blair said. "Sometimes the hardest thing to do is to get the best players after a recruiting class like we had last year, but with Danielle and Kristin we got the perfect players to join our team.''

Blair indicated that he was not finished with this year's class.

The All-Star Girls Basketball Report ranks both players in its top 75 this year. Blair said he thinks both players will be able to play in the SEC right away.

"You've got a three-time state champion who can tie the state record with four this year in Danielle and a player from the No. 1-ranked team in the state of Ohio that might be one of the top teams in the nation,'' Blair said.

Allen averaged 24 points, 10 rebounds, four steals and three blocks per game last year for the Lady Goblins. A three-sport athlete at Harrison, she was a three-time all-conference and all-state selection in volleyball as well as a member of the state cross country championship team.

"She is one of the best athletes to come from Arkansas in the last few years,'' Blair said. "She finishes her shot and her ability to rebound is important. She is a double-double waiting to happen every game. I think her leaping ability comes from her being an all-state volleyball player.''

Peoples averaged 19.5 points, eight assists and five steals per game as a junior to lead the Lady Bearkats of Brookhaven High School to the Columbus city league and regional titles.

"She is a combo guard for us, and we really like her decision-making on the floor,'' Blair said. "She has the ability to shoot the three-ball, and that is something we need with (India) Lewis graduating.''

Ducks land 6-foot-6 recruit
Jessica Shetters, a 6-foot-6 center from Portland's Wilson High, and Ashley Allen, a 5-foot-10 guard from Clovis West High in Fresno, Calif., signed letters of intent Wednesday with Oregon.

"Jessie and Ashley are first, two tremendous young women, and second, very good basketball players," second-year Oregon coach Bev Smith said. "They are the first November signees for this coaching staff, which makes them even more special."

Allen, who is playing her fourth year of varsity at powerhouse Clovis West, averaged 12.8 points and 6.2 rebounds per game as a junior. She helped her team to conference and sectional titles last season, earning first-team all-league honors and the team's Defensive Player of the Year award. Former Oregon standout Lindsey Dion (1998-01) also attended Clovis West. All-Star Girls Report rated Allen No. 61 among the nation's juniors and 15th among shooting guards.

"Ashley is a quintessential Duck with her blue-collar work ethic, athletic flair and charismatic personality," Smith added. "Being a Duck, I believe, was in her destiny."

Shetters was a first-team all-league pick last year as a junior after averaging 14 points, nine rebounds and three blocks per game. The second-leading scorer in the conference also shot 55 percent from the field and 80 percent from the foul line.

"We have recruited (Jessie) from the beginning as a power forward, as she has both inside and outside scoring potential," Smith said. "Defensively, she could be a 'big' stopper for this team."

Shetters, whose older sister, Jennifer, plays at New Mexico, would become the second-tallest player in Oregon history, behind only 6-foot-7 Stefanie Kasperski (1986-90).

Cyclones sign four
Four prep standouts -- a center, a forward and two guards -- signed letters of intent to play basketball at Iowa State, coach Bill Fennelly announced Wednesday.

Megan Ebel, a 6-1 forward from Lansing, Kan., averaged 19 points and 7.6 rebounds as a junior at Fayetteville Academy in North Carolina. She was a three-year letterwinner and an all-state selection. Ebel was named the EPIC player of the year and was an EPIC all-tournament selection last season en route to earning an invitation to the Adidas top 10 All-American camp. She will play at Bishop Miege High in Kansas City her senior year.

Jane Horkey, a 6-3 center from South Sioux City, Neb., led her South Sioux City High team to two-straight state championships and a 24-3 record last season. Horkey averaged 15.6 points and 7.7 rebounds as a junior, hitting 59.1 percent of her shots. She ranks 10th on the school's career charts with 370 rebounds. The first-team all-state and academic all-state performer chose Iowa State over Nebraska, Colorado and Kansas State. She joins former teammate Katie Robinette on the Cyclone roster.

Lyndsey Medders, a 5-9 point guard from Oak Park, Calif., is a three-year starter and two-time Adidas All-American for Oak Park High. She led her squad to two-straight league championships and was named league MVP last season. Medders was a first-team all-area and all-region selection, averaging 17.2 points and 3.7 steals. She has been ranked No. 11 nationally on the All-Star Girls Report's list of point guards, and sank 42 percent of her 3-pointers as a junior.

Megan Ronhovde, a 6-1 guard/forward from Barrett, Minn., averaged 17.7 points and 9.2 rebounds last season for West Central Area High. She is a five-year letterwinner and three-time all-conference selection and was named to the Minnesota Coaches Association all-state team last season. Minnesota Basketball News placed Ronhovde on its "Fab Five" players list. She led her squad to a 19-3 record and the conference championship last year, earning league MVP honors. She has scored 1,148 career points (13.2 ppg), shooting 47.4 percent from the floor.

Baylor signs one
Emily Niemann has signed a letter of intent to join Baylor for the 2003-04 season.

"Three things best describe Emily Niemann," Lady Bears coach Kim Mulkey-Robertson said. "She is a winner; she has great range on her shot, especially for a post player; and she is a workaholic."

Niemann, a 6-1 forward from Houston's Westbury Christian, averaged 25 points and 12 rebounds last year as a junior and led the school to its third straight TAPPS Class 3A state championship. Niemann was named a Street & Smith honorable mention all-American in 2001 and 2002 and earned TAPPS 3A All-State first team honors in 2001 and 2002 and also received all-District and all-Metro honors as well. In 2001 she attended adidas' Top10 Camp and made the underclass all-star team there.

This past summer Niemann attended the Nike All-American camp in Indianapolis and was one of 48 players invited to the Inaugural USA Youth Development Festival. She was a member of the South Team that earned the Festival's silver medal. In five games, Niemann averaged 7.6 points, 3.6 rebounds and 17.2 minutes a game. She was 6-for-11 (.545) from 3-point range and 13-for-23 (.565) from the floor.

Kansas committed to returning to elite level
Kansas coach Marian Washington announced Wednesday the signing of Lauren Ervin to letter of intent.

One of the most highly touted prospects in the country, Ervin is ranked No. 2 by All Game Sports, No. 2 by Blue Star and No. 6 by All Star Girls Report.

As a freshman at Bishop Montgomery High, Ervin was named A-CIF Southern Section Division III Co-Player Of The Year. Ervin continued her success her sophomore season by averaging 21 points per game and 15 rebounds per game and was rated as the No. 1 junior in the nation by All Star Girls Report before sitting out of basketball due to transferring schools.

This season, Ervin will play at Inglewood (Calif.) HS. Ervin has established herself as force in summer AAU play and all-star camps. During the summer of 2001 Ervin's AAU team, the West Coast All Stars finished as the runner-up at the AAU national tournament where Ervin was selected an AAU All-American. Ervin went on to impress scouts at the Adidas camp where she was ranked as the top junior in the country.

Kansas is expected to sign at least one more student-athlete before the end of the period.

"To be able to bring a player of this caliber to Kansas is tremendous and shows that we are committed to turning this thing around and getting Kansas women's basketball back to the level it was at for so many years," Washington said. "She is the type of impact player we need and she should be a standout in our conference."

Ervin chose Kansas over Tennessee, Rutgers, Arizona, Texas and LSU.

Local standouts sign with UW-Green Bay
Wisconsin-Green Bay coach Kevin Borseth announced the signing of Natalie Berglin (Green Bay, Wis./Notre Dame Academy) and Nicole Soulis (Green Bay, Wis./Bay Port) to national letters of intent on Wednesday. Both will enroll at UW-Green Bay in the fall of 2003.

Berglin, a 5-7 guard, missed her junior season at Notre Dame Academy due to a knee injury, but she had a solid showing in the summer season, averaging 16.0 ppg for her AAU team. As a sophomore with the Tritons, Berglin averaged 9.5 points, three steals and three assists a game as Notre Dame Academy won the 2001 WIAA Division 2 girls basketball championship.

"Natalie is one of the fastest kids I have ever seen," Borseth said. "She's very quick, but under control. She's not necessarily a banger, but she's tough."

A 6-2 forward with perimeter skills, Soulis led Bay Port to a 21-2 mark in 2001-02 and a WIAA Division I sectional final appearance. For her junior season, Soulis averaged 13.1 points and 6.7 rebounds a contest. This past summer, Soulis was a member of the All-Star team at the Adidas Top 100 camp.

"Nicole is a face-to-the-basket player who can shoot from the arc," Borseth added. "She's a great defender with a big wingspan, and understands our offense. She has come a long way over the last few summers."

TCU adds four
TCU coach Jeff Mittie announced Wednesday that three high school playeers from Texas and one from New Mexico have signed letters of intent to play for the Lady Frogs in the 2003-04 season. Guards JimAnne Baker, Natasha Lacy and Adrianna Ross, and center Jenna Lohse each inked their letters on the first day of the early signing period.

"We went into the fall needing to improve our depth at guard and to improve our strength in the post," Mittie said. "This group certainly fills those needs. We also wanted more scoring ability. The one thing that stood out in this class was each player's ability to go out and get shots and create plays."

Baker, 5-10 swing player from Cisco, was an AAU Under-16 All-American. She was the 2002 Texas Association of Basketball Coaches Class 2A Player of the Year as a junior. Baker was named to the TSWA 2A All-State Second Team while starring for TCU graduate Darla Henry at Cisco HS. She also was tabbed as the district MVP and garnered all-region first team and all-state first team accolades. She averaged 25 points, 12 rebounds and four assists per game last season. The dual-sport athlete won five gold medals at the state track meet last year.

Lacy, a 6-0 guard from El Paso, was rated by All-Star Girls' Report as the ninth-best point guard and the 23rd-best player in the nation. She earned Street & Smith All-America honorable mention accolades in 2001. Lacy averaged 23 points, six rebounds, six assists and five steals per game as a sophomore. She sat out the 2001-02 season after transferring, but will compete this season at Montwood HS.

Lohse, a 6-3 center from Fort Worth, averaged 15 points, 11 rebounds and four blocks per game as a junior at Richland HS. She earned adidas Top Ten Camp Upperclass All-Star recognition and was an honorable mention Street & Smith All-American in 2002. Named her district's defensive most valuable player, she is rated as the 17th-best post player in the country and is a top-100 recruit according to the All-Star Girls' Report. She was named to the all-district, all-region and all-state teams last season.

Ross, a 5-8 guard from Hobbs, N.M., was named first team all-district and all-state in 2002 after averaging 23.7 points, 7.0 rebounds and 6.5 assists per game for Hobbs HS. She was a Student Sport All-America selection her sophomore and junior campaigns. In addition, she earned adidas Top Ten Camp Upperclass All-Star and Student Sports All-Southwest Third Team honors last year. The BCI All-American is rated as the third-best point guard in the nation, and ranks 19th among all players.

Golden Flashes add Griffith
Mallorie Griffith (Mansfield, Ohio/Lexington) has signed a national letter of intent to play for Kent State.

Griffith, a 6-2 forward/center, was an all-Ohio honorable mention after averaging 13.2 points and eight rebounds a game her junior year at Lexington HS. She has been a part of two sectional championship teams and was on a district runner-up squad her sophomore year when she averaged 15.8 points and 9.1 rebounds.

Griffith also is a three-time first team all-Ohio Heartland Conference and a two-time all-district 6 selection. Over her career, she has accumulated 937 points, 596 rebounds and 172 blocks in three years.

Louisville signs 6-foot-3 Lemnus
Traveling nationwide from her hometown to play basketball has paid off for Jenna Lemnus. The 6-foot-3 senior is headed to Louisville to play basketball.

"I just didn't know if she had the talent to go Division I,'' said Enderlin girls basketball coach Randy Bilden. "But size is what they see.''

And college coaches across the country got to see that size, thanks to Lemnus' willingness to travel thousands of miles to play basketball the last two years.

She played on an AAU team that placed at a national tournament in Orlando, Fla., and visited Minneapolis six straight weekends last spring to tune her game.

As a junior, Lemnus averaged 14 points despite being double and triple teamed. She pulled down 145 rebounds and blocked 130 shots while coming up with 62 steals.

Lemnus, who was also being recruited by Minnesota, North Dakota State and North Dakota, is one of 1,000 high school girls nominated to play in next spring's McDonald's All-American game. The list will be narrowed to 150 by February. The final list will have 24 players.

West Virginia turning into family affair
Meg Bulger has signed to play at West Virginia, where her sister, junior Kate Bulger, already plays for the Mountaineers and whose brother, Marc Bulger, was a West Virginia standout but is now playing quarterback for the St. Louis Rams.

A 6-foot guard entering her senior year at Oakland Catholic High School, Meg Bulger is ranked as the 29th best player and the eighth-best guard in the nation by All-Star Girl's Report. In her career, she has led the Eagles to three consecutive WPIAL championships, the 2001 PIAA Quad A state championship and two state runner-up finishes (2000, 2002).

Averaging 23.0 points 4.5 rebounds a season ago, Bulger also was named to the USA Today's top seven sophomores in the country list the year before.

West Virginia also landed the nation's top juco player. Yelena Leuchanka, a Belarus native who is the All-Star Girls Report's top-ranked junior college player, will play for the Mountaineers after competing at Wabash Valley JC.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.