Photo by: MG Ellis
Carey Inks Four for 2018-19
November 08, 2017 04:33 PM | Women's Basketball
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – West Virginia University women's basketball coach Mike Carey signed four players to National Letters of Intent as part of National Signing Day on Wednesday. Rochelle Norris (Upper Marlboro, Md./New Hope Academy), Kari Niblack (Ocala, Fla./Wildwood), Jala Jordan (Philadelphia, PA./IMG Academy) and Madisen Smith (Greenville, S.C./Greenville Senior) will join the Mountaineers for the 2018-19 season.
Carey's signing class ranks at No. 16 in the 2018 espnW HoopGurlz Class Rankings, released on Monday. It marks the second straight season the WVU signing class ranked inside the top 20, as last year's class was rated at No. 17. All four incoming Mountaineers were recruited by several Power 5 programs.
"I think we went out and really recruited needs," Carey said. "We needed some size, and we were able to get some threes and fours and a five, as well as another point guard with Chania Ray graduating this year. We're excited about our class, we think it's a very good class, and we think they're going to be great players with great careers at West Virginia."
A 6-5 center out of New Hope Academy and Upper Marlboro, Maryland, Norris is rated as the No. 70 overall recruit and the No. 15 post player in the 2018 HoopGurlz Recruiting Rankings. She was also ranked as the No. 12 post player by the Collegiate Girls Basketball Report. In 2016, she helped Paul VI Catholic High to the WCAC State Championship. Additionally, Norris competes for Boo Williams and was invited to Team U.S.A.'s U16 tryouts. The daughter of Tammy and Carlos Norris, she intends to major in sports psychology at WVU.
"Rochelle brings size – she's 6-5," Carey said. "Which is what we need right now. She has long arms, and runs the floor extremely well. She can block shots, she can score in the paint. Rochelle will be a valuable asset to our program immediately coming in here as a freshman, and we're looking forward to having her."
Niblack is a 6-1 forward who will join the Mountaineers out of Wildwood High and Ocala, Florida. She guided the Wildcats to the Class 1A state title in 2017, earning Orlando Sentinel Player of the Year honors. Additionally, she was named the Daily Commercial's 2017 All-Area Player of the Year. After averaging 17.1 points and 12.1 rebounds per game as a junior last year. She became Wildwood's all-time leading scorer in 2016-17, and is a three-time all-state honoree. Named the Central Florida Player of the Year and Florida Association of Basketball Coaches First Team 1A All-State honoree in 2016 and the 2017 Florida Association of Basketball Coaches 1A Player of the Year, Niblack also competed for Central Florida Elite. She is rated at No. 78 overall and No. 11 at forward in the 2018 HoopGurlz Recruiting Rankings, and ranks in the top five of the All-Star Girls Report. She is the daughter of Marcus Niblack and Paula Parker.
"Kari's a very aggressive player. She can play several positions, and she plays extremely hard. She'll be a great fit for our defense and style of play. I'm very excited for Kari to join our program. I think she'll have a great career here at West Virginia."
A 6-2 forward, Jordan hails from Philadelphia and attends IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida. Jordan previously played for St. Francis (Ga.) High, helping the Knights to a pair of Georgia High School Association (GHSA) Class A private state championships. Jordan rates as the No. 14 wing in the class of 2018 in the HoopGurlz Recruiting Rankings and is No. 21 at forward by Prospects Nation. As a freshman for St. Francis, she played against current WVU guard Tynice Martin in the 2015 state championship game and previously played for Essence AAU Team. The daughter of Pitt basketball alum Gerald Jordan and Antoinette Jordan, she intends to major in sports management or business at WVU.
"At 6-2, Jala's an athletic 3-4 player that can shoot the three. She can play a number of positions, which is very important to us."
A 5-5 guard out of Greenville Senior High in Greenville, South Carolina, Smith is the No. 28 point guard in the 2018 class per HoopGurlz Recruiting Rankings. She is a two-time Class AAAA All-State honoree after averaging 17.0 points and 6.4 assists per game as a junior in 2017. Smith earned numerous accolades after helping the Red Raiders to the Region 1-AAAA title in 2016-17, including Greenville News All-Upstate First Team, Region 1-AAAA Player of the Year and All-Greenville County. In addition to Greenville Senior, Smith also plays for GA Metros. She is the daughter of Marsha Bailey and Chris Smith.
"Madisen's an athletic, strong point guard. She can really get into the paint, and she can shoot the three. She can defend and really fits in with what we do extremely well here at West Virginia."
WVU will open the 2017-18 season on Friday, hosting Central Connecticut State at the WVU Coliseum in a 7 p.m tip.
Carey's signing class ranks at No. 16 in the 2018 espnW HoopGurlz Class Rankings, released on Monday. It marks the second straight season the WVU signing class ranked inside the top 20, as last year's class was rated at No. 17. All four incoming Mountaineers were recruited by several Power 5 programs.
"I think we went out and really recruited needs," Carey said. "We needed some size, and we were able to get some threes and fours and a five, as well as another point guard with Chania Ray graduating this year. We're excited about our class, we think it's a very good class, and we think they're going to be great players with great careers at West Virginia."
A 6-5 center out of New Hope Academy and Upper Marlboro, Maryland, Norris is rated as the No. 70 overall recruit and the No. 15 post player in the 2018 HoopGurlz Recruiting Rankings. She was also ranked as the No. 12 post player by the Collegiate Girls Basketball Report. In 2016, she helped Paul VI Catholic High to the WCAC State Championship. Additionally, Norris competes for Boo Williams and was invited to Team U.S.A.'s U16 tryouts. The daughter of Tammy and Carlos Norris, she intends to major in sports psychology at WVU.
"Rochelle brings size – she's 6-5," Carey said. "Which is what we need right now. She has long arms, and runs the floor extremely well. She can block shots, she can score in the paint. Rochelle will be a valuable asset to our program immediately coming in here as a freshman, and we're looking forward to having her."
Niblack is a 6-1 forward who will join the Mountaineers out of Wildwood High and Ocala, Florida. She guided the Wildcats to the Class 1A state title in 2017, earning Orlando Sentinel Player of the Year honors. Additionally, she was named the Daily Commercial's 2017 All-Area Player of the Year. After averaging 17.1 points and 12.1 rebounds per game as a junior last year. She became Wildwood's all-time leading scorer in 2016-17, and is a three-time all-state honoree. Named the Central Florida Player of the Year and Florida Association of Basketball Coaches First Team 1A All-State honoree in 2016 and the 2017 Florida Association of Basketball Coaches 1A Player of the Year, Niblack also competed for Central Florida Elite. She is rated at No. 78 overall and No. 11 at forward in the 2018 HoopGurlz Recruiting Rankings, and ranks in the top five of the All-Star Girls Report. She is the daughter of Marcus Niblack and Paula Parker.
"Kari's a very aggressive player. She can play several positions, and she plays extremely hard. She'll be a great fit for our defense and style of play. I'm very excited for Kari to join our program. I think she'll have a great career here at West Virginia."
A 6-2 forward, Jordan hails from Philadelphia and attends IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida. Jordan previously played for St. Francis (Ga.) High, helping the Knights to a pair of Georgia High School Association (GHSA) Class A private state championships. Jordan rates as the No. 14 wing in the class of 2018 in the HoopGurlz Recruiting Rankings and is No. 21 at forward by Prospects Nation. As a freshman for St. Francis, she played against current WVU guard Tynice Martin in the 2015 state championship game and previously played for Essence AAU Team. The daughter of Pitt basketball alum Gerald Jordan and Antoinette Jordan, she intends to major in sports management or business at WVU.
"At 6-2, Jala's an athletic 3-4 player that can shoot the three. She can play a number of positions, which is very important to us."
A 5-5 guard out of Greenville Senior High in Greenville, South Carolina, Smith is the No. 28 point guard in the 2018 class per HoopGurlz Recruiting Rankings. She is a two-time Class AAAA All-State honoree after averaging 17.0 points and 6.4 assists per game as a junior in 2017. Smith earned numerous accolades after helping the Red Raiders to the Region 1-AAAA title in 2016-17, including Greenville News All-Upstate First Team, Region 1-AAAA Player of the Year and All-Greenville County. In addition to Greenville Senior, Smith also plays for GA Metros. She is the daughter of Marsha Bailey and Chris Smith.
"Madisen's an athletic, strong point guard. She can really get into the paint, and she can shoot the three. She can defend and really fits in with what we do extremely well here at West Virginia."
WVU will open the 2017-18 season on Friday, hosting Central Connecticut State at the WVU Coliseum in a 7 p.m tip.
Players Mentioned
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