April 10, 2002

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo.- Southeast Missouri State women's basketball head coach B.J. Smith has announced the signing of five student-athletes who will suit up for the 2002-03 edition of the Otahkians on Wednesday, the first day of the Spring national signing period.

The five are just a start for the Southeast team, as Coach Smith expects to sign three more players during the signing period, possibly some by the end of the week or early next week.

The first part of the incoming class includes three players who played on Smith's Northeastern Oklahoma A&M squad that finished the 2001-02 season as NJCAA national runners-up. Four of the five players also hail from foreign countries and will be the first foreign players to ever suit up for the Otahkian basketball team.

The five players are Sarah Costello, Louise McGoldrick, Brandi Russia, Miah Lee Shelford and Carina Souza and all are junior college transfers.

Russia and Souza were both named NJCAA Honorable Mention All-Americans after their seasons at Northeastern Oklahoma.

"This is a really good start for us," Smith said. "These five players form a good nucleus to help our program go where we want to go. They are all talented and committed to helping us establish a perennial top 20 or 30 Division I program."

Sarah Costello
Guard ... 5'4 ... Junior ... Mascot, Australia ... transfer from Seminole State Community College ... Sacred Heart High School ... named to 2002 NJCAA Region II All-Tournament team ... in high school was member of All-State team in 1997, 98 and 2000 ... named MVP of Grand Final Sydney Championships in 1999 ... school 'Sportswoman of the Year' from 1996-2000.

Coach Smith Says: "Sarah is a point guard that we truly need for our offense. She will provide many qualities. She is very athletic, quick, can shoot the ball and has great point guard instincts. She will give the leadership we need on the court."

Louise McGoldrick
Forward ... 6'1 ... Junior ... Edinburgh, Scotland ... transfer from Marshalltown Junior College ... NJCAA first-team All-Region in 2002 ... averaged 15 points, 9.8 rebounds, 2.5 blocks, 2.0 steals and 1.3 assists per game last season.

Coach Smith Say: "Louise is a very athletic, aggressive four player. She runs the floor, is powerful and really aggressive both offensively and defensively."

Brandi Russia
Guard ... 5'7 ... Junior ... Cincinnati, Ohio ... transfer from Northeastern Oklahoma A&M ... Robert A. Taft High School ... 2002 NJCAA Honorable Mention All-American ... averaged 10.1 points, 3.2 assists and 3.9 rebounds during 2001-02 season ... shot 47.2% from the field and 38.0% (44-116) from three-point range ... selected NJCAA Region II Player of the Year and named All-American after averaging 12.9 points, 3.2 assists, 4.2 rebounds and 2.6 steals per game her freshman season at NEO ... her 12.9 points per game led the team ... averaged nearly a triple-double (24 points, 10 rebounds and 7 assists) per game during her senior year of high school.

Coach Smith Says: "Brandi is the type of player who does whatever you want. She can defend, score, pass the ball and rebound. She brings great competitiveness and always comes to play her best in big games."

Miah Lee Shelford
Forward ... 5'11 ... Sophomore ... Papatoetoe, New Zealand ... transfer from Northeastern Oklahoma A&M ... Epsom Girls Grammar High School ...averaged 7.3 points and 5.5 rebounds per game during 2001-02 season while shooting 47% from the field and blocked a team-high 26 shots ... averaged 21 points and 11 rebounds per game at Epsom Grammar.

Coach Smith Says: "Miah is a true power forward, the type that likes to bangs round inside. She is a great finisher, when she puts the ball up it is usually going to go in. She finishes and scores in traffic well."

Carina Souza
Forward ... 6'1 ... Junior ... Florianopolis, Brazil ... transfer from Northeastern Oklahoma A&M ... Decisao and Divino Salvador High School ... 2002 NJCAA Honorable Mention All-American ... MVP of 2002 regional tournament ... averaged 9.1 points and 4.2 rebounds per game in 2001-02 while shooting 54% from the field ... named to All Bi-State conference team as a freshman after averaging 9.5 points and 5.9 rebounds per game and shooting 59% from the field ... guided her high school team to the Sao Paulo State Championship while averaging 15 points and 10 rebounds per contest ... selected to NJCAA All-Region II team as a freshman at NEO when she averaged 10 points and six rebounds per game.

Coach Smith Says: "Every coach hopes to get to coach a player like Carina. She is the perfect student, perfect worker and she stays focus. She can play on the perimeter, put the ball on the floor and post up out of the three and four spots."