Ladyjack Basketball Adds Two to 2016 Signing Class
4/15/2016 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
NACOGDOCHES, Texas - The Stephen F. Austin women's basketball team has added two student-athletes to its 2016 signing class, head coach Mark Kellogg announced on Friday afternoon.
The two newest Ladyjacks are 5-10 shooting guard/small forward Lovisa Brunnberg from Stockholm, Sweden (BG Luleå) and 5-5 junior college transfer Taylor Jackson from Frisco, Texas (Collin College/Frisco Heritage HS). The talented duo will join the Ladyjacks for the upcoming 2016-17 season.
"We are thrilled and excited to add Lovisa and Taylor to the Ladyjack family," said Kellogg. "Both of these young ladies bring tremendous work ethic and talent to the classroom and to the basketball court. We filled some holes on our roster and added more depth to our team. We expect Lovisa and Taylor to have an immediate impact on our program."
Lovisa Brunnberg • 5-10 • G/F • Luleå, Sweden • BG Luleå
Lovisa Brunnberg will make the trip to Nacogdoches all the way from Luleå, Sweden this summer to begin her Ladyjack career. Originally from Stockholm, Sweden, Brunnberg moved to Luleå when she was 16 years old to pursue basketball along with her education. She currently plays for BG Luleå in the Swedish Basketball Federation Youth Development Program. She is part of one of the best programs in the country, with her team going for their third straight championship. Brunnberg has also competed on the Swedish National Team and will look to compete again for her country this summer.
Brunnberg, a 5-10 shooting guard/small forward who likes to play with speed and get out in transition, has played in Luleå for three years. During that time she has helped her team win three Swedish Championship gold medals and two golds and a bronze from the Scania Cup - the unofficial Nordic Championship. She was named to the All-Star Team during the Swedish Championship Final Four and has been tabbed MVP after the semifinals while competing nationally at the U19 division.
Brunnberg studied social science at Luleå and graduated last June.
Kellogg on Brunnberg: "Lovisa is a student-athlete that has played basketball internationally at a high level in Sweden which will translate well to the collegiate game. She has a high basketball IQ, an ability to shoot the ball from three, put it on the floor and get to the free throw line. Lovisa's best basketball is ahead of her and she will be fun to watch over the next four years."
Taylor Jackson • 5-5 • G • Frisco, Texas • Collin College/Frisco Heritage HS
Taylor Jackson will make the transition to Division I basketball next season after playing two years at Collin County Community College in McKinney, Texas. Jackson guided the Lady Cougars to back-to-back North Texas Junior College Athletic Conference championships in 2014-15 and 2015-16, being named the league MVP as a sophomore last season. She averaged 16.0 points, 3.5 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game while starting all 32 games during her sophomore campaign, leading her team to a school record 26 wins and a No. 12 ranking in the country. Following the year, she was named NJCAA Honorable Mention All-American and First Team All-Region.
In two seasons at Collin College, Jackson scattered her name all over the school record books. She ranks fourth all-time in steals (147), seventh in assists (181) and 10th in total points (662) to highlight the list.
Jackson played her high school ball at Frisco Heritage in Frisco, Texas, where she was an All-District 9-4A First Team selection as well as an All-TABC Region II pick. She ended her prep career as her school's all-time leader in assists with 224.
Kellogg on Jackson: "Taylor is a dynamic combo guard that just finished a fantastic season playing for Jeff Allen at Collin County Community College. Taylor has a natural feel for the game that allows her to score the basketball or get her teammates involved at the right times. She is a great defender as well and can guard multiple positions. Taylor is a fantastic addition to our program and a player Ladyjack fans will enjoy watching."
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Brunnberg and Jackson join Riley Harvey and Alaysia Ready, who signed National Letters of Intent last fall, to make up SFA's four-member 2016 signing class. The group will join a strong returning core for SFA, which features 2016 First Team All-Southland Conference guard Taylor Ross.
"With Lovisa, Taylor [Jackson] and the additions of Riley and Alaysia in the early signing period, the future looks bright for Ladyjack basketball," Kellogg said. "This is a talented group on and off the court that will make the SFA and Nacogdoches community proud."
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