The ACU women’s basketball team will have five new faces for their inaugural season as a Division I team.
November 15th, head coach Julie Goodenough signed her first division one recruiting class during the early signing period, giving the ‘Cats size to go along with their depth at guard.
“The five players that we have signed already are very talented and we feel like they are division one athletes,”Goodenough said.
“We are getting a lot bigger with this class and a lot taller. They will meet some needs we have with graduation, it will help us maintain our size or even get a little bit bigger.”
The signings helped spark interest in the entire program, and coupled with their blistering start in conference play the entire Big Country is dreaming of successful years to come.
“I have been at the division one level the last nine years and I have enjoyed coaching at that level and was excited to come to Abilene Christian University and be here for this transition,” Goodenough said. “It is really exciting for our student athletes and for the ACU community to have a division one school here in West Texas.”
The Wildcats only guard in the 2013 recruiting class is Alexis Mason. They also added Sydney Shelstead, Erin Maxwell, and twin sisters Lizzy and Suzzy Dimba to the Abilene Christian family.
Among the many talented players these recruits will be able to look up to is sophomore Shannon Sanders, who played division one basketball last year before suiting up for the ‘Cats in 2012.
“The girls are a little bit bigger, and the game is a little bit more fast paced,” Sanders said. “I would tell the new girls coming in to just not let things get in your head.”
The Wildcats were looking for a specific type of player to fit into coach Goodenough’s aggressive style of basketball, and she thinks the young players will be able to match her intensity.
“To be an impact player at the divison one level you have to be extremely competitive,” Goodenough said.
“I talk to our players now and tell them you have to be a junk yard dog. You have to be mean and have a little grit to you. So that is what we look for.”
