PRINCESS ANNE, Md. -- Hawks women's basketball head coach Fred Batchelor has announced the addition of four student-athletes for the 2011-2012 season.
All four players will enter the University of Maryland Eastern Shore as freshmen: Porsha Barr (Waldorf, Md.), Jessica Long (Fort Washington, Md.), Shawnee Sweeney (Colonial Heights, Md.) and Alexis Udoji (Randolph, Mass.).
"We are extremely excited about this recruiting class," says Batchelor. "With these strong freshmen, this class represents a group that will come in and help us immediately."
Porsha Barr - Freshman - 5'10" - Forward - Waldorf, Md. (Westlake HS)
Porsha arrives on campus after being the top scorer from Westlake High School. She averaged a double-double a game in her senior season with the Wolverines, getting 17 points and 10 rebounds per contest, leading Westlake to a combined 38-9 record in her final two seasons. Barr scored a season high 29 points twice in her senior year. She has competed with the AAU squad Lady Pearls, based out of Washington D.C. and was named an All-Star at the INDY 100 last summer.
"Porsha is a high energy player who will compete and challenge her teammates every day. She is capable of creating opportunities to help the team by making plays out of pure effort and out working her opponents. She is a strong rebounder who is most effective in transition. She will assist in our consistency of building a foundation of hard work. She is what every coach would love to have; a self motivated, determined young lady on and off the floor."
Jessica Long - Freshman - 5'7" - Guard - Fort Washington, Md. (Oxon Hill HS)
Jessica will suit up for the Lady Hawks as the 79th-ranked point guard in the Class of 2011 as ranked by ESPN. Long scored over 1,000 points in her high school career and was the leading scorer in Prince George's County in 2011 with Oxon Hill High School, averaging over 23 points per game for the Clippers. She spent her first three years at Paul VI Catholic in Fairfax, Virginia, being named the Best Defensive Player in the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference twice plus named all-conference 3rd-Team in 2010. Long helped the Panthers to two straight Virginia Independent State Championships in 2009 and 2010. She has competed with AAU squads Team Unique, Team MD Sure Shots and the U-16 Fairfax Stars.
"I see Jessica as a throw back, old school point guard. She has the ability to run a team like a true floor general, which will make the players around her better. I love the way she defends the ball. Her ability to pressure and contain the opponents' point of attack will allow us to be a more effective team on both ends of the floor. I also believe she will be a great teammate. She will have an opportunity to learn and grow into the challenge of being a Division-I point guard."
Long is #1
Shawnee Sweeney - Freshman - 5'7" - Guard - Colonial Heights, Va. (Thomas Dale HS)
Shawnee comes to UMES as one of the strongest scoring shooting guards from the state of Virginia. She led Thomas Dale High School to their first two state tournament appearances in its history, finished ranked #6 in the state in 2010 and #8 in 2011 plus led the Knights to three straight Central District regular season and tournament championships from 2009 to 2011, amassing a combined 71-12 record. Sweeney averaged 15.3 points a game in high school, being named 1st-Team All-District and All-Metro 2nd-Team her senior year. She has also played for the AAU teams James River Blaze and Virginia Storm. Sweeney was named to her high school's Distinguished Honor Roll all four years.
"Shawnee is an extremely sharp young lady that has the ability and mentality to be an assassin from three point range. What I love about her the most is that she is just not a three point shooter. She is a tough, physical guard that is capable of attacking the basket to create for her teammates as well as get to the free throw line. Her passion and desire to produce excellence in every facet of her life is what's most impressive."
Sweeney is #3...
Alexis Udoji - Freshman - 6'4" - Center - Randolph, Mass. (Cardinal Spellman HS)
Alexis comes to Princess Anne as one of the top players in New England at the five position. As Cardinal Spellman High School's starting center, Udoji led the Cardinals to the Central Catholic League Championship in 2011, being named the league's Most Valuable Player that season after being named Defensive Player of the Year in 2010. She averaged a triple-double a game in her final three seasons, including 31 points, 16 blocks and 13 rebounds in the CCL title game, helping her be named The Enterprise Player of the Year in basketball. She set her school's record in blocked shots in a game with 20 in 2009.
"I believe this young lady will make a considerable contribution to our program as well as our league over her playing career. Her ability to effect the game on the defensive end will allow us to extend our pressure along with being able to take more risk because of her ability to block shots and make up for her teammates mistakes. Her development is critical to the overall effect she will have as a Lady Hawk. Alexis has a great spirit and a servant attitude which I believe will make her a pleasure to coach."
Udoji is #5 is this clip...
With an 8-8 record in the MEAC, the Lady Hawks earned a .500 or better conference finish for the fourth season in a row last year.
By University of Maryland Eastern Shore Sports Information
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