Basketball signees announced

[PonyPride]

From the SMU website:

Women's Basketball Announces Four Signees
Mustangs add athleticism, toughness in 2008 class

DALLAS (SMU) - Four talented players have signed national letters-of-intent to play women's basketball at SMU beginning in 2008-09, Mustang head coach Rhonda Rompola announced Thursday. Three of the signees are ranked among the top high school players in Texas.

The new class includes a balanced group of players: center Christine Elliott (Wichita, Kan.), guard Samantha Mahnesmith (Kennedale, Texas), forward Alicia Mitcham (Mesquite, Texas) and forward Morgan Shell (Marble Falls, Texas).

Elliott is a 6-3 post player from Southeast High School in Wichita who earned All-City honors from The Wichita Eagle after averaging 18.2 points per game last year.

"Christine really has great upside," Rompola said. "We expect her to have a real presence in the paint. She's a strong post player, a mobile post player, and we expect her to come in and make an impact right away. She's a very strong rebounder. We need some more toughness on the boards, and she can provide that."

Mahnesmith is a 5-8 shooting guard who has scored 1,892 points in her career at Kennedale High School. A first-team All-District 10-3A honoree, Mahnesmith has been named All-Region and All-State by the Texas Girls Coaches Association and the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches, and is ranked as the No. 13 senior in Texas by Premier Basketball Report. The leading 3A scorer in Texas in each of the last two seasons, Mahnesmith's scoring average of 25.9 points per game ranked 34th in the nation last year.

"Sam is a pure scorer who really knows how to get to the hoop," Rompola said. "She does a great job of penetrating and knows how to get to the free throw line."

Mitcham is a 6-2 power forward from West Mesquite High School in Mesquite, Texas. Ranked as the No. 23 senior in the state by Premier Basketball Report, Mitcham is a TGCA and TABC All-State and All-Region honoree, and was named the Most Valuable Player last year in District 10-4A after averaging 19 points and 12 rebounds per game.

"Alicia is, overall, the most athletic of the group," Rompola said. "She's a slasher who is quick and athletic on the boards. She is a forward/post who can defend on the perimeter and in the paint."

Shell is a 5-10 forward from Marble Falls, Texas, who earned TGCA and TABC All-Region and All-State honors, was named All-Central Texas by the Texas Sportswriters Association, was tabbed as the No. 15 senior in the state by Premier Basketball Report and was named District 27-4A Offensive Most Valuable Player. She averaged 20 points, 7.6 rebounds and 3.5 assists as junior, and has 1,906 points in her career.

"Morgan is someone who will add some depth for us outside, and we want to come off screens and just fire away," Rompola said. "She does a great job of using her body to penetrate and get herself to the free throw line."



SMU, the only Division I athletic program in Dallas, Texas, sponsors 17 sports and has been ranked as the top school in its conference for 10 straight years in the Director's Cup overall athletic rankings. More information about SMU and its coaches, athletes and teams is available at www.SMUMustangs.com.

[mustangbill67]

Number 13, 15 and 23rd ranked players in TX. Not too shabby. Good job Rhonda.

[Hoofprint]

Number 13, 15 and 23rd ranked players in TX. Not too shabby. Good job Rhonda.

Exactly what I was thinking. There's 75 percent of a recruiting class on a state top 100 list (state top 25 list?)

And from what I've heard, the Kansas kid might be the best of all of them. Looks like there's an excellent foundation coming in for the post-Dodds years.

[OR-See-Nee]

Congratulations on an outstanding class!

[Horseshoe]

Indeed it does.

Slaughter some frogs for Thanksgiving, will you please?

[Ponymon]

According to the DMN HS Game Time section dated Thursday, March 20th, Mahnsmith made their second All-Area Team by averaging 21.5 points and 6.8 steals per game!

[RedRiverPony]

Christine Elliott made all-city or all-area or something up there in Kansas. The more I hear about her, the more eager I am for her to come suit up for the Ponies.