Barnes, YSU women’s basketball team welcome three new players

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

Youngstown State head women’s basketball coach John Barnes announced Wednesday that Mailee Jones has signed a National Letter of Intent and Morgan Brunner and Izzy Meese have committed as preferred walk-ons for the 2016-17 season.

All three incoming student-athletes are 5-foot-8 guards, and they come from three different states. Jones is from San Antonio, Texas; Brunner hails from Wheeling, W.Va.; and Meese is from Sugarcree, Ohio.

Jones was named first-team all-district 26-6A as a senior in leading Ronald Reagan High School to 21 victories. The combo guard was also a first-team all-district selection as a sophomore and junior.

Jones comes from a basketball family as her father played professionally in Europe for 11 years and now runs a shooting school in San Antonio.

“Mailee is an extremely hard worker who can shoot the ball well, is very skilled and has a high basketball IQ,” Barnes said.

“She can play point guard as well as the two and three guard spots, which will give us an added punch to the backcourt. She comes from a basketball family and wants to play professionally, so she has high expectations of herself.”

Brunner is a four-time All-Ohio Valley Athletic Conference selection at The Linsly School. She averaged 16 points as a senior and was invited to play in the Samuel A. Mumley OVAC All-Star Basketball Classic. Brunner made more than 200 3-pointers and scored more than 1,200 points in her Cadets career.

“Morgan is first and foremost a very good shooter, and her game meshes well with what we do offensively,” Barnes said. “She’s a hard worker and possesses very good character, which will fit nicely with our culture.”

Meese was named first-team All-Ohio at the Division III level as she averaged 16 points for Garaway High School. She was one of three players on the balanced Pirates squad to score more than 1,000 career points.

Meese was an honorable mention all-state player as a junior and a first-team All-Inter-Valley Conference pick.

“Izzy offers great versatility because she can play all three guard spots offensively and guard all three on the defensive end,” Barnes said. “She’s a tough player who comes from a good program and is another person who will be a great addition to our program both on and off the floor.”

The additions of Jones, Brunner and Meese bring the total number of newcomers on next season’s squad to six. They join Mary Dunn, Natalie Myers and Jen Oduho, who signed with YSU in November.