Idaho women’s basketball coach Jon Newlee said recruitment day was a great day to be a Vandal because the future looks bright, and that’s thanks to his ability to sign his top four choices for 2012-2013 season.
Abigail Quinnett, Ali Forde, Concepcion (Connie) Ballestero and Christina Salvatore all signed with Idaho Wednesday, and Newlee said he is thrilled to have these four coming to Idaho as they were his top choices.
“Those are the four we offered, we brought those four on campus, and they all committed,” Newlee said. “It’s risky to put all your eggs in one basket in recruiting, but these are the ones I really wanted and we got them all, and that rarely happens in recruiting.”
Newlee said he wanted to add some height to the roster and did just that with two of the recruits starting with Quinnett. She is a 6-foot-1-inch post from Moscow High School. She is a two time All-State selection and averaged 12.7 points-per-game in her junior season. Newlee said he’s looking forward to developing Quinnett’s game next season.
“Abby is going to bring a lot of athleticism to our program,” Newlee said. “There’s a really high ceiling on Abby and her development as a basketball player, and we’re excited to get her here and work with her for four years and really develop her as a player.”
Newlee said it is always good to have some local talent and he expects her to come in and make a big impact for the Vandals.
Newlee is also adding height in Ford who stands 6-foot-2-inches. Ford is from Woodinville, Wash., and the sister of Vandal football player Max Ford. She will also participate in volleyball at Idaho. Ford averaged 12 points and 10 rebounds per game in her junior year at Woodinville. Newlee said the Vandals are lucky to have Ford because Idaho was not the only school after her.
“Ali is going to bring a huge presence into our post spot as a freshman,” Newlee said. “She’s physical, and she was a highly recruited player from Pac-12 and WCC schools. She can defend, she can finish inside, she can step out and hit shots.”
Newlee said he believes she will bring her work ethic that she has portrayed at the high school and club level to succeed early.
Ballestero is a 5-foot-9-inch guard from Orange, Calif. Ballestero is a two-time all-league selection and averaged 15.6 points-per-game while shooting 30 percent from the 3-point line. Newlee said Ballestero is a great addition, especially with senior guards Keri Arendse and Ganeaya Rogers leaving at the end of the 2011-2012 season.
“Connie can play point guard, but we’re bringing her in here as an off-guard,” Newlee said. “She can really shoot the three and she does a great job of getting to the rim. She is a strong kid and can really finish inside.”
Newlee said she is a great defender and brings a lot of energy out on the floor.
Salvatore is a 5-foot-11 inch wing from Anaheim, Calif. She averaged 16.4 points-per-game in her junior season, leading her team to a 24-9 record. Newlee said she will bring a strong offensive presence to the team.
“Christina is a big-time scorer at both the club level and the high school level,” Newlee said. “She’s hard to guard because she is big and strong. She can go inside and finish and she can step outside and really shoot the three. She also has a great mid-range jump shot. I can’t wait for her to get up here.”