This year’s women’s basketball team features a first-year class ESPN ranked No. 9 nationally. The ranking was higher than any other team in the Southeastern Conference, putting this year’s recruiting class atop of those such as perennial conference title contenders Tennessee and LSU.
“I expect all of them to contribute to the team,” head coach Wendell Hudson said. “We didn’t sign anybody that we didn’t expect to contribute to the team. We’re expecting all of them to contribute, and they have shown that they can in practice.
You sign a class and people give you credit for this number right here, but then teaching them how to play another type of game at another level, that’s what separates the class really. This class has separated themselves, in my opinion, because of the way they’ve worked in practice.”
Four freshmen and one transfer player make up the class that looks to help this year’s Tide team that returns only one true sophomore. One of the freshman, Jasmine Robinson, a 5’7” guard, is from Memphis, Tenn., where she garnered All-State honors her final two high school seasons. As reported on ESPN.com, Robinson chose Alabama over Memphis and Ole Miss.
Another freshmen guard for the Tide is Shafontaye Myers out of Sunshine High School in Newbern, Ala., Myers received the Alabama Sports Writers Association Class 1A Player of the Year Award and was a First-Team All-State selection her junior and senior seasons.
Forward Kaneisha Horn out of Ramsay High School in Birmingham is the Tide’s first McDonald’s All-American. Horn was ranked No. 5 in the 2010 class by ESPN HoopGurlz. She was a USA Today First-Team selection and the 2010 Gatorade Player of the Year in Alabama, as well as 2010 Miss Basketball by the Alabama Sports Writers Association.
“Kaneisha Horn is going to be a really good player for us, and she is going to be a great player,” Hudson said. “We’re not putting too much pressure on her right now. She’s earning her right to play. She’s working hard and she’s such a nice young lady. She’s accepting the role of learning how to play in college. She’s fitting right in.”
Horn is sure to be one of the Tide’s standout players this season and could possibly be freshman of the year, which she says is something she would like to do.
“One of the biggest reasons I came here was because I felt comfortable here,” Horn said. “I was used to my parents being at my games, so if I would’ve went far they probably couldn’t come to a lot of my games.”
Horn said she already knows what she’s looking for from herself.
“I want to score, but I’m really looking to improve my defense,” she said. “I want to contribute and help the team win more games than last year. [Having a top recruiting class] is helping us change it around a little bit. After they see that we’re doing good, more recruits would like to come here to join us.”
Rounding out the entering class are Khristian Lee and Alicia Mitcham. Lee is from Erwin High School in Birmingham. The 5-foot-9-inch guard was a First Team All-State member while completing her high school career. Lee is known for her aggressiveness and ability to drive to the goal. Georgia head coach Andy Landers has said that “no one can stop her.”
Mitcham is a 6-foot-2-inch forward transfer from Panola College. She led her in team in points and rebounds per game averaging nearly 16 and 11 respectively per outing. Originally from Balch Springs, Texas, Mitcham is another helpful addition to the Alabama front court.
Having a top recruiting class is a positive indication that the Tide is moving in progressive direction. The Tide recently signed three top 20 junior college players during the early signing period for next year. With top tier talent, the team may be a force to reckon with in the SEC and nationally for years to come.
