EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Evansville head women’s basketball coach Oties Epps announced the signing of four players to National Letters of Intent (NLI) to continue their athletic and academic careers at Evansville. The Purple Aces’ signing class includes three players from Indiana and one from Wisconsin, who will join the UE women’s basketball team for the 2013-14 season.
“We are excited about our 2013 recruiting class,” Epps said. “This class has some big shoes to fill with the departure of some key seniors, however, we believe that this group will be able to step into our program and contribute to our success.”
The 2013-14 signing class includes: Sara Dickey (Montezuma, Ind./Riverton Parke); Kenzie Gustin (Pendleton, Ind./Pendleton Heights); Sasha Robinson (Nashville, Ind./Brown County); and Caitlyn Russell (Onalaska, Wis./Holmen).
SARA DICKEY, 5-10, GUARD, MONTEZUMA, IND./RIVERTON PARKE
Notable: Currently averaging 26.0 points, 5.7 rebounds, 2.7 steals and 1.3 assists per game in the first three games of her senior season…currently needs just 80 points to become Riverton Parke’s all-time leading scorer for both girls and boys basketball…three-time all-conference selection and three-time all-conference selection…holds school single-game records for rebounds (21) and steals (10), single-season records for steals (86), assists (75) and blocks (41), and already holds career records for assists, steals, blocks and three-point field goals entering her senior season…As a junior, she averaged 16.9 points, 6.0 rebounds, 3.6 steals and 3.0 assists per contest and led Riverton Parke to a regional championship…averaged 15.6 points, 6.9 rebounds and 3.6 steals per contest as a sophomore and put up similar numbers as a freshman, averaging 16.3 points, 7.5 rebounds and 4.0 steals per game.
Coach Epps on Dickey: “We are extremely excited about the addition of Sara Dickey to our program. Sara is a dynamic combo guard that has the ability to score in a multitude of ways. She is a gym rat with a high basketball I.Q. Her size and athleticism in the guard spot makes her a perfect fit for our system. We anticipate that Sara will have an immediate impact on the future success of our program.”
KENZIE GUSTIN, 5-11, GUARD/FORWARD, PENDLETON, IND./PENDLETON HEIGHTS
Notable: Averaged 15.1 points, 6.4 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game as a junior on her way to earning
Hoosier Basketball Magazine First Team All-State honors…two-time all-county and all-conference selection…named the 2012 Madison County Athlete of Character…earned a spot on the Indiana Elite North/South Junior All-Star team…led Pendleton Heights to a pair of sectional titles…led her AAU team to a national championship in 2010…averaged 8.2 points and 5.5 rebounds per contest as a sophomore and 9.2 points and 5.0 rebounds during her freshman season.
Coach Epps on Gustin: “We would like to welcome Kenzie and her family to the Aces family. Kenzie is a versatile guard/forward that has the ability to knock down threes, handle the ball and finish around the basket. She is a great fit for our system and she is committed to her development and the opportunity that she has to contribute to our program.”
SASHA ROBINSON, 6-1, FORWARD, NASHVILLE, IND./BROWN COUNTY
Notable: Nearly averaged a double-double as a junior, scoring 12.4 points and grabbing 9.3 rebounds per game on her way to earning
Herald Times All-Area First Team,
The Republic First Team All-Area and all-conference honors ..named MVP of her team and led Brown County to the sectional title game…posted nine double-doubles during her junior season, with season highs of 22 points and 16 rebounds…averaged a double-double as a sophomore with 11.5 points and 11.0 rebounds per contest…named all-conference and to the
Herald Times All-Area Second team during her sophomore campaign… put up 8.1 points and 10.0 rebounds per contest as a freshman to earn
The Republic All-Area Honorable Mention recognition.
Coach Epps on Robinson: “We are really excited for Sasha to join our program. She is a BCS caliber athlete with length that will help us on both ends of the court. She is a hardnosed kid that has a knack for rebounding. She also has the versatility to play around and away from the basket. She will make an immediate impact on our program both on and off the court.”
CAITLYN RUSSELL, 6-2, FORWARD, ONALASKA, WIS./HOLMEN
Notable: Averaged 15.1 points, 8.3 rebounds and 1.4 blocks as a junior on her way to earning Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association All-State Honorable Mention and Associated Press (AP) All-State Honorable Mention recognition…named the All-Mississippi Valley Conference Most Valuable Player and
La Crosse Tribune All-Area Player of the Year following her junior year…two-time all-conference first team selection…earned team most valuable player honors as a sophomore and junior…averaged 11.1 points, 5.7 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per contest as a sophomore and was named to the
La Crosse Tribune All-Area Third Team…two-sport athlete that was also a standout volleyball player at Holmen, earning all-conference first team laurels.
Coach Epps on Russell: “We couldn’t be happier to have Caitlyn Russell and her family join our program. Caitlyn will give us much needed size and strength on the inside. She is a skilled post player around the basket, but she also has the ability to step away and knock down threes and create off the dribble. We are going to need her to step in and contribute right away. She has the potential to be the player of the year in the state of Wisconsin this season.”
