PURDUE WOMEN’S BASKETBALL SIGNS HOUSER, OSTARELLO AND WILSON

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Purdue head women's basketball coach Sharon Versyp announced Wednesday that the Boilermakers have secured another outstanding group of prospective student-athletes. Three of the country's top high school players have signed a National Letter of Intent to attend Purdue beginning in the fall of 2009.

Michaela “KK” Houser, a 5-foot-7 guard from Lincoln, Neb., (Southeast High School), Sam Ostarello, a 6-foot-2 forward from Fort Pierre, S.D., (Stanley County High School) and Ashley Wilson, a 6-foot forward from Wheeling, Ill., (Wheeling High School) all made their official commitments to the Boilermakers during the early signing period, which began Wednesday and continues through Nov. 21.

All three student-athletes are rated among the top 100 players in the country by the All-Star Collegiate Girls Basketball Report and the signing class is ranked No. 13 nationally.

“These three girls are a very versatile group, they bring with them energy, competitiveness and the ability to play multiple positions,” coach Versyp said. “We’re very excited about them being a top-13 recruiting class.”

Purdue is ranked 23rd in the Associated Press Top 25 poll with 11 letter winners and four returning starters back from the 2007-08 campaign. The Boilermakers are coming off a 19-15 record in 2007-08 that included a third place finish in the Big Ten Conference, a Big Ten Tournament championship and a trip to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Purdue also welcomes back All-American candidate Lindsay Wisdom-Hylton who missed last season after ACL surgery and junior Jodi Howell who sat out last year after undergoing two surgeries on her shoulder.

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No. 23 Purdue Tops OGBR

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - The 23rd-ranked Purdue women's basketball team put together a 15-0 second-half run to beat the Ohio Girls Basketball Report Legends 68-50 in an exhibition game Sunday. The victory marks Purdue's 29th straight win in a preseason exhibition contest.

The Boilermakers trailed by two points at the half, 27-25, after shooting just 28 percent from the field. With just under 14 minutes to go in the game, the Boilermakers were behind 40-37, but a three-pointer by FahKara Malone sparked a 15-0 run that gave Purdue the lead for good. The Boilermakers improved their shooting accuracy in the second half, hitting 53.3 percent for the period and 41.8 percent for the game.

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PURDUE WOMEN’S BASKETBALL TABBED NO. 23 IN AP PRESEASON POLL

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - The Purdue women’s basketball team is ranked No. 23 in the Associated Press preseason poll. The Boilermakers return to the top 25 for the first time since Nov. 19, 2007, when they were tabbed No. 22.

Third-year head coach Sharon Versyp has the most depth and experience since her return to her alma mater. She has four starters back from the 2008 Big Ten Tournament championship squad, plus the services of sharpshooter Jodi Howell and All-America candidate Lindsay Wisdom-Hylton, who sat out last season with injuries. Add to that mix four freshmen that were ranked as high as the seventh-best recruiting class in the country and it becomes clear why Purdue was picked by the Big Ten coaches as the preseason favorite to win the conference.

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PURDUE WOMEN’S BASKETBALL PLAYER NAMED HOMECOMING QUEEN

October 28, 2008

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Lauren Mioton, a senior on the women’s basketball team was crowned Purdue University's Homecoming queen on Oct. 24 during a pep rally at Slayter Hill. The women’s basketball team was in attendance and rushed the stage when Mioton’s name was announced. Mioton is the first Purdue women’s basketball player to win the honor and she credits the Purdue athletics family for supporting her.

“When the Purdue athletics administration heard that I was running for homecoming queen, they spread the word to the coaches, who spread it on to their players,” Mioton said. “The teams told their friends to vote for me. I did not know that so many student-athletes would rally around me like that because it’s something outside the athletic realm. It was great to know that the entire department was involved in it and that so many student-athletes would take the time to support me.”

Mioton, a biology major from New Orleans was one of seven candidates for queen and was crowned along with homecoming king, Sam Utley from Haubstadt, Ind.

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