Women's Basketball Signs Four for 2015-16
11/13/2014 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
NACOGDOCHES, Texas - Stephen F. Austin head women's basketball coach Brandon Schneider has announced the signing of four recruits to National Letters of Intent on Thursday morning during the early signing period.
The talented class will be made up of three guards and a center, all coming from the high school ranks. KJ Stastny (Guard, Celina HS), Chanell Hayes (Guard, Texas HS), Kennedy Harris (Guard, Anderson HS) and Chelsea Lott (Center, Fort Bend Hightower HS) will all join the Ladyjack basketball family next season.
Schneider and the Ladyjack coaching staff expect the four young women to play pivotal roles right away for SFA when they come to campus next fall. The class features size, energy, athleticism, tremendous defensive ability as well as offensive weapons that can score from all over the court.
Stastny joins the Ladyjacks from Celina, Texas where she currently attends Celina High School. The 5-9 guard will be an offensive threat whenever she's on the court.
"KJ is an extremely skilled, high IQ basketball player," Schneider said. "She can finish at the rim with both hands, she has a terrific mid-range game, and is a consistent threat from three-point range. Her vision and ability to make those around her better could make her an impact player at multiple positions throughout her career."
Hayes will make the journey to Nacogdoches from Texarkana, Texas where she currently enrolls at Texas High School. Another scoring option at Schneider's disposal, Hayes brings size to the SFA backcourt at 5-11.
"Chanell has tremendous size and athleticism for a perimeter player," said Schneider. "She is a knock down three-point shooter, but she also possesses the game to make plays off the bounce. Her ability to score from multiple spots, rebound on both ends, and defend with energy makes her a great asset to our team."
Rounding out the new trio of SFA guards is Kennedy Harris. Harris, listed at 5-8, signed her NLI from Anderson High School in Austin, Texas. The Ladyjacks will rely on her to contribute on both sides of the ball and while bringing high intensity every play.
"Kennedy is an athletic combo guard who is a hard-nosed defender," Schneider said. "Offensively, she can finish at the rim and stretch the defense with her range beyond the arc. She is strong, explosive, and very fundamentally sound. Kennedy is tough, competitive, and never takes a play off. Her energy and aggressive style allow her to make plays on both ends of the court."
The final key component of the new Ladyjack unit is Chelsea Lott. A 6-3 center from Houston, Texas, Lott attends Fort Bend Hightower High School where current Ladyjack Brittney Matthew made her mark during her earlier playing days. Lott is expected to be a vital physical presence on the low blocks for SFA during her career.
"Chelsea will bring a long, athletic presence to our front line," said Schneider. "She's an outstanding rebounder and has the skill level to play in both the low and high post areas. She also has the potential to be an enforcer and paint protector on the defensive end. Chelsea has tremendous upside and we are excited to have her as an addition to our program."
The Ladyjacks, who are the preseason favorites in the Southland Conference, will open the 2014-15 season on Saturday night against Louisiana Tech in William R. Johnson Coliseum. Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m.
-SFA-
