Recruits

Other Recruits:   2003-04  2004-05

Montana State University-Northern women’s basketball coach Chris Mouat has announced the signing of Amanda Quartuccio to join the Skylights next fall.  Quartuccio, a 5’8” guard from Plain City, Utah, recently finished her two-year career at Otero Junior College in La Junta, Colorado.

Quartuccio averaged 8 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 steals per game at Otero.  This season, she helped lead the Rattlers to a 23-8 record and semi-final appearance in the Region IX Tournament.  She shot 54% from the field and 37% from the three-point line and was a Region IX All-Tournament selection.

According to Mouat, “Amanda plays extremely hard at both ends of the floor.  We really liked her ability to run the floor and the fact that she can play a number of positions.  She finishes well, can hit the open perimeter shot, and is very aggressive defensively.  She is also coming out of one of the better teams in Region IX.”. 

Amanda Quartuccio

Becky Sorenson

This season, Thompson averaged 10.6 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 6 assists for the Bulldogs.  Throughout her career, she averaged 10 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 5 assists per game.  Her teams compiled a 91-10 overall record, including a 22-2 overall mark this season.  They won back-to-back State Class B Championships in 2004 and 2005. 

Thompson is a three-time All-Conference selection and was a member of the 2005 Class B All-State Tournament Team.  She is also a three-time All-Conference selection in volleyball. 

 “Jessica is a competitor, first and foremost,” Mouat said.  “She knows how to win and is coming from a highly successful high school program.  She had a good visit here, and really fit in with the players in our program.  I think she’ll be a great addition to the Skylight program.”

 According to Mouat, Thompson can play either the shooting guard or point guard position.

 “Jessica has had a lot of experience playing both positions,” he said.  “This season, she gained a lot of experience at the point, and did a great job for Coach Peterson and her team.”

Jessica Thompson

DANA BALL

Ball, a 5’11” wing from Evanston, Wyoming, is a transfer from the University of Great Falls.  In 2004-2005, Ball averaged 13.7 points and 5.1 rebounds per game for the Argos.  She shot 77% from the free throw line and connected on 32 3-point field goals. 

A 2003 graduate of Evanston High School, Ball shared 4A Player of the Year honors as a senior.  She was also the 4A Player of the Year in the South 4A Conference.  She was a two-time All-State selection and selected to play in the 2003 Montana-Wyoming All-Star series. 

“Dana will be a great addition to our program,” said Mouat.  “She has very good size at the wing position and has the ability to score off of the dribble as well as from the perimeter.  She also brings valuable Frontier Conference playing experience.” 

Ball will join her brother Cody, who has signed to play for Coach Shawn Huse and the MSU-Northern Lights men’s basketball team.

 Mouat said, “MSU-Northern just seemed like a good fit for Dana.  She’ll have a year to learn our system, get 100% healthy, and watch Cody play for the Lights.  We’re definitely excited about her.  She works hard and is extremely dedicated to the game.”

DANA BALL

Kylee Starr

KYLEE STARR

Starr, a 5’7” guard from Malta High School, is currently in her third year as a nursing student at MSU-Northern.  This season, she practiced with the Skylights on a regular basis. 

Mouat said, “Kylee has shown a ton of improvement over the past four or five months.  She has gotten back into the game, and has enjoyed it.  She had a very successful high school career, and brings plenty of positives to our program.  She is physical at the guard position and her perimeter game keeps getting better and better.” 

During her high school career, Starr was a part of two Class B State Championship teams.  As a senior at Malta, Starr averaged 16.8 points per game.  She was a two-time All-Conference selection. 

This season, much of Starr’s responsibility in practice was to defend All-American guard Jaci Heny.  According to Mouat, “Kylee has my ultimate respect for what she did for us this season.  We’re simply looking forward to having her on board on a full-time basis.”

SAM SCHERMELE

Schermele, a 5’9” guard from Great Falls High School, is a three-time All-Conference selection and a First Team All-State pick in 2006.  She has been a three-year starter, two-year captain, and was the team MVP this season.

During her senior season, Schermele averaged 11.9 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 assists while helping guide the Bison to a third place finish at the Class AA State Tournament.  Her efforts at the Class AA Tournament also earned her All-Tournament honors.

“Sam is a polished offensive player,” Mouat said.  “She knows how to score in a variety of ways and has a good head for the game.  She fit right in with our players on the floor and showed a lot of basketball savvy.  We think she has the potential to be very successful in the Frontier Conference.”

Schermele ranked among the top 10 in the entire AA in scoring, assists, and free throw percentage this season.

SAM SCHERMELE

AMANDA HOVEY

AMANDA HOVEY

Hovey is a 5’9” guard from Northwest College and a 2004 graduate of Twin Falls High School in Twin Falls, Idaho.  As a senior at Twin Falls High School, she was an All-State selection, helping her team to a 3^rd place finish at the Class 5A State Tournament.  She averaged 13 points per game this season and is expected to bring a solid shooting presence to the Skylight program. 

“Amanda is a very good perimeter shooter,” Mouat said.  “She has played both the point and shooting guard positions during her time at Northwest College, and she handles the ball well under pressure.  She played in a very competitive conference and brings immediate experience to the perimeter.  She gets shots off quickly and possesses a scorer’s mentality.”

MARY DEVRIES

DeVries is a 5’11” forward from Chester-Joplin-Inverness High School.  The Hawks took home 2^nd place honors at the 2006 Class C State Tournament, their third state tournament appearance in as many years. 

DeVries is a three-time All-Conference and All-State selection, and a three-time Academic All-State pick.  She earned All-Tournament Team honors at the State Class C Tournament on three separate occasions. 

This season, DeVries averaged 16.7 points, 9 rebounds, and 2.3 steals per game.  She shot 57% from the field and nearly 70% from the free throw line. 

“What really stands out about Mary,” Mouat said, “is her ability to hurt you in a number of ways.  She can shoot the open jumper, she is athletic off of the dribble, and she has a great first step.  She also has a lot of experience playing with her back to the basket.  Her versatility will really help her in our league.”

MARY DEVRIES