From UConn:
STORRS, Conn. – The University of Connecticut women’s basketball team has received National Letters of Intent from three student-athletes in the early signing period, as announced by head coach Geno Auriemma on Wednesday. De’Janae Boykin, Katie Lou Samuelson and Napheesa Collier will all join the Huskies for the start of the 2015-16 season.
DE’JANAE BOYKIN | 6-2 | F | Springdale, Md. | Charles H. Flowers High School
HIGH SCHOOL NOTES: Enters her senior year with 1,096 points, 659 rebounds, 247 assists, 91 steals and 118 blocked shots … Was the 2014 Maryland Gatorade Player of the Year as a junior after averaging 21.1 points, 15.8 rebounds, 7.1 assists, 3.2 steals, and 3.0 blocked shots in leading Charles H. Flowers High to a 17-2 record … As a sophomore in 2012-13, averaged 15.7 points, 8.3 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 2.1 steals, and 2.0 blocked shots to help Flowers to a 19-4 record and the Maryland 4A South final … Played her freshman year at Riverdale Baptist and averaged 8.0 points and 4.0 rebounds to help her team to a 38-2 record and a national top-five ranking.
USA BASKETBALL NOTES: Has won three gold medals in international competition … Teamed with fellow UConn recruits Napheesa Collier and Katie Lou Samuelson in August to win gold (3×3 competition) at the 2014 Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing, China … Started all seven games for Team USA at the 2014 FIBA U-17 world championships in the Czech Republic and averaged 5.1 points, 6.1 rebounds (second on the team), 2.3 assists (tied for second) and 1.1 steals (tied for third). The Americans finished 7-0 and won the gold medal by beating Spain on July 6 … Started all five games of the 2013 FIBA Americas U-16 championship that was played June 19-23 in Cancun, Mexico, and averaged 8.4 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 2.2 steals to help Team USA to a 5-0 record.
PERSONAL: Born on May 4, 1997, in Washington, D.C., to Sheila and Jeff; has a younger brother, Joshua, and an older sister, Janiesha. Father, Jeff, served as a U.S. Marine; sister, Janiesha is in the U.S. Navy.
KATIE LOU SAMUELSON | 6-3 | G/F | Huntington Beach, Calif. | Mater Dei High School
HIGH SCHOOL NOTES: Was the 2014 California Gatorade Player of the Year, one of three finalists for the 2014 Naismith Award as national Player of the Year, and a USA Today first-team All-American as a junior after averaging 26.3 points, 9.4 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 2.3 steals in 30 games at Mater Dei High. She shot 62.0 percent from the field, 54.0 percent from 3-point land, and 84.0 percent from the foul line. Her scoring average and shooting percentage were single-season school records … As a sophomore in 2012-13, she helped Mater Dei to a 30-2 record and the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) Southern Open Division regionals by averaging 20.9 points, 6.9 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and 2.6 steals … Played her freshman season at Edison High and averaged 19.4 points, 7.4 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and 2.3 steals.
USA BASKETBALL NOTES: Has won four gold medals in international competition … Teamed with fellow UConn recruits De’Janae Boykin and Napheesa Collier to win gold (3×3 competition) at the 2014 Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing, China; also earned a bronze medal at the YOG 3-point shootout … Started six of seven games for Team USA at the 2014 FIBA U-17 world championships in the Czech Republic and averaged a team-high 13.9 points and 5.0 rebounds in earning all-tournament honors. Set a USA U-17 team record by hitting six 3-pointers in the semifinals against Hungary. The Americans finished 7-0 and won the gold medal by beating Spain on July 6 … Started all five games of the 2013 FIBA Americas U-16 championship that was played in Cancun, Mexico, and averaged 16.0 points and 5.4 rebounds to help Team USA to a 5-0 record. In the gold-medal game against Canada on June 23, set a USA record for 3-pointers and 3-point percentage by going 8-for-8 from behind the arc … Member of the U.S. team that won a gold medal at the 2013 FIBA 3×3 U-18 world championships in Indonesia with an 8-1 record.
PERSONAL: Born on June 13, 1997, in Fullerton, California, to Karen and Jon; has two older sisters, Bonnie and Karlie. Bonnie is a senior and Karlie a sophomore on the Stanford women’s basketball team. Father, Jon, played collegiately at Cal State Fullerton and professionally in Europe; mother, Karen, was named to the All-England Netball Team … Attends same high school that produced UConn senior All-American Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis.
NAPHEESA COLLIER | 6-1 | G/F | O’Fallon, Missouri | Incarnate Word Academy
HIGH SCHOOL NOTES: Was the 2014 Missouri Gatorade Player of the Year as a junior after leading Incarnate Word Academy of St. Louis to a 31-1 record and the Missouri Class 4 state title by averaging 23.7 points, 9.7 rebounds, and 4.2 steals. In the state championship game she had 33 points, nine rebounds and five steals to lead the Red Knights to a 60-43 win over Dexter at Mizzou Arena. Was the 2014 Missouri Basketball Coaches Association (MBCA) Class 4 Player of the Year … Helped Incarnate Word earn a perfect 31-0 state championship season as a sophomore by averaging 24.6 points, 11.9 rebounds, and 4.0 steals and was the Metro Women’s Athletic Association Player of the Year … Played her freshman year at Jefferson City High School where she averaged 17.9 points, 9.9 rebounds, 4.7 assists, and 3.7 steals.
USA BASKETBALL NOTES: Has won two gold medals in international competition … Teamed with fellow UConn recruits De’Janae Boykin and Katie Lou Samuelson in August to win gold (3×3 competition) at the 2014 Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing, China … Was member of the 2014 national team that posted a 5-0 record and won the 2014 FIBA Americas U-18 tournament title in Colorado Springs and qualified Team USA for the 2015 FIBA?U-19 world championships. Started four of five games and averaged 14.0 points and team-high 8.6 rebounds along with 3.4 assists and 1.6 steals.
PERSONAL: Born on September 23, 1996, in Jefferson City, Missouri, to Sarah and Gamal; has a younger brother, Kai, and an older sister, Wanza. Father played rugby at Buckingham University in England … Says the most impressive person she has met is former UConn All-American Maya Moore.
Forward Chris McCarthy has been reassigned by the parent New York Rangers to the Wolf Pack from its ECHL affiliate, the Greenville Road Warriors, and the Wolf Pack has loaned defenseman Steve Spinell to Greenville.
With Auburn losing, the top four teams looks a little different now. The Bulldogs are followed by the Oregon Ducks, Florida State Seminoles and TCU Horned Frogs. The Alabama Crimson Tide remain on the outside looking in.