NMSU Women’s Basketball Signs Three Commitments for 2012-13 Season

LAS CRUCES, N.M. (Nov. 9) – New Mexico State women’s basketball head coach Mark Trakh announced three new additions to the Aggie family each signed a National Letter of Intent Wednesday to play basketball at NM State beginning in the fall of 2012.

Trakh and his staff signed Abby Scott, a 6-1 senior guard from Madras High School in Madras Ore.; Sasha Weber, a 6-0 senior guard from Timberline High School in Lacey, Wash.; and Shay Young, a 6-0 senior guard from Mount Miguel High School in San Diego on the first day of the early signing period.

“Overall our class as a whole is very athletic and skilled,” said Trakh. “It also fills our needs at guard next season.”

Last week, the ESPN Hoopgurlz website ranked New Mexico State’s 2012 commitments of Scott, Weber and Young among the top-20 mid-major recruiting classes in the nation. The site stated the three perimeter players should provide plenty of scoring and ball-handling skills for the Aggies.

Scott is a pure shooter from the outside with good length at 6-1. As a junior at Madras she averaged 12.2 points, 5.6 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 2.6 steals per game. Scott helped lead the White Buffaloes to a 21-8 record and advance to the Oregon 4A State Semifinals. Scott scored 12 points in a semifinal loss to Cascade and tallied 17 against Henley in the state’s third-place game last March. Scott averaged 14 points per game in the OSAA state championship tournament and earned Class 4A Second Team honors after her junior campaign. The guard also claimed First Team All-Tri-Valley Conference accolades last season.

Aggie assistant coach Aarika Hughes was key in recruiting Scott to Las Cruces. Hughes coached Scott on the senior’s AAU team, Team Concept in Oregon. Hughes also played for the AAU squad during her high school days.

During her past summer with the team Scott showcased her skills at tournaments in Chicago and the End of the Trail Tournament in Oregon City, Ore., as Team Concept earned first-place honors. Scott chose NM State over Oregon State, San Diego State and SMU.

“Abby is a 6-1 shooting guard,” Trakh said. “She is a great shooter with good range and overall a very athletic player.”

Weber stands at 6-0 and plays guard at Timberline High School in Lacey, Wash. – just east of the state’s capital city of Olympia. Prior to her senior season with the Blazers, the three-year starter broke the school’s all-time scoring record with 1,013 points in only 67 games and was named to The Olympian 2011 All-Area Basketball Team. As a junior she averaged 14.2 points, 4.0 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 3.3 steals per game leading Timberline to its first state tournament berth in 41 years and a league title with a 23-2 record. Weber also claims two All-3A Narrows League First Team honors.

A gritty defender, Weber uses her athleticism to pressure opposing ball handlers into mistakes. While playing for the Tree of Hope club team last summer, Weber earned one of ESPN Hoopgurlz “Team Lockdown” defensive player honors. She was an all-tournament selection at the End of the Trail Tournament for the third time and earned two tournament MVP honors while playing with the team among numerous individual records.

Weber is also a star track and field athlete claiming the 2010 Washington 3A State Championship in the high jump, clearing a height of 5-8, as a sophomore. She finished as the state runner-up in the event last May as a junior and during her freshman campaign as well. Weber also boasts top-five State finishes in the triple jump and javelin. Additionally, Weber qualified for the 3A State meet in the shot put last season. Weber chose NM State over Oregon State, BYU, UNLV and Fresno State.

“Sasha is fast and can shoot the three,” Trakh said. “She really fills a need for us at the point guard position. She can also pressure on defense and go up-tempo on offense.”

Young is a tall 6-0 guard attributed with impressive strength and strong individual skills that give defenders trouble. As a junior, Young averaged 15.3 points, 8.8 rebounds, 1.9 steals and 1.3 blocks per game at Mount Miguel and earned all-city, all-academic and all-state honors.

She averaged a double-double, 19 points and 10 rebounds, at the Aztec Invitational last season to earn High School Athlete of the Week honors from the San Diego Union-Tribune. Young scored 14 points, grabbed six boards and made six blocks to help the Matadors capture the 2011 CIF San Diego Section girl’s basketball championship.

The guard participated on the Elite Basketball Organization (EBO) travel team that helped produce former Aggie stars Madison Spence and Danisha Corbett. Young was also named to the Union-Tribune All-Academic First Team last spring with a 4.2 GPA. Young chose NM State over Utah State, Santa Clara and San Francisco.

“Shay is a big, strong player who can also play at small forward,” said Trakh. “She has a 15-foot range. She is a great rebounder and can get to the basket very well.”

Scott, Weber and Young are the only recruits to sign on with NM State during the 2012-13 early-signing period that began November 9. The Aggies have two additional scholarships to fill in the spring to complete the 2012 class at five.

The Aggies begin the 2011-12 season when they battle Houston Friday, Nov. 11, at 6 p.m. MT.