June 9, 2005
LAS VEGAS - Four post players that are all 6-foot-3 or taller, Shamela Hampton, Latoya Hunt, Faye Muller, Samantha Stickler, along with guard Brittany Halberg have signed National Letters of Intent to play for the UNLV Women's Basketball team starting in the fall of 2005-06, head coach Regina Miller announced on Thursday.
Hampton, who signed with the Lady Rebels during the fall period, is a 6-3 center and native of Colorado Springs, Colo. This past season she led the state in both scoring (19.8 ppg) and rebounding (13.5 rpg) and finished third in blocks while earning first team all-state honors. She helped Sierra High to a No. 5 ranking in the state and a trip to the sweet 16, en route to being named team MVP.
"Shamela will provide us with much needed depth, power and size in the post," said Miller. "She is a very talented athlete with the ability to score around the basket, rebound aggressively and play solid defense in the paint, and has the potential to make an immediate impact in the post for us."
Hunt, a 6-3 forward from Fresno, Calif., averaged 11.6 points, 11.8 rebounds, and 6.4 blocks per game over her senior season at Edison High. She was named conference player of the year and earned King of the West Tournament MVP honors this past year as well.
"A great catch in the late signing period," Miller said of Hunt. "We see her as a diamond in the rough for us. She has good size, and her ability to change shots with her shot blocking will enhance our overall team defense."
Muller, a 6-3 center and native of Aurora, Colo., will be a junior at UNLV after playing her first two years at Northeastern JC, where she led the Plainswomen to the final four of the Region IX Tournament and a 20-13 record. She averaged 10.1 ppg and 9.9 rpg while earning All-Region IX honors for the second straight year, and was also an All-Region IX Tournament Team selection. Muller owns both the single-season and two-year rebounding records at NJC, and as a freshman, posted nine points, eight rebounds, and three blocks per game. Prior to NJC, she played at Highlands Ranch High and was an all-conference selection while leading them to the state championship her junior season.
"Faye also has a strong ability to change shots with her shot-blocking ability," said Miller. "She is very versatile with the ability to play with her back to the basket, as well as the range to face up and knock down shots from 15 feet. She comes from one of the top high school programs in the country and understands what it takes to win."
Stickler, a 6-6 center and native of Grand Canyon, Ariz., set a new Grand Canyon High School record by averaging 26.5 points per game this last season while leading it to its first state playoff appearance in 23 years. She also set new school marks for rebounds (12.1 rpg) and blocks (5.1 bpg) in a season. Stickler was a four-year letterwinner for the volleyball team as well, and led Grand Canyon to the state playoffs twice. She plays for the Northstars AAU team, and helped them to the state championship in 2002.
"Samantha has great size and will provide a presence in the post for us," said Miller. "Although young, she is a quick study in the game, and as she gains experience at the Division I level, she will make a tremendous impact on our program."
Halberg is a 5-7 guard of Lake Oswego, Ore., and was a two-time all-conference player at Lakeridge High. She was also a third-team all-state selection as a senior while leading the team to a fourth-place finish in the state, and also helped them to third place as a sophomore and a runner-up performance her junior season. This past year, she averaged 10 points, 5.5 assists, 3.0 rebounds, and 2.3 steals per game.
"A true competitor, Brittney is a very hard worker and very knowledgeable player with great playmaking ability, and with experience has the potential to provide us strong leadership from the point guard position.
"Overall, our 2005-06 recruiting class is very young and will be exciting to watch as they develop at this level. Signing four solid post players has certainly addressed our lack of depth in that area due to graduation."
UNLV returns three starters and nine players for the 2005-06 season after finishing 2004-05 with a 16-15 record and a fifth straight trip to the postseason.
