YSU coaches pleased with recruiting class

By Pete Mollica

YOUNGSTOWN — Wednesday was the official day that Youngstown State basketball coaches Jerry Slocum and Cindy Martin took major steps in improving their programs.

Martin, who won just three of 30 games in her first season as the women’s coach (including 1-17 in the Horizon League), received letters of intent from five players, including one from the Valley.

Martin was excited about this year’s class that includes a Youngstown native and a former high school standout at The Rayen School.

Tieara Jones will be a junior with the Penguins next season after she transfers from Foothill College in San Jose, Calif. Jones was recruited and signed by the University at Buffalo out of high school and played there as a freshman before leaving for junior college.

Martin spent a lot of time in the West this recruiting season and ended up signing four other players, including two high school seniors and two other junior college players.

Joining the Penguins for their junior seasons will be J.C. transfers Brooke Conley (6-foot guard) from Barton Community College in Wichita, Kan., and Bojana Dimitrov (5-7 guard) from Carl Albert State College in Oklahoma and a native of Peracin, Serbia.

Martin also added high school seniors Brandi Brown (5-11 forward) from Claremont, Calif., and Maryum Jenkins (5-8 guard) from Monrovia High in Duarte, Calif.

Those five players will join the three players who signed during the early period in November. They were Casey Jackson, Kaitlin Rohrs and Melissa Thompson.

Slocum also was happy with his two recruits for next season although neither was a surprise. Six-five forward Lamar McKnight of Bedford Chanel signed with the Penguins during the early signing period last November.

Warren Harding’s outstanding guard, Sheldon Brogdon, officially became a Penguin when he signed his national letter of intent on Wednesday. But Brogdon had verbally committed to the Penguins last December.

Read the story in Thursday’s Vindicator and on Vindy.com.