Lady Griz sign three during early signing period
By: Staff of UM Sports Information Department 11/15/2004
Posted: 11/15/2004
at 17:49:59
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University of Montana women's basketball coach Robin Selvig announced on Monday that Lauren Beck of Great Falls, Mont., Britney Jo Lohman of Bozeman, Mont., and Shadra Robison of Billings, Mont., have all signed National Letters of Intent to join the Lady Griz in 2005-06. The NCAA's early signing period opened last Wednesday, Nov. 10, and continues through this Wednesday, Nov. 17.
Beck, a 6-0 point/shooting guard at Great Falls High School, was named all-conference as a junior after averaging 11.3 points, 3.4 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game for the Bison. She has a 3.89 GPA and has twice been named academic all-state.
"With Lauren you get a six-foot point guard, and I love that size in a guard," Selvig said. "She is a very savvy player and has good ball-handling skills. With her size and perimeter skills, Lauren obviously could be a versatile player for us as well. She is a really good student and a super kid."
Beck cited three reasons in particular why she chose to sign with the Lady Griz over the other schools recruiting her.
"Obviously first and foremost would be the coaching staff," Beck said on Sunday night. "Robin Selvig is a very respected coach and the fact that he's put together such a successful program will enable me to become the best player I can be.
"Second, I got the sense of a true family atmosphere within the team when I visited. All the girls really seem to get along, so that had a lot to do with it.
"Finally, I wanted to join a team that stresses academics as well as athletics. And luckily the University of Montana does. Robin really stressed to me that academics are the reason you are in college and that getting a degree is first and foremost in importance."
Lohman, a 6-1 forward at Bozeman High School, averaged 10 points, eight rebounds and three assists per game last year for the Hawks. She earned honorable mention all-state honors in basketball and is also a standout track and field athlete. Lohman finished second at last spring's state meet in the high jump, helping BHS to a state championship. She has a 3.8 GPA and was named academic all-state in track and field.
"Britney is extremely athletic and will be a versatile player for us," Selvig said. "She has the size and athleticism to go inside and the speed and quickness to play outside. Britney should be a great defender, and, like Lauren, she is an outstanding student."
Lohman was asked on Saturday if it was the Lady Griz program or the school itself that convinced her to sign.
"Probably a little bit of both," she said. "They have a really outstanding basketball program with a lot of tradition and the school is really strong as well. Montana has a good business school and that might be the area of study I want to get into.
"I'm just really excited about joining such a successful program. I know the other two signees from playing in high school, and I'm really excited about the possibilities."
Robison, a 6-4 center at Billings West High School and former teammate of current Lady Griz freshmen Mandy Morales and Dana Conway, averaged 10 points, nine rebounds and three blocked shots last year while shooting 48 percent from the field for the Golden Bears. BWHS has won back-to-back state championships, with Robison earning state tournament most valuable player honors last March. Robison is a three-time academic all-state selection and has a 3.75 GPA.
"We're obviously exited to get another player from a great high school program," Selvig said. "Shadra has good hands and plays extremely hard and should be an outstanding post player at the collegiate level. She has a great work ethic and has great potential in our program. And like our other two signees, she is an outstanding student."
"The program is great," Robison said from home on Saturday. "Look at the success they've had ... the coaches are wonderful and the players are too.
"I'm just really excited about joining the team. I think I'll have a very wonderful time, and I just hope we continue to win."
"With this group we get size and athleticism, and these are players we've gotten to know very well over the years at camps," Selvig said. "And they are all good students. They are the kind of student-athletes we want in our program, and they'll make good additions to our school."
