Hey folks,
Finals week was mercifully short for me, so I thought I'd bring you a little blogward cheer. Today we've got a press release and some news out of Wisconsin, where former IU coach Kathi Bennett - who led the Hoosiers to their last Big Ten title - has landed as an assistant coach under Lisa Stone.
Bennett of course is the sister of Washington State head coach Tony Bennett and the daughter of former Wazzou coach Dick Bennett. Both father and son coached at Wisconsin prior to Washington State, so the ties are natural between Kathi Bennett and the program.
As for the new Hoosiers, it's Ashlee Mells, a 5-foot-8 guard from Texas who is in the national top 100 and was nominated to be a McDonald's All-American next year. A full press release is below, but here are a few of the details: -Mells averaged 15 points, six rebounds and two assists at South Grand Prairie High School. -She played on an eighth grade AAU team with current Hoosier Jori Davis, something that likely influenced her decision. Mells and Davis finished second in the nation on that team. -Mells was an all-state selection her senior year, as well as player of the year in her district.
The full release is below. Good luck with finals and have a great summer. Stay with Above the Rim, and we'll keep you apprised of any women's basketball news that breaks through the summer. Take it easy.
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Indiana head women's basketball coach Felisha Legette-Jack has announced the signing of Ashlee Mells to the 2008-09 roster. Mells comes to Indiana from South Grand Prairie High School in Grand Prairie, Texas.
"Ashlee is a welcome addition to our Hoosier family," Legette-Jack said. "She will bring us another piece of the puzzle of building our championship program. Ashlee is a player that loves basketball and has a friendship with one of our current players. She and Jori Davis played on the same eighth grade AAU team that finished second in the nation. Our goal is for our program to reach that same level and Ashlee will definitely help us."
Mells, a 5-8 guard, averaged 15 points, six rebounds and two assists per game as a senior at South Grand Prairie. She was a 2008 McDonald's All-America nominee and earned All-District 7 honors. She is ranked 86th nationally on the Dan Olson Collegiate Girls Basketball Report. Mells is also ranked the 14th best combo guard in the nation on Olson's report on girlsbasketballreport.com.
She also earned all-state accolades and was the District 6 Most Valuable Player in 2006.
Mells joins 6-2 forward Danilsa Andujar from Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., 6-3 forward Sasha Chaplin from St. Petersburg, Fla. and 6-0 forward Lindsay Enterline from Monroeville, Ind. in the Hoosiers' 2008 class.
