Saluki women's basketball signs three for 2015-16
11/17/2014 | 12:00:00 | Women's Basketball
By Tyler Wooten
SIUSalukis.com
CARBONDALE, Ill. -- Saluki women's basketball head coach Cindy Stein has announced the signing of three freshmen for the 2015-16 season: Olivia Bowling of New Haven, Ky., Tiajaney Hawkins of East Chicago, Ind., and Ashley Hummel of Galloway, Ohio.
The trio add some size and versatility to Southern's roster, which in the coming year will lose 5-9 defensive stalwart Mercedes Griffin, 5-11 guard/forward Ariel Haynes and 6-1 center Alexus Patterson. Southern's roster will have plenty of size in the coming years as only one member of her first two recruiting classes is shorter than 5-9 (junior college transfer Blair Stephenson).
"I believe the thing that stand outs to me on all three signees is that they all are very driven and competitive young ladies that come from successful high school and AAU programs," Stein said. "They are natural leaders and gifted athletes with sound basketball skills and IQ.We are looking forward to having them as a part of the SIU family."
Olivia (Livie) Bowling
Elizabethtown High School
New Haven, Ky.
Guard, 5-9
Intended Major: Sports Management
Bowling comes from national powerhouse Elizabethtown High School in New Haven, Ky., which was the state runner-up in Kentucky last year after going 32-5. In three years of varsity basketball, Bowling and Elizabethtown have only lost 19 games -- going 26-6, 23-8 and 32-5 en route to three district championships. She has been a versatile guard for EHS, where she averaged six points, four rebounds, four assists and two steals in 36 games as a junior last year. Individually, Bowling earned All-District honors her freshman season and was named All-Region just last year.
"Livie is such a tremendous competitor and floor general," Stein said."She has the ability to play the point or wing and can score from three or take it to hoop.She will be a great compliment to Ashley (Hummel) as she has good court vision and passing ability.What made Livie stand out is her intensity and drive along with very solid fundamentals."
Tiajaney (Nae) Hawkins
East Chicago Central High School
East Chicago, Ind.
Guard/Forward, 5-10
Pronunciation: tee-AHH-zhuh-nay
Intended Major: Undecided
Hawkins is the highest-rated recruit of Stein's class this season, ranked a three-star recruit with a grade of 90 by ESPN -- which also ranked her the 22nd best guard in the Class of 2015. Hawkins does a little bit of everything on the floor, as last season she averaged 15 points, eight rebounds, four assists, three steals and two blocks per game. Her play has also gotten her recognized by Collegiate Girls Basketball, who ranked her in their top-200 and as their 47th-best guard. Hawkins is a 2013-14 Indiana All-State Honorable Mention and is in the Indiana Top-100 for the 2014-15 season -- earning a Blue Chip rating. Hawkins played on the Baylor Basketball AAU team under founder and head coach Toi Baylor.
"I saw Nae run up and down the floor once and knew she was someone that we needed to have on our team," Stein said. "She is a beast on the boards, can score anywhere on the floor and can play guard or post.She fits in very well with our style of play.Her versatility is a bonus and she is a competitor."
Ashley Hummel
Hilliard Bradley High School
Galloway, Ohio
Forward/Center, 6-2
Intended Major: Physical Therapy
Hummel comes to Southern after having been an established post player for Hilliard Bradley High School's varsity team for three seasons. She averaged 11 points and seven rebounds last season, for which she was named First-Team All-Ohio Capital Conference and Honorable Mention All-District. Hummel has also been named a Central City District All-Star and Honorable Mention Dispatch All-Metro in her two years as a starter. Hummel was also a USJN All-Star on the Ohio Lady Force AAU basketball squad, and has earned Academic Excellence three years in a row (3.75 GPA or higher).
Hummel also has an inadvertent connection to head coach Cindy Stein. Hummel plays for former Fighting Illini head coach Kathy Lindsey -- who was the Illinois head coach from 1990-95 who hired Stein as an assistant from 1993-95. She also comes from Division I athletic stock, as her father -- Jonathan -- played football at Southern Methodist in the 1980s before infamous NCAA sanctions against SMU enabled him to transfer to Texas Tech for the remainder of his collegiate career.
"Ashley caught our eye immediately because of her strong fundamentals and work ethic," Stein said. "She is a very good low-post player with a variety of ways to score and a presence in the paint. She crashes the boards hard, is a natural leader and has amazing strength. We see her being a very instrumental part of our program in the near future. She is extremely well-coached so her basketball IQ is very high as well."
