Three Locals Ink With RiverHawks

TAHLEQUAH, Okla. --- Northeastern State University (OK) received three women's basketball commitments during the National Letter of Intent period this week.

Randy's Gipson's 2009 recruiting class features a local flair of sorts with each of the signees coming from a 75-mile radius of the Tahlequah campus.

Megan Fraley, the only junior college product to ink for the RiverHawks, is a 5-5 point guard from Adair, Okla. Fraley played two seasons for Northeastern Oklahoma A&M and led the Lady Norse to a 23-8 record this year and a semifinal berth in the Region II Tournament. A First Team All-Region selection and Honorable Mention NJCAA All-America, Fraley averaged 14.3 points and 4.2 assists per game.

A pair of freshmen also signed with Northeastern State. Sarah Green, a 5-10 forward from Tulsa (Memorial High School), Okla., and Tosha Tyler, a 5-8 guard/wing from Vinita, Okla., had outstanding prep careers.

Green averaged a double-double this year with 14 points and 11 rebounds per outing. Her efforts helped lead the Chargers to a 21-6 mark in 2009 and a quarterfinal appearance in the Class 6A State Tournament. She was also chosen to the Oklahoma Girls Basketball Coaches Association All-State team.

Tyler and the Hornets capped a banner season by claiming the Class 4A State Championship earlier this spring. Tyler was selected to the OGBCA and Oklahoma Coaches Association All-State teams by pouring through 15.4 points and grabbing 4.6 rebounds per contest.

During the early signing period, Broken Arrow's Taylor Lewis inked her NLI with Northeastern State. Lewis, a 5-7 guard, averaged 16.1 points and dished out 5.5 assists per game as the Tigers made a run at the state tournament with a 20-7 record. She also earned OGBCA and OCA All-State honors.

Gipson says this wraps up the recruiting efforts for the RiverHawks and he is anxious to implement these student-athletes into his program.

"We are delighted with the 2009 recruiting class," said Gipson, who has logged 10 consecutive winning seasons during his Northeastern State tenure. "I am convinced that we have added another group of very talented and competitive players that will help us reach the goals we are striving for as a basketball program."

Northeastern State was 16-12 this season. Gipson lost just one senior, Lindsey Sams, and a handful of freshmen earned valuable experience as the RiverHawks qualified for the Lone Star Conference Postseason Tournament.