Kansas Signee Angel Goodrich Selected For WBCA/Nike High School All-America Game
Feb. 18, 2008
ATLANTA, Ga. –
The Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) announced on Friday, Feb. 15 the nation’s top 20 girls’ basketball players. Kansas signee Angel Goodrich will join 19 other players in the 17th annual WBCA High School All-America Game presented by Nike.
“We are extremely excited for Angel to be named to the WBCA High School All-American team,” said Kansas head coach Bonnie Henrickson. “This is a prestigious honor that reflects Angel’s hard work on and off the court. We look forward to the start of her career at KU next fall.”
Goodrich was ranked as the 48th overall player in the class of 2008 by Hoopgurlz.com entering her senior season and was listed as the ninth best point guard by the publication. Goodrich has led her Sequoyah High team to three consecutive Class 3A state championships. The Lady Indians are currently 22-2 after completing a perfect 27-0 season during Goodrich’s junior season.
During her senior season, the 5-foot-3 guard averages 14.5 points, 5.6 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 5.8 steals per game and was named the Gatorade Player of the Year in Oklahoma following her junior season. The three-time Oklahoma State Tournament MVP was also named the 2007 Player of the Year by the Tulsa World Herald and 2007 Super Five by the Daily Oklahoman. Goodrich chose Kansas over Oklahoma, Texas A&M, Kansas State, Tulsa and Oklahoma State.
“It means a lot to be selected to play in this game,” said Goodrich, a 5-foot-3 guard. “Being a small kid from a small town, you never think you would be selected to play in one of these types of games. It’s just a honor to be one of the players chosen and I am looking forward to representing my family and my school. I hope to continue to make them proud.”
Goodrich is the sixth Kansas player to be named to the WBCA High School All-American team since its creation in 1992. Charisse Sampson (1992), Tamecka Dixon (1993), Erinn Reed (1993), Lynn Pride (1996) and Lauren Ervin (2003) were all selected during their senior seasons. Current KU assistant coach Kyra Elzy also participated in the event in 1996, before beginning her career at the University of Tennessee.
Nine selection committee members chose the team after weeks of studying data and holding weekly conference calls in discussion of players throughout the country. The 2008 WBCA High School All-America Game Selection Committee is comprised of: Gary Glasscock (Chair – St. Louis Metro Academic and Classical High School), Stacy Bilodeau (District 1 – Walpole High School), Bob Mackey (District 2 – Christ the King High School), Brian Robinson (District 3 – Bishop McGuinness High School), Pat Diulus (District 4 -Regina High School), Kelly Flynn (District 5 – South Sioux City High School), Teri Morrison (District 6 – Midway High School), Gail Hook (District 7 – Monarch High School), James Anderson (District 8 – Narbonne High School), Rachel Powell-Moore (District 9 – Cleveland High School), Brad Smith (Past Chair – Oregon City High School) and Daniella Trujillo (WBCA Staff Liaison).
“The WBCA High School All-America Team committee has selected 20 of the most talented seniors for this season’s lineup,” said WBCA CEO Beth Bass. “These young women represent the future of the college game and beyond, and the WBCA could not be more proud to play host to our 17th High School All-America Game presented by Nike.”
The following players were selected for the 2008 WBCA High School All-America Game: Cierra Bravard, Sansusky, Ohio (Florida State); Alyssia Brewer, Sapulpa, Okla. (Tennessee); Elena Delle Donne, Greenville, Del. (Connecticut); Jasmine Dixon, Long Beach, Calif. (Rutgers); Ayana Dunning, Columbus, Ohio (LSU); Ashley Gayle, Las Vegas, Nev. (Texas); Angel Goodrich, Tahlequah, Okla. (Kansas); Amber Gray, Liberty Township, Ohio (Tennessee); Whitney Hand, Fort Worth, Texas (Oklahoma); Tiffany Hayes, Lakeland, Fla. (Connecticut); Glory Johnson, Knoxville, Tenn. (Tennessee); Shenise Johnson, Henrietta, N.Y. (Miami); Lynetta Kizer, Woodbridge, Va. (Maryland); Chelsey Lee, Miami, Fla. (Rutgers); Nneka Ogwumike, Cypress, Texas (Stanford); Brooklyn Pope, Fort Worth, Texas (Rutgers); Shay Selby, Geneva, Ohio (Duke); Chay Shegog, Stafford Va. (North Carolina); Shekinna Stricklen, Morrilton, Ark. (Tennessee); April Sykes, Crawford, Miss. (Rutgers).
The chosen players will be divided into two teams of ten players. The college-style regulation game is scheduled for Saturday, April 5, at the University of South Florida’s Sun Dome in Tampa Bay, Fla. The game is scheduled to tip-off at 4:30 p.m. (ET). This highly-anticipated event is part of the WBCA National Convention, which takes place at the site of the NCAA® Women’s Final Four®.
This marks the 17th year that the WBCA has sanctioned a girls’ high school all-America team. The inaugural WBCA’s High School All-America Game was held April 17, 1992 at Oman Arena in Jackson, Tenn. The second and third annual games were also played at Oman Arena. The 1995 game, which marked the beginning of Nike’s title sponsorship, was played in Altoona, Penn. The event moved east to Philadelphia in 1996 and south to Nashville in 1997. The game was then held in Hartford, Conn. from 1998 until 2002. The game made its debut as part of the “WBCA Night of All-Stars” in 2003 and now stands on its own at the sight of the WBCA National Convention each year.
“Nike is honored to be involved with the WBCA High School All-America Game. This game recognizes the top high school players in the country and gives them a chance to come together and compete the weekend of the NCAA Women’s Final Four,” Mary Thompson, Nike’s Girls High School and Elite Youth Basketball Manager, said. “We recognize the importance of women in sports and would like to congratulate all the participants!”
The 2008 class of WBCA High School All-Americans joins the list of well-known past participants such as: Tamika Catchings (Indiana Fever), Katie Smith (Detroit Shock), Sue Bird (Seattle Storm), Diana Taurasi (Phoenix Mercury), Alana Beard (Washington Mystics) and Seimone Augustus (Minnesota Lynx).
