Nov. 12, 2008

CAPE GIRARDEAU, MO. (Wednesday, November 12, 2008) – Redhawks women’s basketball coach John Ishee has announced the signing of five highly touted prep players to National Letters of Intent on the first day of the NCAA Early Signing Period. Shelah Fields, Brittany Harriel, Jasmine Lewis, Shanece Miller and Bailie Roberts will join the Redhawks team for the 2009-2010 basketball season and represents the largest early signing class under Coach Ishee.

Fields a 5-6 point guard from St. Louis, Missouri averaged 16.3 points, 3.9 assists and 2.8 steals per game for the Riverview Gardens Rams over the last two seasons. She was named Suburban North Player of the Year in 2006 and in 2007 was a 1st Team All-Conference selection after leading her team to a 17-7 record. Coached by Jaron Young she is ranked in the top-10 percent of her graduating class academically.

Harriel is a 6-1 forward from Lakota West High School in Cincinnati, Ohio who averaged 3.3 points and 1.7 rebounds per game as she split time between the Firebirds’ junior varsity and varsity squads. In her 19 games at the varsity level last season as a junior she backed up current University of Tennessee Lady Vols freshman Amber Gray. She was a key member of a team that played in the state title game. Coached by Andy Fishman, Harriel currently maintains a 3.7 grade point average. Her mother Megan was a standout collegiate basketball and volleyball player who was inducted in Bowling Green State University’s Hall of Fame in 2006, played professionally in Ireland.

Shelah Fields has averaged 16.3 ppg, 3.9 apg and 2.7 spg over the last two seasons for Riverview Gardens High School

Lewis a 5-10 guard from Fulton High School in Knoxville, Tennessee was an All-State selection last season after averaging 17.6 points and 6.0 rebounds per game. She led the Lady Falcons to their first district title as a junior and earned her District 3AA Player of the Year accolades. She was also an All-State Honorable Mention by the Knoxville News-Sentinel.

Miller is a 6-1 post player from Cincinnati, Ohio who will be a senior at Anderson Senior High School. She averaged 11.3 points, 10.1 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 2.0 blocks per game for the Redskins last season. She had four games in which she scored 20 points or more and recorded 19 rebounds in one game under prep coach Chris Carletti. She garnered D-I All-District Honorable Mention honors last season.

Roberts is from Maryville, Tennessee just outside of Knoxville where she plays for the Lady Rebels of Maryville High School under head coach Kim Bledsoe. She averaged 17.0 points and 7.8 rebounds per game as the team’s starting forward last season. She was a two-time Knoxville News-Sentinel Player of the Week selection as a junior and was also an All-State Honorable Mention by the Knoxville News-Sentinel.

The Redhawks have two remaining scholarships for next season as they currently have seven seniors on this year’s team.