April 17, 2007

WINSTON-SALEM, NC - Talent and size highlight the Winston-Salem State Lady Rams' 2007 signing class. WSSU head coach Dee Stokes added some much needed height to the Lady Rams' squad that had just two players 5'11" and taller last season. Of the team's six signees, four are at least 5'11" tall. Combined with three signings in the early period, the Lady Rams have signed a total of nine players for next season's squad.

"I cannot tell you how excited I am about our entire recruiting class.  We have not only great athletes, but great students as well, even a 4.0 student in this class.  When we signed the three early, I stated that we still had some work to do, and my intention was to sign one at each position.  Well we have done that and we only need one more center to seal the deal," Winston-Salem State women's basketball head Coach Dee Stokes.  "We needed size and the ability to shoot from the perimeter at every position especially our guard positions and we got that."

The Lady Rams' 2007 signing class includes Patrice Wade, a 5'8" guard from Chattanooga State Technical Community College, Corbin Bradford, a 5'7" guard from High Point Andrews High School, Montague Austin, a 5'6" guard from Dudley High School, Rene Rector, a 5'6" guard from Mt. Tabor High School here in Winston Salem, Nikki Kee, a 5'8" forward also from Dudley High School, and Vontisha Woods, a 6' forward from George Washington High School in Danville, VA.  These six signings added to the three signings during the early period, bring the class to a total of nine for the Lady Rams.

Highlighting the WSSU signees is guard Patrice Wade, originally from Clarksville, Tennessee. She spent the 2005-2006 season at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock before transferring to Chattanooga State.  Last season, Patrice averaged 12.2 points, 4.89 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 2.3 steals per game. She led her team to the regional finals of the NJCAA tournament where they were upset by Walters State who went on to the NJCAA national tournament. "She was a major contributor to our team and brought the sophomore leadership we needed throughout the season," remarked Chattanooga State head coach Bart Walker. "She plays much bigger than her size and she has her best basketball ahead of her. We were proud to have her at Chattanooga State and know she will have great success at WSSU." Wade's addition to the Lady Rams' squad has given Winston-Salem State head coach Dee Stokes reason for excitement. "Patrice Wade is a steal for us, she brings us collegiate playing experience, and she will be one of the best shooting guards in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference. She can be explosive off the dribble and shoots the `3' ball very well."

Guard Corbin Bradford is another talented WSSU signed. A local talent, she averaged 14.9 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 5.5 steals per game and while shooting 75.4% from the free throw line last season. She was selected to the Piedmont Triad 3A All-Conference team, along with many other tournament and area awards.  Her high school coach Weaver Walden says, "Corbin is a wonderful young lady and an exceptional athlete. She was the heart and soul of our team this year. She put her heart into every practice and game. Corbin will be greatly missed in our program and I know she will do a great job at the next level."

"Corbin is my kind of player because she plays with passion," Stokes said of Bradford. "I saw her team play in a triple overtime thriller where she scored 24 or so, I believe, but I knew right then I had to offer the kid. She played with more passion than I have seen from a high school kid maybe in my entire career."

Another addition to the WSSU backcourt will be guard Montague Austin, who averaged eight points,  seven assists, and four steals per game and led her team to three straight Little Four Championship game appearances, three straight Regional Final appearances, a conference tournament championship in 2004-2005, and regular season championships in '05-06 & '06-'07. "`Tegue' and also earned conference honorable mention in those two seasons. Dudley high school coach Kristal Britton says, "Montague Austin was our team's most improved player in her senior season. She is an excellent guard with superior court vision. She is a fierce competitor who is sure to excel at the next level. She is more focused now than I have ever seen in her career."

Local product Rene Rector is a hometown prospect who should also give the team some much needed support in the backcourt. She averaged 16.9 points and 6.4 assists per game and was the Central Piedmont 4A Player of the Year. "Rene is a true point guard and a great leader on and off the court," Rector's high school head coach Rick Anderson said. "Her best asset is that she will make everyone around her a better player."

"Rene and Montague will hold down the point guard position for us.  They are different players, but similar in their abilities to take over a game," Stokes said of her new guards. "They won't let us lose when the game gets tight. They will both have an impact from behind the three point line, and we sorely need that."

Forward Nikki Kee will help shore up the Lady Rams' front line when she joins the Lady Rams this fall. She averaged 7.5 points,  five rebounds,  and 2.5 assists per game while shooting 85% from the free throw line.  Her coach, Kristal Britton has high praise for the forward. "[She is] a strong swingman with a great outside shot," Britton said of Kee. "Her long range shooting is complimented by her mid-range jump shot and her ability to drive to the basket and finish."

Forward Vontisha Woods joins her teammate, early signee Ashlynn Massey on the Lady Rams roster. She averaged a double-double with 13.7 points and 14.5 rebounds oer game to go along with 7.5 steals per game. George Washington head coach Wayne Shelton had high praise for the forward. "She is an outstanding basketball player and is one of the most athletic individuals to come through GW." Shelton said. "I am very proud that she is getting the opportunity to showcase her talents on the next level. She will be greatly missed and has a lot of promise as a future Lady Ram."

"We got late commitments from Vontisha and Nikki, but they will also be valuable assets to our program," WSSU head coach Dee Stokes said. "Vontisha is quiet, but explosive on the floor. She has the ability to take over a game. Nikki is left handed as is Tegue, and she loves playing on the left side of the floor and shooting the three."

With such a talented crop of newcomers, Winston-Salem State head women's basketball coach Dee Stokes has a lot to look forward to in the future. "Our fans and alums will be very excited with this young influx of talent," Stokes said of the 2007 signing class. "We are building for the future here at WSSU."

LADY RAM SIGNING CLASS

5'10"    G/F      Jalesa Byrd                  Myers Park High School           Charlotte, NC

6'1"      F/C      Ashlynn Massey           George Washington High School   Danville, VA

6'0       F/C      Vontisha Woods          George Washington High School   Danville, VA

5'11"    F          Quintoya Mobley          York High School                     York, SC

5'6"         G             Rene Rector                         Mount Tabor High School                  Winston-Salem, NC

5'8"      G         Patrice Wade               Chattanooga State                  Chattanooga, TN

5'7"      G         Corbin Bradford           Andrews High School               High Point, NC

5'6"      G         Montague Austin          Dudley High School                 Greensboro, NC

5'8"      F          Nikki Kee                      Dudley High School                 Greensboro, NC