May 20, 2002

2002-03 Otahkian Basketball Roster

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. - Southeast Missouri women's basketball coach B.J. Smith has announced the signing of Kenja White to a national letter of intent for the 2002-03 basketball season. White is the ninth player to sign with the Otahkians in the Spring signing period and joins three other former NEO players, Brandi Russia, Miah Lee Shelford and Carina Souza, on the Otahkian roster for 2002-03.

White, a 5'8 shooting guard, averaged 16.0 points, 5.8 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 2.0 steals while playing for Coach Smith at Northeastern Oklahoma A&M during the 1999-2000 season. That year, NEO finished with a 33-4 overall record and were conference champions. Following that season, White was ranked the top junior college guard by several different recruiting sources and drew interest from several prominent programs, including the University of Connecticut.

Following that season, White took two seasons away from the basketball court for personal reasons although she did finish up enough class credits to transfer to Southeast Missouri. At Southeast, White will have sophomore athletic eligibility.

"Kenja is a very athletic, very skilled guard," said Coach Smith. "She is very strong and offensively she can take over a game by herself. She is not the type of player that needs screens or a lot of help, she can get her own shot. She is a very determined basketball player."

White, who is originally from the Chicago suburb of Waukegan, Ill., joins Sarah Costello, Louise McGoldrick, Brandi Russia, Tiffanne Ryan, Miah Lee Shelford, Yashika Sidbury, Carina Souza and Natasha Starkes as the other signees for next season for Southeast Missouri and first-year head coach B.J. Smith.

Coach Smith expects one more, the tenth of the class, signing before the end of the national signing period.