Women's Hoops Hello: Terra Stapleton
With all the success the Michigan women's basketball program has had on the recruiting trail, one thing that's eluded them is a true post player. In fact, one recruiting service characterized the 2014 class as consisting of a 1, 2, 3, and 4. Well they've now added a 5 to that class: Terra Stapleton, a 6-4 center who attends Fairland H.S. in Proctorville, Ohio (located in the southeastern part of the state, near Huntington, West Virginia). She plays AAU ball for the West Virginia Thunder. She committed to Michigan today and will sign an NLI before the end of the early signing period on Wednesday.
Stapleton had committed to Minnesota in October 2012 but reopened her recruitment just within the last couple of weeks, reportedly because she wanted to attend a school closer to home.
Here's a Blue Star scouting report from a January 2013 event rundown:
Another member on Ohio’s ultra-deep 2014 class is this early University of Minnesota commit. The 6-4 post came in averaging a double-double and stepped up with another in the form of 13 points and 11 rebounds in Fairland’s 13 point win over Clinton Massie. Stapleton is deceivingly mobile for her size and frame plus shows a willingness to work for the ball aggressively block to block. Her size and strength are something she could exploit more around the rim and will no doubt be an asset for her at the next level. There’s already plenty of production but lots more potential for her to tap into.
As is often the case, the rankings on Stapleton vary widely: ASGR has her #332 in country, calling her a "strong, true low post player who can score and pass," while espnW has her as a three star and the #16 post nationally, which would place her just outside their top 100. espnW's brief eval is: "Low-block performer with size defends, alters shots; rebounds and initiates fast break; developing consistency on faceup game to the arc; average mobility in transition." Prospects Nation also has her as an unranked three star.
With Stapleton's commitment, Michigan is out of scholarships for 2014, barring any future attrition*. The staff is also left with just one open spot for 2015. With three commits so far for 2015, none of whom are post players, they may still look to secure a commitment from a center in that class. Among the players Michigan has targeted are 6-2 Batouly Camara (NJ), 6-6 Theresa Ekhelar (NJ), 6-4 Hallie Thome (OH), and 6-2 Jonell Williams (FL)—all highly rated prospects. Thome has been on campus multiple times; Williams took an unofficial visit in October and a Michigan coach recently trekked down to Palatka, Fla., to attend the first game of Williams's high school basketball season.
But there are a number of other top prospects they're also after who aren't centers, including two in-state players from 2015 who I've mentioned in previous threads: guards Kalabrya Gondrezick (Benton Harbor) and Cierra Rice (Grosse Pointe South). Michigan was also recently included in the final 11 of 5-9 guard Arike Ogunbowale, a 5-star, top-10 prospect out of Milwaukee. Her other finalists are Connecticut, Duke, DePaul, Louisville, Marquette, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Stanford, UCLA, and Wisconsin.
*Note that this is based on Val Driscoll coming back for a fifth season. She's listed as a senior on the Michigan roster but has another year of eligibility left after having sat out last season with a torn ACL. I'm not going to just assume she won't get a fith year on the basis of how she's listed on the roster, however.
November 18th, 2013 at 12:23 PM ^
Here's a look at the 2014-15 roster following Stapleton's commitment:
| Name | Position | Hgt. | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Val Driscoll | C/F | 6-4 | 5th |
| Nicole Elmblad | G | 5-11 | Sr. |
| Nicole Flyer (walk-on) | F | 6-2 | Sr. |
| Cyesha Goree | F | 6-3 | Sr. |
| Shannon Smith | G | 5-7 | Sr. |
| Madison Ristovski | PG | 5-10 | Jr. |
| Halle Wangler (walk-on) | G | 5-9 | Jr. |
| Rebecca Lyttle | F | 6-0 | RS So. |
| Kelsey Mitchell | F | 6-0 | RS So. |
| Paige Rakers | SG | 5-11 | So. |
| Siera Thompson | PG | 5-7 | So. |
| Danielle Williams | G | 5-9 | So. |
| Maria Backman | W/F | 6-2 | Fr. |
| Jillian Dunston | G/W | 6-0 | Fr. |
| Katelynn Flaherty | PG | 5-7 | Fr. |
| Emoni Jackson | W/F | 6-1 | Fr. |
| Terra Stapleton | C | 6-4 | Fr. |
November 18th, 2013 at 12:52 PM ^
November 18th, 2013 at 3:10 PM ^
November 18th, 2013 at 3:55 PM ^
Why is everyone so obsessed with getting in-state players? I feel like this question gets asked in every women's hoops thread.
As I've said before—yes, Kim Barnes Arico and her staff are in fact actively recruiting the state of Michigan. They have had numerous in-state players on campus, have visited their schools, and have put out a number of scholarship offers. For example, they have offers out to three of the top players in the state in the 2015 class, including the two I mentioned in the OP, plus Tania Davis from Goodrich HS who will probably head out of state for college. If the 2015 class doesn't include anyone from Michigan, it won't be for a lack of trying. The staff offered those three players I mentioned plus a number of top 100 players from elsewhere. So far, three of the latter have committed. Should the staff have not pursued these top 100 players from outside Michigan and taken a chance on waiting for a commitment or two from the in-staters? How would that make any sense?
Bottom line to me is that I want the staff to put together the best roster they possibly can, regardless of where the players come from. Why should a player from Toledo (for example—from which Michigan has two top 100 commits in 2016 and 2017) somehow count less because they're from Ohio than someone who lives hours away in the northern LP or the UP?
November 18th, 2013 at 9:44 PM ^
November 19th, 2013 at 1:38 AM ^
Would love to see some BH Tigers on Blue.
November 19th, 2013 at 9:20 AM ^
There's no doubt getting the two of them would be a major coup. I have to note that while sisters and twins almost invariably say they want to play together in college, quite often it doesn't end up that way (Michigan's Danielle Williams is an example of this—her twin Dominique is at UCLA).
For those who don't know, Kalabrya Gondrezick named her schools of interest a couple of months ago in this article: Michigan, Michigan State, Notre Dame, Yale, Northwestern, and Louisville ("in no particular order"). She said she didn't want to go too far from home for college and that there was a slight chance she'd make her choice by this month. With both sisters, Notre Dame is Michigan's biggest competitor, as they have long had a close relationship with former Notre Dame star Skylar Diggins (going back to when they lived in South Bend).
November 19th, 2013 at 4:43 PM ^
Congrats to Terra Stapleton of Proctorville, Ohio, for signing her NLI today #goblue #signingday
— Michigan Basketball (@umichwbball) November 19, 2013
And here's the official press release: Stapleton Joins Wolverines Early Signing Class
"We are excited to add a player like Terra to our already great class," Barnes Arico said. "The one thing we were missing with this group was some size, and Terra will bring that to our team. She will be able to give us a presence on the low block both offensively and defensively while also helping us on the glass. She will be a wonderful addition to our team."
In two years at Fairland, Stapleton has averaged 18.1 points, 11.9 rebounds and 4.5 blocks per game for her career. Following a junior season that saw her average 17.4 points per game, Stapleton was named the 2012-13 Associated Press All-Ohio Division III first team. As a sophomore, the 6-4 center was named the Division III Player of the Year. A three-star recruit, Stapleton plays AAU for West Virginia Thunder.
November 20th, 2013 at 6:39 PM ^
WV Thunder 14' @Terrastapleton1 signed her NLI today to the Univ of Michigan!! #wolverines pic.twitter.com/0Ehgp5j0SY
— Scott johnson (@Scottejohnson12) November 20, 2013
November 21st, 2013 at 8:05 AM ^
From Ironton Tribune: Lady Dragons’ Stapleton signs NLI to play with Wolverines
When teams discovered she had re-opened her recruiting, plenty of teams came calling including Michigan, Ohio, Akron, East Carolina, Ohio State, Maine and Wright State.
“I love their education program there,” Stapleton said of Michigan. “They have 100 percent graduation rate among their women’s basketball players. They have the No. 1 academic program in the Big Ten.
“I just love the coaching staff and I love the way they play. I just wanted to be closer to home.”
. . .
After she de-committed, Stapleton got a call within an hour from Michigan and set up a visit to see the university and watch the team play. The coaches told her she would play immediately.
“They said ‘we hope you are a fast learner. You’ll be playing and learning,’” said Stapleton. “They don’t have a true center. They have (Cyesha Goree) who is really a four. She’s so talented. She can do so much more by playing a four.”
. . .
“Terra has the size to play at the next level, but she also has the ability to play. She’s been a great player for us but I think she’ll be an even better at the college level,” said Fairland coach Jon Buchanan.
November 21st, 2013 at 11:37 AM ^
Fairland's Stapleton signs to play at Michigan
Ohio State is again mentioned as showing interest in her:
"People kept telling me Ohio State's less than three hours away," Stapleton said with a laugh. "They were interested in me, but their play wasn't my kind of play. Michigan plays a more physical style and they needed a center. I just fell in love with their campus. Their coaches stay on you to help you get better and they're passionate."
Minnesota offered similar qualities, but in the end, distance was the determining factor for the family minded Stapleton.
"It had nothing to do with Minnesota," said Stapleton, her long blonde hair flowing over her yellow Michigan hoodie. "I loved Minnesota. It's just in the past year I've really grown closer to my family. I'm really close to my grandma (Gloria Stapleton) and my cousin Maddox and my parents.
"I knew that Minnesota was a long way for my grandmother to come see me play. Michigan is a lot closer. Plus, my dad is a big Michigan fan."
November 21st, 2013 at 4:52 PM ^
ASGR revised their recruiting class rankings, with Michigan still #22, even with the addition of Stapleton (see below). Not sure why the comment about Stapleton's health. She suffered a knee injury a couple years ago, but I haven't seen anything saying she's been injury-prone.
22. Michigan: Katelynn Flaherty, No. 19, 5-7, PG; Emoni Jackson, No. 85, 6-1, PF; Jillian Dunston, No. 98, 6-1, SG; Maria Backman, No. 117, 6-2, SG; Terra Stapleton, No. 332, 6-4, C.
McCormick on the Wolverines: ”Michigan has added a 1, 2, 3 and 4. Flaherty is a skilled, tough player who just loves the game. Jackson is a good athlete with a strong body. She works hard and she does all the little things. Dunston is a big guard who can score, and Backman is a wing with great size. Stapleton will give them a strong low block presence, and she has a chance to really excel if she can stay healthy.”