Two More Players Commit To Women's Basketball
Utah State head women's basketball coach Raegan Scott-Pebley recently announced the signing of two women's basketball players to national letters of intent to compete for the Aggies in the 2003-04 season. The future Utah State student-athletes are Anne-Marie Torp of Louisville, Colo., and Christina Zdenek from West Hills, Calif.
"When we combine Anne-Marie and Christina with Brittany Hagen and Tiffany Peterson, who signed earlier this week, we have a great signing class," Scott-Pebley said. "I think it's a better group than most expected us to be able to sign. We're excited because these kids want nothing more than to have been a part of putting Utah State women's basketball on the map by the time they graduate.
"As a whole, this is a really versatile group, and they fit into the system we want to run."
Torp is a senior at Monarch High, and plays for Gail Hook and Kim Loland. A 5-11 player, she is making the transition from small forward to shooting guard. Monarch posted a record of 20-3 last season and advanced to the Colorado Class 5A elite eight round of the state championship. Torp averaged 12 points and 8.6 rebounds per contest as a junior.
"The environment reminded me of Boulder," said Torp. "And Utah State is a great school with good academic opportunities. I think I'll play well for Coach Scott-Pebley, and I'm excited to be a part of a new program. Though we'll be young, I think the expectations are going to be high."
The daughter of Fredrick and Karen Torp, she plans to major in business/graphic design. Martin carries a 3.7 grade point average. Her brother, John, is a punter at Colorado.
Zdenek is a senior at Chaminade Prep High in West Hills, Calif. A 2003 McDonald's All-American nominee, she is a 5-7 point guard whom Scott-Pebley said sees the court very well. As a junior, she averaged 23 points, 5.1 rebounds and 4.2 steals per game on a team that won the Mission League championship.
"One reason I chose Utah State is because it's such a unique opportunity," said Zdenek. "It's a great opportunity, and I think everyone there takes a lot of pride in what happens. I loved the coaches and it's a chance to live in a different state."
The daughter of Betty and Gene Zdenek, she maintains a 4.03 grade point average and is interested in majoring in engineering or natural resources. Her brother Jason was a starting safety at UCLA.
The four recruits who committed to USU in the early signing period join the five players already at Utah State - Salli Fiefia of Logan, Utah; Jessica Freeman from St. George, Utah; Stephanie Grant of Orem, Utah; Virginia Jennings of Hastings, Mich.; and Brittany Tressler from Orem, Utah. Grant and Tressler committed to USU on May 10, following Scott-Pebley's hiring on May 1. Jennings signed with the Aggies in early June, while Fiefia and Freeman committed to USU in late summer.
Utah State reinstated its women's basketball program on March 5 after a 15-year absence, and is scheduled to begin play in 2003-04.
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