Red Flash Women’s Basketball Announces Class of 2013
LORETTO, Pa. (Nov. 19, 2008) – Head coach Susan Robinson Fruchtl announced Wednesday that the Saint Francis women’s basketball team has signed four players to National Letters of Intent. Hannah Geedey (Lewistown, Pa./Lewistown Area), Nickia Gibbs (Greenbelt, Md./Eleanor Roosevelt), Shene Fleming (Dayton, Ohio/Chaminade-Julienne) and Kelley Doogan (Claymont, Del./Ursuline Academy) will join the Red Flash for the 2009-2010 season.
"We are extremely excited about this class," said Robinson Fruchtl. "We feel it’s as strong as our 2008 class. It gives us more versatility in the post. It’s a class that has won, and knows how to win. We feel that experience is going to be valuable to our team."
Versatility and winning are two of the adjectives that describe the incoming freshman class well. The players have won 5 state titles, 2 district championships, and 3 conference championships, and Chaminade-Julienne and Eleanor Roosevelt High School are expected to contend for state championships this season as well.
Geedey, a point guard, led the Lewistown Area Panthers to the District 6 Championship in 2006-07, and was also a kicker on the school’s football team. She has played on varsity for three years, collecting 761 points, 587 assists and 236 rebounds. Geedey boasts a career free-throw percentage of 75.5 and made 53 three-point shots in her junior season.
"She’s a versatile guard that can play the one, the two. She’s a very good shooter with a deep 3-point range. Hannah sees the court very well, and she’s tough competitor - she played football."
Gibbs comes to Loretto from Eleanor Roosevelt High School in Maryland, where she led the Panthers to the Maryland state championship in 2005-06, 2006-07, and 2007-08. Gibbs, a point guard on Coach Roderick Hairston’s team, has won the Motion Award three times and is described as an intelligent player.
"Kia is also a very versatile guard that can play the one, the two or the three," said Robinson Fruchtl. "She’s very athletic; a big guard with long arms. She can penetrate and cause problems for people on defense, and has a very good basketball IQ."
Fleming comes from Chaminade-Julienne High School in Ohio, where she has racked up many accolades. She was named the Defensive Player of the Year for both the 2006-07 and 2007-08 seasons, and was also named Second Team All-GGCL and Second Team All-Southwest District. Fleming, a forward for the Eagles, averages 10.6 points per game, 8.9 rebounds per game and 1.9 steals per game under Coach Marc Greenberg.
"Shene is quick, agile, and very strong," said Robinson Fruchtl. "She’s got really good hands, and she’s played on great teams with some great players. She’s played in a lot of big games, and she’ll be a force inside and outside."
Doogan is currently a small forward/shooting guard for Ursuline Academy in Delaware, and led the team to state titles in 2005-2006 and 2007-08. The Raiders were 19-6 in the 2007-08 season, and rose to 17th in the national rankings. They also captured the Catholic Conference Championship in 2005-06, 2006-07, and 2007-08. Doogan, a small forward, is a two-year captain who has twice been named to the All-Catholic Conference Team.
"Kelley is very versatile and can play the three or the four," said Robinson Fruchtl. She’s a great passer, a good defender, and can step out to the three point line. She is going to be good on the break, and she gets up and down. She can run the floor, and is a big time hustler. She’ll dive on the floor, and do all the little things that coaches and fans appreciate."
The Red Flash will play at Longwood on Nov. 19 at 7 P.M. They return home to host Lehigh at 5 P.M. on Saturday in DeGol Arena for their first home game of the season.