July 6, 2009
Contact: Sean Forrester
Women’s Basketball Announces 2009-10 Recruiting Class
MONTEVALLO, Ala. – University of Montevallo women’s basketball head coach Brittney Ezell announced the signing of four recruits for the 2009-10 season. Alex Sanabria (Miami, Fla./University of West Virginia), Amanda Scott (Cullman, Ala./UAB), Alex Strickland (Pinson, Ala./Clay-Chalkville) and Trena Moore-Smith (Charlotte, N.C./West Charlotte) will all join the Falcons this fall in their first season in the Peach Belt Conference.
Alex Sanabria will join the Falcons as a senior. She is a 5-9 combo guard transfer from the University of West Virginia. She played in all 33 games last season for the Mountaineers averaging 3.4 ppg., 2.0 rpg. She competed for Coach Ezell at Okaloosa Walton College as a freshman and sophomore compiling a 27-19 record in her two seasons. Named First Team All-Panhandle Conference as a sophomore averaging 7.4 ppg and 2.6 rpg. She is originally from Miami, Florida and graduated from Miami Senior High. She will major in business at Montevallo.
Thoughts from Coach Ezell:
"Alex is an ultra-competitive player who can score from all 3 guard positions. She is a crafty ball handler and a tenacious defender. She is also very comfortable with our system of play and coaching style which should allow her to have a smooth transition here. We are extremely happy to have Alex join us and to finish her degree and career at Montevallo."
Amanda Scott also joins the Falcons as a senior. She is a 6-3 power forward/center transfer from the University of Alabama-Birmingham. She played in all 30 games as a junior for the Blazers earning 10 starts while averaging 3.0 ppg., 2.7 rpg. and leading the team in blocked shots. She’s originally from Cullman, Ala. and a standout multi-sport athlete at West Point High School in basketball, volleyball and track. Scott was First Team All-State in 2006 and named to the Birmingham News Top 12 as a senior averaging 18 ppg. and 11 rpg. She also represented the Alabama Twisters during the summer AAU circuit.
Thoughts from Coach Ezell:
"We have known about Amanda's abilities for years. She is a unique mix of size, strength and finesse. Her size will give us added strength in the frontcourt and her ability to shoot the basketball will allow us to spread defenses. Amanda is a very intelligent player and capable of making an impact immediately. As a state school, I am always interested in helping Alabama talent and Amanda’s a definite in-state talent. We are very excited to have her here in the fall."
Alex Strickland comes to Montevallo as a freshman. She is a 5-11 shooting guard/small forward from Clay-Chalkville High School. She averaged 13 points and 10 rebounds per game as a senior and is a three-time All-Jefferson County and All-Area selection. She was named the 2008 Area 14 MVP, 2008 Northeast Regional MVP, 2008 Alabama North-South All-Star team member while starting for Mike Chase at Clay-Chalkville. CCHS is one of the state's top girls' basketball programs and a 2008 State Runner-up. She also played AAU for the Alabama Southern Starz.
Thoughts from Coach Ezell:
“Alex is one of the first high school kids that we targeted in the summer of 2008. She is a hardnosed competitor and loves learning the game. With her size and athleticism, she is capable of playing multiple positions. She is capable of playing on the block as a small forward or as a shooting guard on the perimeter. Alex is exactly the type of student-athlete that we are looking for to help continue to rebuild the Montevallo program. She is a winner in every aspect of her life."
Trena Moore-Smith will also enter as a freshman in 2009. She is a 5-6 point guard from West Charlotte High School in Charlotte, North Carolina. She averaged 11.7 ppg., 2 rpg., 2.5 apg., and 2.1 spg., for the 2009 State Champions. As a four-year starting point guard and two-year captain, she was named 2006 Most Improved Player, 2008 Coach's Award Winner and two-time All-State Western Regional Team in 2008 and 2009.
Thoughts from Coach Ezell:
"Trena is a big time competitor. She competes at a high level regardless of the competition and has a high level of confidence that is needed to be successful at the point guard position. She is fantastic in an up-tempo style of play and is capable of being a long range threat from 3-point depth. Trena possesses amazing quickness and will be a defensive asset immediately. We are excited to have her join the Falcon program."
All four new Falcons will join a strong group of returnees who led Montevallo to its first postseason berth in three years. The Falcons will now enter new territory as they begin their first season in the highly-competitive Peach Belt Conference.
###