WASHINGTON – George Washington women’s basketball head coach announced today the signing of three student-athletes to National Letters of Intent for the 2013-14 season. Backcourt standouts Shannon Cranshaw and Hannah Schaible and forward Caira Washington will join the Colonials next season as first-year head coach Jonathan Tsipis’ inaugural recruiting class.
“I am excited about the opportunity to coach these three exceptional young women who joined our program this week,” Tsipis said. “With our first recruiting class, we wanted to attract high-character and well-rounded young women who wanted to be challenged on the court, in the classroom and in life. My staff – associate head coachMegan Duffy, our recruiting coordinator, as well as assistant coaches Shay Hayes and Diane Richardson – hit the ground running when we got here in April to make sure we found student-athletes who fit our vision of putting this program among the nation’s elite, and this recruiting class helps us build the next chapter in the highly successful tradition of GW women’s basketball.”
Shannon Cranshaw is a 5-foot-9 guard from Father Lopez Catholic High School in Daytona Beach, Fla., who averaged 21.4 points, 5.7 assists and 3.0 steals per game last season, leading the Volusia and Flagler County region in all three categories. Cranshaw also recorded area bests with 67 three-pointers and an .820 free throw percentage en route to earning First-Team All-State and District MVP honors, as well as All-America Honorable Mention by The Sporting News. For her career, Cranshaw has averaged 16.5 ppg, 3.9 apg, 4.5 rpg and 3.8 spg, and she has made 237 three-pointers through her junior year.
Coach Tsipis’ take: “Shannon is a highly skilled guard who can play the point as well as off the ball. She has a high-level basketball IQ and is a fantastic outside shooter. She comes from highly successful programs at both the high school and AAU level. Shannon is committed to raising her game to the next level and will be a great addition to our program. We are delighted to have Shannon and her family join our GW family and my inaugural recruiting class at Foggy Bottom.”
Dan Olson, Girls Basketball Report: “Shannon gives the Colonials a skilled player that can play both the point and wing positions. She is well-known for her ability to stretch defenses and shoot the basketball beyond the arc. She will earn immediate respect from opponents with her scoring and playmaking abilities.”
Hannah Schaible is a 5-foot-9 guard from Dr. Phillips High School in Orlando, Fla., who averaged 12.5 points, 7.2 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 3.4 steals per game last season. Schaible has helped lead Dr. Phillips – currently ranked No. 16 in the nation by MaxPreps – to back-to-back state titles and a 96-7 record in three seasons. A three-sport athlete who competes in volleyball and flag football in addition to basketball, Schaible was named the Orlando Sentinel‘s Girls Overall Athlete of the Year in 2012. She is rated as the 27th-best guard in the nation by Girls Basketball Report.
Coach Tsipis’ take: “Hannah is a terrific three-sport athlete who will have the opportunity to concentrate on basketball here at GW. Hannah is a very skilled perimeter player who has the ability to impact the game on offense and defense. She is an ultra-competitive player who makes everyone around her better. We are excited for Hannah and her family as they join our GW family.”
Dan Olson, Girls Basketball Report: “Hannah will give George Washington a versatile, fundamental player with great upside. She is the glue player that every successful team needs. Her unselfish and overachieving personality will make an immediate impact at the next level. She will do what it takes to outperform her competition.
Caira Washington is a 6-foot-2 forward from nearby Georgetown Day School who averaged 15.5 points and 15.1 rebounds per game as a junior, when she earned Honorable Mention All-Met from the Washington Post as well as First-Team All-Independent School League. The native of Arlington, Va., is ranked 51st at her position by Girls Basketball Report.
Coach Tsipis’ take: “Caira is a very athletic post player who runs the floor and rebounds at a high level. Caira is a game changer on the defensive end with her ability to control the glass and alter shots. Each time we see Caira play she is improving at a high rate, and she played at a very high level this summer with one of the top AAU teams in the country. Caira’s decision to stay close to home shows the commitment we have in the DMV to recruit the best players for the future of GW women’s basketball. We welcome Caira and her family to GW as part of my inaugural recruiting class.”
Lisa Bodine, Blue Star Basketball: “Caira Washington has the length and athleticism to be a terrific college player. She is a high-energy player who is capable of scoring, defending and rebounding in the paint. Caira has a nice upside, and her best basketball is yet to come.”
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