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SDSU basketball recruits
The South Dakota State men's and women's basketball programs have each signed five athletes to national letters of intent in 2004-05.
New York City native Jose Frias became the latest addition to the SDSU men's squad. The junior college transfer joins the Jackrabbits from Allen Hancock Community College in Santa Monica, Calif., where he averaged 11 points and five assists per game in 2003-04. He is a 2002 graduate of Hyde School in Woodstock, Conn., where he scored 1,037 career points.
Joining the Jackrabbits earlier this season were: Mohamed Berte, 6-8, 215-pound junior college (Indian Hills CC in Ottumwa, Iowa) from Abidjan, Ivory Coast; Robert Bilitz, 6-10, 200-pound native of Plymouth, Minn.; Mark Engen, 6-10, 200-pound native of Lamberton, Minn.; and Cam Hornby, 6-0, 180-pound native of Winnipeg, Canada.
Berte played two seasons at Indian Hills, where he averaged 4.4 points, 4.9 rebounds and 1.1 blocked shots this past season. Hornby had an excellent career at Glenlawn Collegiate High School in Winnipeg and has been selected to play in the All-Canadian Basketball All-Star game in July. He was the only player from Manitoba selected for the game, which is Canada's version of the McDonald's All-Star Game in the U.S.
Engen was on The Associated Press All-State Second Team in Minnesota, while Bilitz was honorable mention. Engen averaged 22.7 points and 14.0 rebounds per game his senior season at Red Rock Central High School, where he poured in 1,483 career points. Bilitz averaged 16.1 points, 11.6 rebounds and 4.8 blocked shots while shooting 53 percent from the field this season. He finished his career with 1,055 points, 831 rebounds and 354 blocked shots.
Wisconsin high school standout Morgan Meier became the latest member of the SDSU women's recruiting class after four players, including Willow Lake standout Jennifer Warkenthien and Beresford standout Natalie Carda, signed during the early signing period in November. A 5-10 guard from Oshkosh West High School, Meier earned all-conference and all-area recognition after averaging 10.5 points, 7.1 rebounds and 3.1 steals per game her senior season. She played on four state qualifying teams and led her team to the Division I state title during her sophomore and junior seasons.
Warkenthien was a three-time Class B all-state selection for Willow Lake High School, earning second team honors in 2003 and first team recognition in 2004 and 2005. The 6-0 post player led Willow Lake to consecutive State B runner-up finishes. She averaged 20 points and 10 rebounds per game for the Pirates as a senior. Willow Lake finished with a 23-1 record in 2005, losing to Mount Vernon in the state title game.
Carda received Class A all-state recognition four times during her career at Beresford. After earning honorable mention honors in 2002 and getting named to the second team in 2003, the 6-1 post player earned first team honors in 2004 and 2005. She averaged more than 20 points and 11 rebounds in each of her final two seasons.
Stacie Oistad and Ashlea Muckenhirn are SDSU's two other early signees. Oistad, a 6-0 forward from Sartell, Minn., was a three-time All-Central Lakes Conference selection and an honorable mention Class AAA all-state pick in 2004, averaging 13.3 points and 6.3 rebounds per game her junior season. Muckenhirn, a 5-8 guard from Osceola, Wis., earned second team all-state honors from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and third-team honors from the Wisconsin Associated Press in 2004. The 5-8 guard was the Eau Claire Leader-Telegram Player of the Year, averaging 17.8 points and 7.3 rebounds per game as a junior. She reached the 1,000-point plateau in her senior.
- Sports writer Eric Burgess
• SDSU wrestling recruits for next season are: Dan Bonte and Tyler Sorenson of Garretson, Ryan Meyer of Parkston, Chris Moran of Rapid City and Alan Marvin of Adrian, Mich.
SDSU basketball recruits
The South Dakota State men's and women's basketball programs have each signed five athletes to national letters of intent in 2004-05.
New York City native Jose Frias became the latest addition to the SDSU men's squad. The junior college transfer joins the Jackrabbits from Allen Hancock Community College in Santa Monica, Calif., where he averaged 11 points and five assists per game in 2003-04. He is a 2002 graduate of Hyde School in Woodstock, Conn., where he scored 1,037 career points.
Joining the Jackrabbits earlier this season were: Mohamed Berte, 6-8, 215-pound junior college (Indian Hills CC in Ottumwa, Iowa) from Abidjan, Ivory Coast; Robert Bilitz, 6-10, 200-pound native of Plymouth, Minn.; Mark Engen, 6-10, 200-pound native of Lamberton, Minn.; and Cam Hornby, 6-0, 180-pound native of Winnipeg, Canada.
Berte played two seasons at Indian Hills, where he averaged 4.4 points, 4.9 rebounds and 1.1 blocked shots this past season. Hornby had an excellent career at Glenlawn Collegiate High School in Winnipeg and has been selected to play in the All-Canadian Basketball All-Star game in July. He was the only player from Manitoba selected for the game, which is Canada's version of the McDonald's All-Star Game in the U.S.
Engen was on The Associated Press All-State Second Team in Minnesota, while Bilitz was honorable mention. Engen averaged 22.7 points and 14.0 rebounds per game his senior season at Red Rock Central High School, where he poured in 1,483 career points. Bilitz averaged 16.1 points, 11.6 rebounds and 4.8 blocked shots while shooting 53 percent from the field this season. He finished his career with 1,055 points, 831 rebounds and 354 blocked shots.
Wisconsin high school standout Morgan Meier became the latest member of the SDSU women's recruiting class after four players, including Willow Lake standout Jennifer Warkenthien and Beresford standout Natalie Carda, signed during the early signing period in November. A 5-10 guard from Oshkosh West High School, Meier earned all-conference and all-area recognition after averaging 10.5 points, 7.1 rebounds and 3.1 steals per game her senior season. She played on four state qualifying teams and led her team to the Division I state title during her sophomore and junior seasons.
Warkenthien was a three-time Class B all-state selection for Willow Lake High School, earning second team honors in 2003 and first team recognition in 2004 and 2005. The 6-0 post player led Willow Lake to consecutive State B runner-up finishes. She averaged 20 points and 10 rebounds per game for the Pirates as a senior. Willow Lake finished with a 23-1 record in 2005, losing to Mount Vernon in the state title game.
Carda received Class A all-state recognition four times during her career at Beresford. After earning honorable mention honors in 2002 and getting named to the second team in 2003, the 6-1 post player earned first team honors in 2004 and 2005. She averaged more than 20 points and 11 rebounds in each of her final two seasons.
Stacie Oistad and Ashlea Muckenhirn are SDSU's two other early signees. Oistad, a 6-0 forward from Sartell, Minn., was a three-time All-Central Lakes Conference selection and an honorable mention Class AAA all-state pick in 2004, averaging 13.3 points and 6.3 rebounds per game her junior season. Muckenhirn, a 5-8 guard from Osceola, Wis., earned second team all-state honors from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and third-team honors from the Wisconsin Associated Press in 2004. The 5-8 guard was the Eau Claire Leader-Telegram Player of the Year, averaging 17.8 points and 7.3 rebounds per game as a junior. She reached the 1,000-point plateau in her senior.
- Sports writer Eric Burgess
• SDSU wrestling recruits for next season are: Dan Bonte and Tyler Sorenson of Garretson, Ryan Meyer of Parkston, Chris Moran of Rapid City and Alan Marvin of Adrian, Mich.
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