Wisconsin Signs Five Women's Basketball Players
November 12, 2003 | Women's Basketball
Badger women's basketball coach Lisa Stone announced her first recruiting class at Wisconsin in a news conference at the Kohl Center this afternoon. Five athletes have signed national letters of intent to play basketball and attend Wisconsin next fall.
Signees include Jolene Anderson, a 5-8 guard from Port Wing, Wis. (South Shore High School); Akiya Alexander, a 5-9 guard from Evanston, Ill. (The Patterson School, Patterson, N.C.); Lesha Jones, a 6-3 post player from Detroit, Mich. (Martin Luther King High School); Danielle Ward, a 6-4 post player from Milwaukee, Wis. (Rufus King High School); Shari' Welton, a 5-11 guard from Calumet City, Ill. (Thornwood High School).
With both of Wisconsin's post players graduating this year, the frontline required an immediate infusion of height and skill. Lesha Jones is a 6-3 left-handed post player who is considered the top player in Detroit and a leading candidate for Miss Basketball in the State of Michigan. She played in the 2003 USA Women's Youth Development Festival, and is currently ranked No. 56 by the Blue Star Index and No. 73 by the All-Star Girls Report (ASGR). She was an adidas All-American camp participant two years and as a junior was ranked No. 13 among post players by ASGR. Her team at King is 17-0 right now, and begins the state tournament next week. She is averaging 22 points, 12 rebounds and four blocks per game.
Danielle Ward is a very athletic 6-4 left-handed post player who averaged 15 points, 10 rebounds, four steals and three blocks as a junior. She's ranked No. 135 overall by the ASGR and ranks as their 33rd best center. She participated in the adidas All-American Camp (two years). As a junior she earned all-state honorable mention honors and was first team all-conference her sophomore and junior seasons.
Wisconsin's backcourt will take on considerable speed, athleticism and scoring ability with the addition of three versatile guards. Akiya Alexander is ranked No. 84 by the ASGR. She is attending The Patterson School, a prep school in North Carolina after attending high school at Evanston Township. An excellent athlete, Alexander is one of three Badger recruits who are members of the Chicago Hoops Express AAU team (along with current UW sophomore Jordan Wilson). She participated in the adidas All-American camp two years.
Shari' Welton is another member of the Chicago Hoops Express AAU team. Welton lives in Calumet City, Ill., and played at South Holland, Ill. She is ranked the 155th best wing in the nation by ASGR. She averaged a double-double as a junior with 18 point and 10 rebounds per game while leading her team to a 24-5 season.
Jolene Anderson is a high-scoring guard from South Shore High School in Port Wing, Wis. near Lake Superior. She originally committed to Wisconsin last winter. She is ranked the 52nd best shooting guard in the nation by ASGR, and with 1,928 points and a career average of 25 points per game, she should become the state's of all-time leading scorer during her senior season.
The Badgers could sign as many as seven players in this early signing period. Guard Shawna Nicols, who taking a medical redshirt due to multiple head injuries, will continue on scholarship at Wisconsin, but the scholarship will not be counted against the NCAA complement of 15 allowed on aid.
2003 University of Wisconsin Recruits
Nov. 12, 2003
1-Lesha Jones, 6-3 Post Player, Detroit, Mich.; (Martin Luther King High School)
Lesha Jones is a big strong post player who is considered the top player in Detroit and leading candidate for Miss Basketball in the state of Michigan. Jones has played at the USA Development Festival. She is currently ranked No. 56 by the Blue Star Index and 73 by the All-Star Girls Report.
' 6-3, left-handed
' Participated in the 2003 USA Women's Youth Development Festival
' Played on USA Developmental North Squad
' Ranked No. 56 best overall player in the country by Blue Star Index
' Ranked No. 73 best overall player in the country by All-Star Girls Report
' Ranked No. 13 best power forward in the country by All-Star Girls Report
' AAU Team: Michigan Crusaders
' Overall record: 17-0
' Team won PSL (Public School League) title nine-straight years and four years in her tenure
' Stats: 22 points, 12 rebounds, four blocks as a junior
' Final considerations: Wisconsin, Old Dominion, Louisiana Tech, Miami (Fla)
44-Danielle Ward, 6-4 Post Player, Milwaukee, Wis. (Rufus King High School)
Danielle Ward is an athletic left-handed post player ranked No. 135 by the All-Star Girls Report.
She participated in the adidas All-American Camp (two years).
' 6-4, 165 lbs., left-handed
' Ranked No. 135 best overall player in the country by All-Star Girls Report
' Ranked No. 33 best center in the country by All-Star Girls Report
' Stats: 15 points, 10 rebounds, four steals, three blocks as a junior
' King's all-time leader in blocked shots
' AAU Team: Chicago Hoops Express
' 18-3 team record, junior year
' All-area junior year
' All-area honorable mention
' First team all-conference, junior and sophomore years
' All-state honorable mention ' junior and sophomore years
' Final considerations: Purdue, Iowa, Minnesota and Alabama among others
41-Jolene Anderson, 5-10 Guard, Port Wing, Wis.; South Shore High School
Anderson is an excellent athlete. She originally committed to Wisconsin last winter. During her senior season she should become the state of Wisconsin 's all-time leading scorer.
' Ranked No. 52 best shooting guard in the country by All-Star Girls Report
' Stats: 31 ppg average during season; 8 assists/game; 8 steals/game; record 47 points in one game
' Percentages: 30% 3-point, 52% 2-point, 88% free throws
' Total career points: 1,928; career average: 25 points per game
' All-Conference 2000-2003 years in basketball
' All-Duluth Area team, 2002-2003
' Indianhead District Honorable mention in volleyball (2003)
' Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel honorable mention (2003)
' Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association All-State team in 2003
' State Track qualifier 2002-2003
2002 ' 4th long jump
2003 ' 800-meter relay
' 2003 All-Indianhead Conference team, 800-meter relay
' AAU team: Wisconsin Viking Club
' Final considerations: Minnesota and Marquette, but committed to Wisconsin as a junior
21-Akiya Alexander, 5-9 Point Guard/wing, Evanston, Ill.; (Evanston Township High School and The Patterson School, a prep school in Patterson, N.C.)
Ranked 84th by the ASGR, played at The Patterson School, a prep school in North Carolina after attending high school in Evanston. Alexander is an excellent athlete and participated in the adidas All-American camp two years.
' Ranked No. 84 best overall player by All-Star Girls Report
' Ranked No. 18 best shooting guard by All-Star Girls Report
' adidas All-American camp (2 years)
' Stats: 12 points, 7 assists, 5 rebounds, senior year at Evanston Township
' All-conference, junior and senior years
' MVP, adidas Tournament of Champions
' MVP, 17 & Under Tracy McGrady Blue Division
' AAU Team: Chicago Hoops Express
' Two-time Top-50 player, Chicago Tribune and Chicago Sun Times
' All-tournament, Dundee Crown Christmas tournament
' All-tournament, Maine West Thanksgiving tournament
' Final considerations: Indiana, Minnesota, Fordham, Fresno State
2-Shari' Welton, 5-11 Guard, South Holland, Ill.; Thornwood High School
A member of Chicago Hoops Express AAU team along with Akiya Alexander; Welton lives in Calumet City, Ill., played at South Holland, Ill. She is ranked the 155th best wing in the nation by ASGR.
' Ranked No. 155 best wing in the country by All-Star Girls Report
' All-conference
' Stats: 18 points, 10 rebounds junior year
' Team 24-5 junior year
' AAU Team: Chicago Hoops Express
' Member of National Honor Society
' Final considerations: Illinois, Illinois State, New Orleans, and Northern Illinois
