Jayhawks recruit juco ranks hard

By J-W Staff Reports May 28, 2003

Four junior college transfers have been added to Kansas University’s women’s basketball roster, coach Marian Washington announced Tuesday.

The four additions are:

Kaylee Brown, a 5-foot-7 guard from Northern Oklahoma College in Enid. Brown, a native of Edmond, Okla., averaged 18.8 points a game last season.
Syretta Coleman, a 5-9 guard from Los Angeles Valley CC. Coleman, a native of Chandler, Ariz., began her college career at UC Santa Barbara. She averaged 18.6 points a game last season and was named MVP of her conference. She was Arizona’s high school player of the year as a senior in Chandler.
LaRisha Graves, a 5-8 guard-forward from Southwest Tennessee CC. A native of Jackson, Miss., Graves averaged 15.7 points a game with a team-high 63 steals last season. She originally signed with Mississippi State.
Kandis Bonner, a 6-foot-1 power forward from Wabash Valley College in Mt. Carmel, Ill. A native of Peoria, Ill., Bonner began her college career at Bradley.
All of the transfers are juniors except Brown who will be classified as a sophomore.

“We feel we have taken a strong step as we work to re-establish our proud women’s basketball tradition at KU,” said Washington, who will be in the last year of a three-year contract in 2003-04.

Kansas has had three consecutive losing seasons, including last year’s 11-19 record.

The Jayhawks have won only three Big 12 Conference games in the last two years.

“All four of these players are highly talented individuals and will impact our team at every position,” Washington said.

The four transfers join freshmen Lauren Ervin, a touted 6-3 forward from Inglewood (Calif.) High, and Sharita Smith, a 5-8 guard from Dallas Lincoln High, as members of Washington’s recruiting class. Ervin and Smith signed in November.

Tuesday’s announcement came just four days after Washington revealed that three players — Keila Beachem, Brandi McGinest and Ebony Haliburton — had decided to transfer to other schools.