ThunderWolves secure two recruits for 2010

PUEBLO, Colo. (March 30, 2010) – The Colorado State University-Pueblo women’s basketball team, fresh off its first national tournament win in program history, will add even more strength to its roster in 2010-11 with the addition of two of the State of Arizona’s top high school players, Paige Ramm (Prescott HS/Prescott, Ariz.) and Katie Tomlinson (Dobson HS/Mesa C.C./Mesa, Ariz.).

Ramm, a 5-foot-8 guard from Prescott High School in Prescott, Ariz., won the State of Arizona three-point shootout championship this season.  But Ramm is more than just a novelty player in three-point contests – she was named the Prescott Courier Player of the Year after averaging 17.8 PPG and 6.7 RPG.  She boasted a 42 percent field goal percentage, a 34 percent average from three-point-range, and came through with 2.4 steals and 1.7 assists per game.  In addition to her high school experience, she played on one of the top club teams in Arizona, the Arizona Thunder.

“We really like her competitiveness and how hard she plays the game,” Pack coach Kip Drown said.  “She’s a tough-nosed kid, can rebound well for a guard, and is very physical.  We expect her to compete for time right away at the wing position.”

Tomlinson, a 6-foot-1 post from Mesa Community College, averaged 5.5 points and 7.1 rebounds per game and helped lead Mesa to the NJCAA Region I Championship game.  She will have the opportunity to get significant minutes right away at the post position, and she is the type of player whose best days are in front of her, Drown said.

“Katie was a late bloomer and she seems to get better each year,” Drown said.  “She’s a physical low post player, and her best strengths are her rebounding and competitiveness.  We are excited about the level of toughness she will bring to our program.”

CSU-Pueblo, which achieved its highest level of postseason success in program history in 2009-10, winning the RMAC Shootout Championship for the third consecutive season as well as winning a first-round game at the NCAA Division II National Tournament, will return a team virtually identical to last year’s squad.  CSU-Pueblo returns three starters – Rachel Espinoza (Jr., Pueblo, Colo.), Kendall Babler (So., Rifle, Colo.), and Amanda Bartlett (Jr., Kiowa, Colo.) – and loses only three players to graduation.