Nov. 9, 2006
NORMAL, Ill. - Illinois State head women's basketball coach Robin Pingeton feels that her program has already "turned the corner" heading into the 2006-07 regular season. But on Wednesday's national college basketball signing day, Pingeton officially welcomed four newcomers to the Redbird program that she hopes will all be instrumental in Illinois State taking the next step of becoming a perennial post-season contender and a highly respected program in the Midwest. Prep standouts Danielle Calef, Amanda Clifton, Sha'la Jackson and Taylor Lawless all signed National Letters of Intent, and will begin their eligibility in the 2007-08 academic year.
Pingeton and her staff hit the local recruiting trail hard again this season, as two of the four incoming freshmen are Illinois natives. Fifteen of Pingeton's 18 recruits in her three-plus seasons at Illinois State hail from the state of Illinois.
Pingeton was pleased with the outcome of the 2007 recruiting class as a whole.
"We are very excited to have Danielle, Taylor, Sha'la and Amanda join the Redbird family," said Pingeton. "They are a class act both on and off the court and will represent our program very well. They all bring a great deal of energy, athleticism, and passion to our program. All four of them are fierce competitors, and are committed to helping us take our program to the next level."
Calef is a Cedar Rapids, Iowa native and attended Prairie High School. The 6-0 wing player averaged 10.5 points, 6.1 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 2.9 steals-per-game in her junior season. Her versatility has allowed her to play shooting guard and both forward spots in high school and AAU, where she starred for the Iowa Elite. Calef is a three-sport standout at Prairie, where she also excels in track and volleyball.
Pingeton was impressed with Calef's athleticism in the recruiting process.
"Danielle is a great athlete, and she showed that by being a standout in three sports," said Pingeton. "She will be a very versatile player for us. At 6-0, she can play on the perimeter or with her back to the basket. She is very driven, and she comes from outstanding programs with winning traditions."
Calef's high school coach, Steve Doser, believes her strong work ethic in the off-season prepared Calef with the opportunity to play Division I basketball.
"Danielle is a tireless worker," said Doser. "She has put in a lot of practice time at home and in the off-season with her traveling team (Iowa Elite). I think that extra work really helped her become an attractive, prospective recruit."
Calef, who lists her defense, rebounding and court awareness as her primary strengths, wanted to be a part of a winning tradition at ISU.
"Coach Pingeton is an incredible leader," said Calef. "She and her coaching staff have a great knowledge of the game. I like their coaching style and the way they run their program. I also feel that ISU has a promising future and will be playing in the post-season on a regular basis, and I hope to be a part of that."
Clifton is a Rock Island, Ill. native, and attended Alleman High School, the same high school as current Redbird senior guard and Alleman all-time scoring leader Megan McCracken. Clifton, a 5-8 guard, was a three-time Western Big Six All-Conference honoree, and was named third-team Illinois Basketball Coaches Association (IBCA) All-State last season. She holds the school record for assists and steals. Clifton led her team to a state title in the 2004-05 campaign.
Pingeton called Clifton a "winner" and says she will add to the scoring of ISU's already deep backcourt.
"Amanda comes to Illinois State from a very successful high school program," Pingeton said. "She led her team to a state championship at Redbird Arena as a sophomore. Amanda is a scoring point guard that will provide some added depth for us at that position. She has great speed and a great understanding of the game."
Jackson is a Fort Wayne, Ind., native, and attends South Side High School. She has lettered three times, and amassed 1,027 career points. The 5-9 wing player will be a key addition to the Redbirds' up-tempo style of play, according to Pingeton.
"Sha'la is very athletic and is going to provide some added depth at the wing position for us," said Pingeton. "She is a gifted athlete who has a great understanding of the game. She is very explosive and can create off the dribble. We feel fortunate to have landed someone of Shala's abilities to our program here at Illinois State."
Jackson, who lists her 15-foot jump shot as her biggest strength, knew after her first unofficial visit that she wanted to further her education at Illinois State.
"After my unofficial visit, I knew I wanted to attend ISU," said Jackson. "The campus was great, and the staff made me feel comfortable. They even introduced me to President Bowman, and he knew all about me as a player. I thought that was pretty cool."
Lawless led Wheeling High School to consecutive 25-win campaigns in both her sophomore and junior seasons. The 6-1 forward garnered all-conference and all-area plaudits in the past two seasons, as Wheeling advanced to back-to-back super sectionals appearances. She tore her ACL in the off-season, and will not be available to play in her senior campaign.
Pingeton was impressed with Lawless' basketball IQ and her physical make-up.
"Taylor is a very well known basketball player in the Chicago area," Pingeton said. "She started playing at a very young age, and has a great understanding of the game. She is physical in the paint, but can also step out and hit the perimeter shot. Unfortunately, she sustained an ACL injury and will have to sit out her senior year, but I believe she will rehab strong and be ready to make an impact at the college level."
Lawless' high school coach, Shelly Weidel, said the ISU coaching staff made the difference in Lawless deciding to attend ISU.
"Taylor really felt a connection with the coaching staff," said Weidel. "She felt they were looking out for her not only as a basketball player, but as a person. Another big factor was that they (the coaching staff) never wavered or backed off on their interest when she hurt her knee last season."
Lawless said she is mentally prepared to take her game to the next level, despite being forced to miss a year of basketball.
"My biggest strength is my mental game," said Lawless. "Any athlete can have talent or physical strength, but if you don't have the mental capacity to excel as a player, your game is incomplete. I've been preparing myself for the Division I level, and I know what is going to be expected of me."
