Nov. 9, 2005
WACO, Texas - The Baylor Lady Bear basketball program, 2005 NCAA and Big 12 Conference champions, signed five players to National Letters of Intent (NLI), head coach Kim Mulkey-Robertson announced today.
Inking with Baylor in the early signing period which began today and runs through Nov. 16 were guards Whitney Jones and Latara Darrett, forward Kaitlin Oberg, forward/post Jessika Bradley and post Danielle Wilson. Baylor signed players from all across the nation as Bradley and Darrett hail from California, Wilson and Oberg are from New York and Jones is from Louisiana, Mulkey-Robertson's home state.
"It is obvious that winning a national championship opened many doors nationally in recruiting. The five players that signed to play basketball at Baylor are quality players as well as quality people. Their addition will help us continue to keep our program at a level of respect and a level that allows us to compete each year for the Big 12 Conference and NCAA championships. With this group we add size as well as tremendous athletic perimeter players," said Mulkey-Robertson.
"In addition, we hope we are not finished. While I don't put much stock in rankings of players until they've proven themselves on the collegiate level, this will probably be one of the top recruiting classes nationally," she added.
Baylor's NLI Signees (listed alphabetically):
Jessika Bradley - 6-3, Forward/Post, Sacramento, Calif. (Sacramento HS) Averaged 15 points, 9 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 3.0 blocks a game as a junior at Sacramento High School...2005 adidas Top Ten Camp All-Star...Ranked No. 45 nationally and No. 12 at her position by All-Star Girls Report.
Latara Darrett - 5-10, Guard, Chino, Calif. (Don Lugo HS)
Attended Pendleton Academy at IMG in Bradenton, Fla., as a junior...Averaged 19.3 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 3.6 steals last year...Played at the USA Youth Development Festival in Colorado Springs, Colo., this past summer, averaging 8.8 points, 5.0 rebounds and 2.0 steals for the Blue team that won the gold medal...Ranked No. 12 nationally and No. 3 at her position by All-Star Girls Report.
Whitney Jones - 5-5, Guard, West Monroe, La. (West Monroe HS)
Averaged 21.3 points, 7.0 rebounds and 3.8 steals as a junior at West Monroe HS...Led the Lady Rebels to 2004 Class 5A state title and to quarterfinals in 2005...Region Player of the Year 2004 & 2005...2005 Gatorade Louisiana Player of the Year...5A State Player of the Year.
Kaitlin Oberg - 6-2, Forward, West Islip, N.Y. (St. John the Baptist HS)
Averaged 8.7 points, 7.4 rebounds 2.2 blocks and 1.7 assists a game as a junior...Selected to the adidas Top Ten All-American Camp...Member of the U.S. Select team vs. China Jr. National team 2004.
Danielle Wilson - 6-3, Post, Bay Shore, N.Y. (St. John the Baptist HS)
Averaged 21 points and 14 rebounds a game as a junior...Played at the USA Youth Development Festival in Colorado Springs, Colo., this past summer... 2005 adidas Top Ten Camp All-Star...Ranked No. 32 nationally and No. 5 at her position by All-Star Girls Report...Member of the U.S. Select team vs. China Jr. National team 2002 and 2004.
In other news, sophomore guard Chisa Ononiwu (Houston, Texas/Westfield HS) has chosen to leave the team effective immediately. Ononiwu appeared in 13 games last season averaging 1.3 points and 3.8 minutes a game.
