Lady Blues basketball team announces spring signees
5:43 p.m. Wednesday, May 7, 2008
Washburn Lady Blues head basketball coach Ron McHenry has announced the addition of five new student-athletes who will join the program this fall. The Lady Blues are coming off a 26-7 season and a No. 5 final national ranking in which they reached the NCAA Division II Elite Eight.
"We're excited with the players we will be bringing in this fall and we believe we have really shored up some areas of concern entering the upcoming season," McHenry said.
Joining the Lady Blues next fall will be senior transfer from Texas Tech, forward Stanecia Graham, junior transfer from Miami Dade College, forward Dayna Rodriquez (pronounced Di-na), junior transfer from Fort Hays State, Raychel Boling and freshman signee, guard Stevi Schultz. They join Cassie Lombardino, a 6-3 forward from Basehor-Lindwood High School who signed with Washburn during the early signing period in the fall. She earned second team all-state honors as well as all-Metro honors.
2008-09 signees for the Lady Blues
Stanecia Graham • 6-1 • Forward • Aurora, Ill • Texas Tech/Cloud County/West Aurora High School
McHenry on Graham: "With the addition of Stanecia to the program, she adds a strong inside player who can score. She can be a player that can step into this league and make a difference."
During her junior season at Texas Tech, she played in 32 games with eight starts and averaged 7.0 points and 4.8 rebounds per game … had 16 points, nine rebounds and career-high two blocks and tied career-high one assist at UNLV … she had career-high 19 point, grabbed 10 rebounds and tied career-high two blocks vs. Sam Houston State.
At Cloud County Community College she played two years in Concordia, Kan. … as a freshman she was named All-Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference (KJCCC) Western Division first team … was Freshman of the Year for the KJCCC Western Division … selected first team All-Region 6 and was named to the All-Region 6 Tournament team … was honorable mention All-America by the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) … played in the inaugural NJCAA/WBCA All-Star game … as a sophomore she was named All-KJCCC Western Division first team and first team All-Region 6 … selected to the All-Region 6 Tournament team … named third team All-America by the NJCAA … finished her career at Cloud County as the school's second all-time leading scorer with 1,182 career points … averaged 18.4 points and 9.9 rebounds as a sophomore … junior college coach was Brett Erkenbrack … at West Aurora High School she is 2005 graduate of Class 2A West Aurora High School in Aurora, Ill. … as a senior she was named all-area and all-conference … was selected team MVP … recorded 1,000 rebounds in her high school career … also participated in volleyball and track … high school basketball coach was Mark Feigl. Personal: Born December 24, 1986 in Aurora, Ill. … daughter of Valecia Graham … majoring in human development and family studies.
Dayna Rodriquez • 6-3 • Forward/Center • Havana, Cuba • Miami Dade College
McHenry on Rodriquez: "Dayna has had two great years of experience at Miami Dade College. Coach Summons has done a nice job of getting her ready to play at the next level. Dayna is a versatile player who can play facing the basket and with her back to the basket as well. With her length and athletic ability she should be a great addition to the program."
As a freshman and a sophomore she helped lead her team to two Florida Community College Athletics Association regional state championship appearances while winning the 2007 Southern Tournament Championship finishing the season 20-14 overall and 10-2 in conference play … this past season, Dayna led the team to another conference championship with a 17-10 overall record and an 11-1 mark in the Southern Conference … she ranked fourth in region 8 in scoring with 16.5 ppg and second in rebounding with a 12.6 per game average … she was also third in free throw percentage with 76.6 percent and sixth in steals with 3.1 per game … her rebound total was sixth in the nation … as a sophomore she recorded 20 double doubles and was named FCCAA all-Southern Conference first team, a 2008 WBCA State Far Coaches Honorable Mention All-American, first team all FCCAA all-state and all-region team as well as the 2008 Miami Dade Women's Basketball Athlete of the Year.
Lauren Henry • 5-4 • Guard • Randolph, Kan. • Blue Valley Randolph High School
McHenry on Henry: "Lauren will add to the depth of our point guard position. She brings a great deal of energy with her game and which will strengthen our team."
A first team all-state selection in basketball as a senior and third team all-state as a junior … named first team all-league and all-area … a member of the KBCA all-star game … will also play soccer at Washburn … a member of the Olympic Development Program state soccer regional pool team … soccer accolades include first team all-league, first team all-region. Personal: Born Aug. 30, 1990 … daughter of Terry and Tammie Henry … undecided on anticipated major.
Raychel Boling • 6-0 • Junior • Forward • Topeka, Kan. • Seaman High School/Fort Hays State
McHenry on Boling: "Raychel has conference experience and should gain a knowledge of our system while sitting out the transfer year. Her physical play will contribute to the team in her remaining years of eligibility."
Will sit out the 2008-09 season due to MIAA intra-transfer rules … as a sophomore for the Lady Tigers, she played in 23 games averaging 3.0 points, 1.5 rebounds while playing 6.7 minutes per game … as a freshman at Fort Hays State, she played in all 27 games for the Lady Tigers … led the team in field goal percentage (48.6%) for players with a minimum of 100 attempts … had a team high in rebounds in two games … recorded a season-high 13 points against Oklahoma-Panhandle State in Hays … had a season-high nine rebounds at St. Mary’s (Texas) … recorded a season-high three assists against Bethany College in Hays … had a season-high fi ve steals against Stephens College (Mo.) in Hays … logged a season-high 22 minutes on five occasions. At Seaman High School: A 2006 graduate who was Named Female Athlete of the Year … led team in scoring during senior season … played in the 2005-06 KBCA All-Star Game … a two-time All-City selection in Topeka … the 2006 All-City Player of the Year in Topeka … two-time All-State selection … two-time all-league selection … member of AAU team that qualified for nationals … averaged 18 points, seven rebounds and one assist per game as a senior … shot 82 percent from the free-throw line in 2005-06 … shot 50 percent from the fl oor in 2005-06 … connected on 40 percent of shots beyond the three-point arc in senior year … averaged two steals per game as a senior … recorded 16 blocked shots in 2005-06 … lettered four years in basketball, three years in volleyball and two years in track and fi eld for the Vikings.
Personal: Daugther of Sam and Rhonda Boling.
Stevi Schultz • 5-9 • Guard • Neodesha, Kan. • Neodesha High School
McHenry on Schultz: "Stevi is a nice perimeter scorer who can play the game. Her outside shooting should be a nice addition to the program."
A three-time all-league selection who earned all-area honors two times and was the all-area MVP as well … earned all-class, all-state second team honors as a senior … will play in the KBCA all-star game as well as two other all-star games … owns the Kansas State Hall of Fame record for free throws made in a game without a miss when she hit 24 of 24 … averaged 20.4 points, 9.0 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 2.3 blocks and 4.0 steals per game as a senior while connecting on 149 of 181 free throw attempts for her career (.823) … named class 3A all-state honorable mention and was a class 3A all-state first team pick two seasons. Personal: Daughter of Gary and Karolyn Schultz … anticipated major is accounting.
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