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News Nuggets, 11.12.06
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NOTES FROM ECU AND BEYOND...

Compiled from staff reports and electronic dispatches

ECU announces women's hoops signees

East Carolina women's basketball coach Sharon Baldwin-Tener has announced that Shuanda Ashford (Fayetteville), Tiahana Bowens (Raleigh) and Allison Spivey (Asheboro) have signed national letters of intent to join the Lady Pirates for the 2007-08 campaign, according to an ECU athletic media relations report.

Ashford, a 2006 McDonald's All-American nominee, joins the Lady Pirates from E.E. Smith High School where she led her team to a 20-9 record and the NCHSAA sectional finals as a junior, averaging 12 points and seven rebounds per game. A two-sport athlete, Ashford was recently named first-team All-Conference in volleyball earlier this year. The 6-1 forward earned first team All-Conference honors in the Two Rivers Conference and first-team All-Cape Fear Region Team honors as a junior. Ashford is the 58th-ranked power forward in the nation according to Mike White’s All-Star Girls Report.

"Shuanda has her best basketball ahead of her," Baldwin-Tener said. "She has good size and has a great shooting touch for a post player. With her range for three pointers, she could cause some mismatches in the future. She is well coached in high school and we look forward to the addition of her next season."

As a junior, Bowens averaged 17 points, ten rebounds, two blocks, two assists and two steals per game. The 2005-06 Greater Neuse River Conference player of the year led Southeast Raleigh to a 22-1 record and the NCHSAA Sectional Finals last season. Bowens also led her AAU basketball squad, Team NC to the Junior Olympics championships. She is ranked 30th in the nation in the wing/forward position and is the 166th best high school basketball player in the country according to The All-Star Girls Report.

"Tiahana is a great athlete and a very strong player," stated Baldwin-Tener. "She is a power forward that in a couple of years could move to the wing if her perimeter skills continue to improve. She is a warrior on the glass and comes from a great high school program."

Spivey, a 5-10 guard from High Point Central, comes to the Lady Pirates after a successful 2005-06 season where she averaged 18 points, eight rebounds and three steals per game. She earned first-team All-Region, first-team All-Metro Conference and second-team All-State (4A) honors as a junior. Under head coach Kenny Carter, she led High Point Central to a 19-11 record, winning the sectional championships and advancing to the regional semi-final game. She was a member of Team NC along with fellow signee Tiahana Bowens that won the AAU Junior Olympics.

"Allison is a great shooter that understands the game and blends in well with her teammates," Baldwin-Tener said. "She makes all of the other players on her team around her better players. We welcome her good size at the guard position as well as her excellent shooting range. She plays on one of the best high school programs in the state and knows what it takes to win."

"East Carolina has signed a great recruiting class,” Brett McCormick, scouting director of The All-Star Girl’s Report said. “All three of their signees should be able to come in and make an impact in Sharon Baldwin-Tener’s program. Tiahana Bowens is a phenomenal athlete with a great build that can play either the 3 or 4 positions. Shuanda Ashford is Sharon ’s kind of player. She is a scorer that can play inside and out. Allison Spivey is a fundamental player that can go left or right and shoot the deep three.”

Miners extinguish Blazers' postseason hopes

This Texas-El Paso football team still has a pulse. Johnnie Lee Higgins has the record. And the Miners' bowl aspirations still are alive, according to an El Paso Times report.

The Miners recovered from a three-game rut — and resuscitated a flagging season in the process — to beat UAB 36-17 on Friday night before 13,809 people at Legion Field and a national television audience on ESPN2.

It was, finally, a complete game — on the road, no less.

And now Miner head coach Mike Price has his 150th win. Higgins is the Miners' all-time leader in receiving yards (3,002) and touchdown catches (30). Quarterback Jordan Palmer surpassed 10,000 career yards passing. And the team has a real shot at a third straight bowl appearance after improving to 5-5 on the season and 3-3 in Conference USA.

UAB dropped to 3-7 overall and 2-4 in the league, falling out of bowl contention.

Mustang duo in contention for Hermann Trophy

Southern Methodist's Bruno Guarda (Piricicaba, Brazil) and Jay Needham (Fort Worth, TX) are among the 15 players named as semifinalists for the 2006 Missouri Athletic Club's Hermann Trophy. Considered to be college soccer's version of the Heisman Trophy, the winner of the award is selected by NCAA Division I coaches who are members in good standing with the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA).

Guarda was named the Conference USA Player of the Year and Needham was selected the C-USA Defensive Player of the Year.

Three men's and three women's finalists for the Hermann Trophy will be announced on Monday, Nov. 27. The winners will be announced at a banquet in St. Louis, MO, hosted by the Missouri Athletic Club on Saturday, Dec. 2, where they will be presented with the prestigious crystal soccer ball which has come to symbolize the highest individual achievement in intercollegiate soccer.

Former SMU standout Luchi Gonzalez was the recipient of the Hermann Trophy in 2001.

News Nuggets are compiled periodically based on material supplied by staff members; data published by ECU, Conference USA and its member schools; and reports from electronic services and other sources. Copyright 2006 Bonesville.net and other publishers. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Page Updated: 02/23/2007 12:52 PM