Providence College Athletics
Women's Basketball Lands Top-20 Recruiting Class.
12/13/2000 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Dec. 13, 2000
PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- Providence College women's basketball coach Jim Jabir announced the signing of four recruits to National Letters of Intent today for the 2001-2002 basketball season.
The four signees, Keisha Blackwell (Baltimore, Md./Seton Keough), Quiana Copeland (Boston, Mass./Melrose), Gayle Nwafili (Mapplewood, N.J./Columbia) and Jessica Simmonds (South Orange, N.J./Columbia) comprise a class which scouting experts have ranked nationally in the top-20.
"I am very excited about this group of student-athletes," PC Head Coach Jim Jabir said. "They are a very exciting, athletic group, and the highest-ranked class we have ever recruited to Providence."
Headlining the quartet is Simmonds. The 6'2" post player is a great athlete and will be an impact player for the Friars. A top-60 player nationally, Simmonds averaged 12 points, 10 rebounds and 2.3 blocked shots a game. She earned first team all-conference and second team all-county accolates last season in her first year playing at Columbia High School.
"Jess is a terrific athlete who is a strong forward who can run, rebound and score on the block," Jabir said. "Her addition to our program gives us another exceptional front-court player."
"Simmonds is a great signee for the Providence women's basketball program," Brett McCormick of All-Star Girls Report said. "Coach Jabir and his staff did a great job bringing this group together."
The second signee is Keisha Blackwell. Blackwell is a 5'6" combo-guard who brings depth to the Providence backcourt. She was ranked among the top-100 players nationally, averaging 9.9 points per game and 4.3 assists for the 26-5, third-ranked Seton Keough Gators. She was a first team All-Metro selection by the Baltimore Sun and a honorable mention All-American by Street and Smith Magazine.
"Kiesha is a strong defender with exceptional quickness and scoring ability," Jabir commented. "She gives us an added dimension at both the point and shooting guard positions."
The third signee is 6'0" forward Quiana Copeland. Copeland helped guide Melrose High to its first Middlesex Conference title last winter and was named the league's Most Valuable Player. She averaged 14.5 points and 12 rebounds per game as a junior and was named to the Boston Globe's Girls' Basketball 1999 Super Team.
"Quiana is a tremendous athlete with developed skills who we expect to make contributions as a freshman," Jabir said.
The final signee is Gayle Nwafili. A high school teammate of Simmonds, Nwafili is the sleeper in the group. A 6'1" swing player who fits into the offense at the two and three positions, Nwafili made a big jump from her junior year to her senior season and should surprise some people when she begins playing for the Friars.
At Columbia High, Nwafili averaged 16 points, 11 rebounds and 3.2 assists a game last year as a junior. She is a three-time all-conference, all-area, all-county and all-state performer. She was named The Bergen Record's Athlete of the Month several times and was named to the North Jersey paper's all-state team. She also was named to The Newark Star-Ledger's all-state team.
"Gayle is a very skilled and very athletic player who passes well and is a good inside-outside player," Jabir said.
The four recruits will join a class of current freshman that includes two-time BIG EAST Rookie of the Week Jenese Wilcox (Port Chester, N.Y.), who was a top-75 player at The Ursuline School. Classmates Ryann Kilgore (Belleville, Mich.) and Kristin Quinn (Sewell, N.J.) were ranked in among the top-100 players. All three Providence rookies are seeing significant playing time this season with Wilcox having started every game this year.
