ST. LOUIS – First-year Saint Louis head women’s basketball coach Lisa Stone announced today the signing of six high school student-athletes to National Letters of Intent to attend the University and play for the Billikens beginning next season.
The 2012 SLU recruiting class is comprised of 5-foot-9 guard Regan Carmichael (Park Ridge, Ill./Maine South H.S.), 5-11 forward Briana Gray (Milwaukee, Wis./Nicolet H.S.), 5-8 guard Lexi Lopez (Sylvania, Ohio/Southview H.S.), 5-11 forwardErin Nelson (Ballwin, Mo./St. Joseph’s Academy), 5-10 guard Christen Prasse (Naperville, Ill./Benet Academy) and 6-3 center Sadie Stipanovich (St. Louis, Mo./Westminster Christian Academy).
“I am extremely thrilled and excited to bring these six quality student-athletes to Saint Louis University,” Stone said. “My hat is off to my staff for their hard work and effort to secure this class. We look forward to having these players help build our program.
“We have a collection of student-athletes who are fundamentally sound and have high basketball IQs,” Stone said. “We have size, we have shooters, we have athletes. It’s a class that represents all of our needs.”
A four-year member of the Maine South basketball squad who is serving as team captain this season, Carmichaelaveraged 4.6 points, 2.1 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1.1 steals while playing in all 32 games as a junior. She connected on 20 3-pointers and twice was named conference Player of the Week.
Carmichael also has excelled in softball. She garnered All-Area and All-Conference honors last year and will be a team captain in 2013, her fourth season on the team.
“What drew our interest to Regan is her ability to score,” Stone said. “She prepares her feet really well to set up for a shot and is a very good outside shooter. She will grow with the game and add more than just shooting to her abilities. Regan has played with a high-level AAU program in Midwest Elite and has been around and played with great players, which has helped her game grow.”
Gray earned a second-team All-Conference nod a year ago when she averaged 10.0 points, 6.6 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 2.0 steals. Her rebounding average included 2.7 offensive boards per game. Gray also made the Dean’s List both semesters.
Gray competed in basketball and track as a freshman and sophomore at Murrah High School in Jackson, Miss. She was a member of the winning 4×400-meter relay team at the Class 6A state meet as a freshman and finished third in the state in the triple jump as a sophomore.
“Briana is one of the best athletes/slashers we saw all summer,” Stone said. “But the greatest attribute that my staff and I noticed is her leadership ability on and off the court. We saw it when she was on the court making a difference and leading the team offensively or defensively, or maybe as an emotional leader, and we also saw it on the bench.
“Briana carries herself with maturity, and she’s respected by everyone she plays with and against,” Stone said. “Her upside is unbelievable. She’s a special player who is going to be an all-around offensive and defensive presence for us.”
Lopez is in her fourth year as a starter and second year as team captain at Southview. She was named All-State honorable mention and Southview’s Most Valuable Player as a junior when she averaged 19.0 points, 8.0 rebounds and 4.1 assists. Lopez collected first-team All-League plaudits the past two seasons and was an All-District selection as a junior (first team) and sophomore (second team).
Lopez also enjoyed success in soccer and cross country. She claimed All-District and All-League honorable mention recognition in soccer in her junior year, and she was conference and district champion and a regional and state qualifier in cross country as a freshman. In the classroom, Lopez has made the Honor Merit Roll several times.
“Lexi was called the fiercest competitor her coach has ever seen, and that’s what drew us to her,” Stone said. “She’s coming off a knee injury, but we saw her early in the July period prior to the injury. Lexi can play the point or the off guard and can shoot the 3-pointer. She can get the ball to shooters or take over herself. She’s strong and physical and has good size for a guard.
“Lexi is a great leader who is overcoming adversity; she’s ahead of schedule with her knee rehab,” Stone said. “We’re excited about her competitiveness and her willingness to lead and help her teammates be better.”
Nelson is a three-time All-Conference performer, earning second-team honors as a sophomore and junior and third-team plaudits as a freshman. She averaged 9.9 points, 7.3 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 1.4 steals while shooting 80 percent from the free-throw line a year ago.
Now in her fourth season as a varsity player, Nelson is serving her second year as team captain. She is a National Honor Society member and has earned academic honors several semesters.
“We’re excited to welcome Erin to the program,” Stone said. “She’s a local player from a great high school with a great coach in (former Billiken) Julie Matheny.
“Erin is a remarkable presence inside and outside,” Stone said. “She’s a banger, a difference maker and a scorer. Erin is physical, she has pop to her, she has energy, and she brings fierceness to the floor.”
Last year, Prasse averaged 14.0 points, 3.1 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 2.0 steals while connecting on 45 3-pointers. She was named to the All-State third team, picked up Chicago Sun-Times All-Area accolades, was tabbed the area’s Most Valuable Player by the Daily Herald and was an All-Conference choice. Additionally, Prasse was selected co-Player of the Year by the Naperville Sun and was chosen Benet’s Most Valuable Player.
Prasse, who is serving as team captain this season, has made the Benet honor roll.
“Christen is a 5-10 scoring point guard,” Stone said. “We like her ability to see the floor, and she’s fundamentally sound. She can hit a deep 3, she can get to the rim, and she’s a great passer.
“Christen has a calmness and coolness on the court,” Stone said. “Her basketball IQ is very high, and because of that she will be able to catch on to our system very quickly.”
Stipanovich shot 51 percent from the floor and poured in 15.6 points per game last season en route to first-team All-State, first-team All-Metro and first-team All-District laurels. She also averaged 9.2 rebounds, including 4.3 offensive caroms, to go with 1.1 assists, 1.2 steals and 1.8 blocks.
Stipanovich also played for the Westminster volleyball team, which captured the Missouri Class 3 state championship earlier this month. She is the daughter of Steve Stipanovich, who starred at De Smet Jesuit High School in St. Louis and went on to play in the NBA.
“Sadie’s upside is amazing,” Stone said. “She’s athletic, she can run the floor and catch the ball, and she jumps well. Obviously her family tree and basketball heritage are very special. It’s exciting to know another local player is staying home and coming to SLU.
“Sadie was focused on volleyball until this summer when she played AAU basketball for the first time,” Stone said. “She changed her mind from club volleyball to basketball. She’s committed to it, she loves it, and she’ll make an instant impact inside with her size and athleticism.”
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