Women’s basketball: Another top recruit coming to town
Photo by Ron Johnson, Peoria Journal Star. Peoria Richwoods High School player Mariah Smith poses as the paper's girls basketball player of the year.
Iowa women’s basketball is hosting another Top 100 recruit this weekend. Six-foot-1 wing Mariah Smith — ranked 57th nationally by ESPN HoopGurlz — is making her official visit.
Peoria Richwoods High School coach Todd Hursey said his star senior was coming Friday to Iowa City and going to the football game Saturday.
“She’s been followed by the coaching staff there at Iowa,” Hursey said. “She’s gotten some offers from quite a few schools.”
Smith averaged 16 points and 6.3 rebounds per game last season. She shot 61 percent from the field and 78 percent from the free-throw line.
Asked to describe her, Hursey made it short: “A stud.”
“She’s a six-foot guard, good both inside and outside. She’s just a phenomenal player and ranked one of the best in the nation.”
Smith has Iowa among her final five teams. Others on her list include Illinois, Princeton and Yale. HoopGurlz announced Thursday her fifth school was Michigan State.
Her schools show Smith has plenty going for her on the academic side as well.
“She’s very intelligent,” Hursey said. “She’s a very bright kid and a good basketball player.”
Hursey didn’t think Smith had a timeline, but predicted she’d make all her officials visits and probably make her decision before her senior season at Richwoods in Peoria, Ill.
In addition to Smith, Iowa will also be hosting Des Moines East senior Markisha Wright. The 6-foot-3 post is ranked as the 21st-best post in the 2011 class by HoopGurlz.
Iowa already has three verbal commitments in its 2011 class — 6-1 City High forward Virginia Johnson (ranked 62nd); 5-11 Racine, Wis., wing Samantha Logic (ranked 10th); and 5-7 Cincinnati, Ohio, guard Kathryn Reynolds.
Category: Iowa Hawkeyes women's basketball
The recent developments in the women’s bball program are not surprising. I used to attend church with Lisa Bluder in Davenport, IA. What an amazing woman (and family). Congratulations Lady Cagers and GO HAWKS!!
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[...] permalink Originally Posted by ARSON Bluder is making it hard on the other big 11 schools and turning it up on BF with her 3rd solid pick up for next. I think on talent alone that this game should be considerably harder if not for BF being the superior coach Iowa Hawkeyes Basketball Recruiting 2011 – ESPN Iowa is also in on Mariah Smith the a six foot wing ranked 57 by ESPN. She was at the ISU-Iowa game. Women’s basketball: Another top recruit coming to town | Hawk Central [...]
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