Missouri State women’s basketball head coach Nyla Milleson has received four commitments to join her program for the 2008-09 season. Local products Lacey Boshe and Casey Garrison and Texas prep standouts Jasmine Malone and Regan Soldner are the first members of the Lady Bears’ 2008 recruiting class, announced by Milleson Friday (Nov. 16).
"We feel that we have added a group of quality young ladies, both on and off the floor," Milleson said. "Without a doubt, they are the type of players who can help our program continue to move forward and build on the great Lady Bear tradition."
A three-year starter at Marshfield (Mo.) High, Boshe averaged 15.2 points and 5.7 rebounds per contest as a junior while shooting 55 percent from the field to lead the `Jays to a 22-5 finish. The 6-0 forward also competed in swimming and track and field at Marshfield and became the school’s first Division I girl’s basketball recruit since former Lady Bear Julie Howard’s commitment to Missouri State in 1991.
Garrison enters her senior year at Bolivar (Mo.) High as a three-time all-state selection, having averaged 23.5 points, 3.9 steals and 3.2 assists last year in helping the Liberators to a third-place Class 4 finish in the state of Missouri. A 5-9 guard, Garrison is a two-time Springfield News-Leader All-Ozarks pick and has twice been named to the all-tournament team at the prestigious KTXR Lady Classic.
Malone, out of Antonian College Preparatory High School in San Antonio, Texas, is a versatile 5-11 guard who averaged 16 points and seven boards as a junior. Rated the 23rd-best guard and the 73rd overall prospect in the class of 2008 by HoopGurlz.com, Malone competed at Cornerstone Christian High last year before returning this fall to Antonian, where she earned all-state recognition as a freshman and sophomore.
Soldner is a 5-11 forward from Southlake Carroll High School in the Dallas area who can play both inside and on the perimeter. A three-year all-district performer for the Lady Dragons, she connected on 34 percent of her three-point attempts while averaging 15 points and seven rebounds as a junior.
The Lady Bears went 7-21 a year ago and are in their first season under the direction of Milleson.
After dropping its season opener Sunday (Nov. 11) at #22 Texas, Missouri State (0-1) will kick off its 32nd and final home season in Hammons Student Center Saturday (Nov. 17) afternoon with a 1:05 p.m. matchup against the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay Phoenix (1-1).
