USF Women's Basketball Recruiting

The 2011 season has been rough for the USF ladies. A losing record, the end of the postseason streak, and an ugly gesture at Rutgers, this season has been one to forget. Yet, despite these issues, there is a lot of promise heading into next season for the Bulls.

The team returns most of its scoring, especially Andrea and Andrell Smith that have led the team since day one. The team is also expecting two very talented players to join the roster and add scoring, depth, and loads of talent as well. Here is a look at the three recruits that Coach Fernandez and staff are hoping to bring in for next season. [keep reading]

Guard - Shalethia Stringfield - 5'7" - ESPN Top 100

Stringfield, the 5'7" point guard from Jacksonville, Florida, is the prized recruit in this small recruiting class (only two incoming players). Stringfield is part of the ESPN 100 and a 4-star recruit. She is a terrific point guard that has improved her passing and overall skills in the past two seasons. She is an excellent shooter and can drive easily to the basket. She is solid on defense and very athletic, moving well without the ball and locking down an opposing player. She has the skills to take over a game when needed, but prefers to pass and help create offense by distracting defenses and driving to the lane and kicking passes out.

Fernandez runs a guard-oriented offense. He usually has undersized forward players (usually a guard playing the position) and one taller player, the center, in the middle helping direct traffic of the guard players. Stringfield is a huge pick up for the Bulls. She is able to create her own shot, giving the Bulls another weapon next to Andrea Smith next season (and for the future) and she can also create offense as well.

Guard - Tamara Taylor - 5'9"

Taylor is another point guard that will be joining the Bulls next season. She is not as creative with the ball as Stringfield, but has improved her game tremendously over the past two seasons. She is an excellent sharp shooter and helps create more offense as defense will have to get out on the wing to defend her shooting range. She is not as explosive on offense, meaning, she is not as skilled at creating her own shot like Stringfield is, but she has improved her overall skill set and can simply shoot the lights out.

Center - Catilin Rowe - 6'4"

Rowe is a 6'4" Center from Cahberra, Australia. Rowe played last season at Gulf Coast Community College (same school as Andrea and Andrell Smith). She averaged just 3.6 points per game and 3.2 rebounds per game. Her offensive game is a bit raw, but she will develop into an incredible post player. Rowe gives the Bulls great height in the paint and will help the Bulls get better on defensive and offense.

So these are the three recruits that have committed to Fernandez for 2011. It is a small recruiting class, but is full of talent. The Bulls won't lose too much after this season, but do lose Grant and Doomes-Stephens, interior players. Fernandez has not addressed the need for a post player in this recruit class, but Akila McDonald will probably be able to step in and take over in the paint. The Bulls will return the Smith twins and along with these two talented guards coming in, the Bulls will have a fast, guard oriented team that will look to shoot and run up and down the court.