Women’s Basketball Signs Five Incoming Players, Six Returners

PALATINE, Ill. – The Harper College women's basketball program bolstered its team for the 2015-16 season by signing a five-player recruiting class. Additionally, the Hawks had six returning players who signed their NJCAA Letters of Intent to play another season for Harper.  

The incoming group of players who signed their Letters of Intent includes: Mary Saitta (Hoffman Estates), Jaclyn Stroud (Ridgewood), Ayana Johnson (Normal Community ), Sarah Lucansky (Jacobs), and Jasmine Munoz (Dundee-Crown).

The Harper College women's basketball team signed a five-player recruiting class and had six returners sign to play another season for the Hawks. (Bill Smith)

Saitta was a three-year letter winner in basketball and played for coach Mike Koester. She captained the team in 2014 and 2015 and earned Daily Herald All-Area Honorable Mention. Finally, she has ability as an outside shooter, as she competed in the 3-point contest at the regional and sectional level in 2013 and 2014. Saitta also competed in track and field for two years and was a sectional medalist.

Stroud brings a wealth of high school experience to the table. She was a four-year letter winner for the Rebels under coach Amanda Timothy. She also earned All-Conference honors twice, and her team won the regional crown in 2012. Additionally, she was voted Team MVP all four years and holds school records for most points in a game, most points in a season, and most 3-pointers. Stroud also played softball for a year at Ridgewood.

Johnson comes from a Normal Community program coached by Marcus Mann. In her time with the Ironmen, Johnson earned a Scholar Athlete and Sportsmanship Award.

Lucansky was a four-year letter winner for the Eagles who played for coach Joe Benoit, and she won a Sportsmanship Award. Lucansky also competed for the Jacobs track and field and tennis teams.

Munoz played for the Cougars and won a Sportsmanship Award. She also competed on the track and field team.

The six returning players who signed their Letters of Intent include: Kim Herzog (/Buffalo Grove), Ashonte Sims (/Normal Community West), Lane Winkler (Arlington Heights, Ill./Rolling Meadows), Nastia Solsaa (/Menomonie ), Sarah Nelson (/Warren Township ), and Shannon Koch (/Prospect).

Herzog ran the point guard position for Harper during the 2014-15 season and started 28 games. The 5-foot-3 guard was second on the team in scoring at 9.8 points per game (PPG) while averaging 4.0 rebounds per game (RPG) and 4.0 assists per game (APG). Herzog scored a season-high 27 points in a home contest against Wilbur Wright College.

Sims played in all 29 games for the Hawks as a freshman and made 28 starts.  The 5-foot-8 forward averaged 9.0 PPG and 6.2 RPG while logging 37.7 minutes per game.  Sims notched a season-high 18 points at Oakton Community College and reached double figures scoring 13 times.

Winkler was a staple in the Hawks' lineup, starting all 29 games for the team. The 5-foot-6 guard averaged 7.2 PPG and 7.1 RPG (second on team) in 38.5 minutes per game and scored a season-high 18 points in a win over College of DuPage. She also led the team in 3-pointers made with 43.

Solsaa started nine games for the Hawks before an injury ended her season. The 5-foot-3 guard averaged 9.1 PPG, 6.0 RPG, and 3.3 APG in those contests and scored a season-high 14 points two times.

Nelson began playing for Harper at the beginning of the spring semester and appeared in 15 games, making 14 starts. The 5-foot-4 guard averaged 4.1 PPG and 2.6 RPG in 37.1 minutes per game. She scored a season-high 12 points and hit four 3-pointers at Wilbur Wright College.

Koch played in 27 games for the Hawks, making nine starts. The 5-foot-5 guard made her biggest contributions on the defensive end throughout the season while logging 19.5 minutes a game.