2021-22 Early Signing Day: Illinois Girls

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Making a decision on where to play college basketball is one of the biggest moments in a young athlete’s life.

All year long we track player commitments. These announcements are generally verbal agreements by the players to the coaches and programs they will most likely play for, but they are not binding.

During multiple windows during the year, athletes can sign official National Letters of Intent (NLI) with their programs, more formally binding athlete to program.

For basketball the Early Signing Period this year is November 10-17. The regular period runs from April 13, 2022, through May 18, 2022. 

Below is a list of all official signees during the early period.

Division I Signings From Illinois

Commitments ordered alphabetically by high school.

Tessa Towers, Batavia

College: Wisconsin
Position: Center
Quote: “I just wanted to go to a school where there’s a good coaching staff and there’s coaches who care about their players … all their players told me that that they do deeply care,” Towers told Illinois-Basketball.com in the summer. 

 

Morgan Demos, Benet

College: Navy
Position: Forward
Quote: “Everything about that trip felt right,” Demos told Illinois-Basketball.com. “I met some of the players on the team. I saw the court. I saw what they had to offer with the campus.“

Ella Lune, Brimfield

College: Eastern Illinois
Position: Forward

Camille Jackson, Butler College Prep

College: Illinois
Position: Guard
Notes: Had offers from DePaul, Louisville, Arizona State, Marquette, Mississippi State, Missouri, Penn State and others.

Tatiana Thomas, Bolingbrook

College: Kent State
Position: Forward
Quote: “I just had a lot of different schools talking to me so I wasn’t pinpoint on one school,” Thomas told Illinois-Basketball.com in July. “But once I visited them, I liked the coaches. They were really nice, kind and genuine. I got to hang out with the girls and they were super sweet, and I would ask them questions and I feel like they told me how it was. Some people just gaslight you … I feel like they were pretty truthful … it seems like a good place to call home.”

Grace Sullivan, Carmel Catholic

College: Bucknell
Position: Center

Alecia Doyle, Carterville

College: Southeast Missouri State
Position: Guard

https://twitter.com/officialsemowbb/status/1458611330789822468

Elle Evans, Edwardsville

College: North Dakota State
Position: Wing/Guard
Quote: “Elle has a very quick release and will be a prolific three-point shooter for us, but is also capable of putting the ball on the floor and making plays at the rim,” NDSU coach Jory Collins said in a press release. “Her ability to guard almost all positions defensively is also a plus for our versatility on that end. I think the thing that stands out most about Elle is that she wants to be great. She is coming to NDSU with a very clear picture of the career she wants to have and the legacy she wants to leave. Her maturity and focus will allow her to impact our team immediately when she gets here.”

Macy Silvey, Edwardsville

College: SIUE
Position: Guard
Quote: “I really enjoy playing basketball at a fast pace, and that is how coach (Samantha Quigley Smith) likes to coach as well,” Silvey told Illinois-Basketball.com in August. “From what I’ve seen so far, the team feels like I would really fit in there which also helps. It helps that the coaches really believe in me, and I think they think I will come in and help shape their program.”

Sydney Harris, Edwardsville

College: Central Michigan
Position: Forward
Notes: Held offers from Cleveland State, Indiana State, Evansville, Murray State, Wichita State, SIUE, Drake, Loyola Bradley and SIU according to the Edwardsville Intelligencer. 

Brianna Wooldridge, Fremd

College: IUPUI
Position: Forward
Notes: Has played at Lincoln-Way West and Fremd, as well as for Example Sports. Considered Top 10 prospect in Class of 2022 by several recruiting services.

Kammie Ludwig, Geneseo

College: Providence
Position: Guard

https://twitter.com/ladyleafbball/status/1458884451384111109?s=21

 

Brooke Blumenfeld, Glenbrook North

College: Northern Illinois
Position: Forward
Quote: “They play fast, they like to push it up the court,” Blumenfeld told Illinois-Basketball.com this summer. “I really wanted to make sure that the school I committed to would allow me to, if I got a rebound, take it and go. … That’s my thing, I’m six foot and I can handle the ball. And I wanted to make sure I wasn’t stuck down low in the five position all game. And the way they run their offense, they’ll allow me to do that.”

 

Brianna McDaniel, Kenwood

College: Texas A&M
Position: Guard/Wing
Quote: “I knew that that was the best fit for me because after I hurt myself, they called me to check on me, see the things I needed, asked some of the trainers to give me some information,” McDaniel told Illinois-Basketball.com. “They were really hands-on. Even though I wasn’t physically with them, they were really hands-on with my injury and I really appreciated that. I love the team so much. They called me while I was going through [my recovery] … they checked on me, texted me after I had surgery … they gave me a family-type of vibe and I appreciated that.”

 

Whitney Dunn, Kenwood

College: Loyola
Position: Guard
Notes: Held offers from Valparaiso, Central Michigan, Cleveland State, UIC, Coppin State, Chicago State, Indiana State, UMKC, SIU, Wisconsin-Milwaukee. 

Emily Pape, Maine South

College: Cornell
Position: Wing/Forward
Quote: “The coaches and players have made the decision so easy because on the unofficial visit I had just met the coaches,” Pape told Illinois-Basketball.com. “The players weren’t there yet. They were awesome. They were super welcoming. On the official visit I had met the players and hung out with them for the day and they were super cool.”

Bella Finnegan, Mother McAuley

College: Indiana State
Position: Guard/Wing
Notes: Averaged 11 points, 6.4 rebounds, 2 assists per game and made 24 3-pointers in 15 games per The Beverly Review.

Kenzie Hare, Naperville North

College: St. Louis
Position: Guard
Quote: “The way they recruited me made me feel comfortable,” Hare told Illinois-Basketball.com. “I have a great relationship with the staff. I talk to the head coach, coach (Lisa) Stone, every Sunday at 7 (p.m.). That’s been going on for over a year-and-a-half now. Definitely felt comfortable making that decision early.”

Simone Sawyer, Stevenson

College: Penn
Position: Guard

Faith Feuerbach, Sycamore

College: St. Thomas
Position: Guard/Wing
Notes: Interstate 8 co-MVP as a junior.

Joy Bergstrom, St. Viator

College: South Dakota
Position: Guard
Notes: Held offers from likes of Akron, St. Louis, UMKC, Valparaiso and UAB.

Sophie Sullivan, Willowbrook

College: SIUE
Position: Guard
Quote: “I absolutely loved SIUE right when I stepped on campus,” Sullivan told Illinois-Basketball.com in August. “Edwardsville is a really beautiful town I would say. I feel like no one really knows it until you get there. It just gave me a feeling of home, and I knew I could end up going there. I’ve also known coach Quigley for a long time. She’s seen me play since I was a freshman at Montini. She’s such a nice person. I can’t wait to learn more from her experiences as a player and a person because we played the same position.”

Division II Signings From Illinois

Avery Larson, Antioch

College: Truman State
Position: Forward/Center

Amanda Hansen, Fenwick

College: Adelphi
Position: Forward

Mya Davidson, Harlem

College: Lindenwood
Position: Forward/Wing
Quote: “That’s what Lindenwood was for me when I first set foot on campus, it … really felt like home,” Davidson told Illinois-Basketball.com in July. 

 

Oliva Mezan, Lyons Township

College: Missouri-St. Louis
Position: Guard

Hailey Markworth, Lyons Township

College: Winona State
Position: Point Guard/Shooting Guard
Notes: 11.5 points, 5.9 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game as a junior.

Ava Bardic, Stevenson

College: Illinois-Springfield
Position: Guard

Division III Signings From Illinois

Laura Mahlum, Barrington

College: Illinois Wesleyan
Position: Guard/Wing

Claire Nazos, Batavia

College: Dubuque
Position: Guard
Notes: Played for Illinois Lady Lightning program for 6 years. 

Myah Udell, Harlem

College: Rockford
Position: Guard 

Sara Balli, Lake Park

College: Illinois Wesleyan
Position: Point Guard
Notes: First-team all-conference in the DuKane as a junior. 

Hope Anecito, Naperville North

College: SUNY Canton
Position: Guard

Megan Duzansky, Providence Catholic

College: Benedictine
Position: Forward/Center

Laurelei Thormeyer, Providence Catholic

College: St. Francis (IL)
Position: Guard

Christina Simonetti, Resurrection College Prep

College: Dubuque
Position: Forward

 

Payton Jacob, St. Joseph-Ogden

College: Illinois Wesleyan
Position: Guard

Annika Gustafson, Warren

College: UW-La Crosse
Position: Center

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