Women's Basketball Inks Recruiting Class of Four

8/31/05 -- Long Island University women’s basketball coach Stephanie Gaitley has announced the signings of junior transfers Brittani Kozik (Belle Plaine, Iowa), Marquita Thompson (Garland, Texas), Amy Hammond (Grove, Okla.), and Sonya Coleman (Toledo, Ohio).

Kozik last season was named first team NJCAA Division II All-American for Kirkwood Community College (Iowa), averaging 8.1 points, 3.4 assists and 2.5 rebounds with a 2:1 assist to turnover ratio and 53 three-pointers. The 5-6 point guard helped the Eagles (28-8) claim fourth place at the national championships. She averaged 26 points and 12 rebounds over her last three games to make the all-tournament team. Kozik in 2003-04 averaged 6.1 points and 2.3 assists and was tabbed honorable mention all-region for Kirkwood, the same junior college attended by LIU assistant coach Sami Allison from 1999-2001.

Thompson will provide the Blackbirds a presence in the post. The 5-10 forward led Coffeyville Community College (Kan.) a season ago with a team-best 11.2 points and 6.5 rebounds, earning a repeat berth on the Region 6 Honorable Mention squad. Thompson played a big role in guiding the Red Ravens (23-10) to a berth in the Region 6 semifinals, averaging 14.0 points and 6.7 rebounds in the region tournament. She averaged a team-leading 13.8 points and 7.5 rebounds in 2003-04 and was named first team All-Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference. Thompson was a member of Phi Theta Kappa, which recognizes academic achievement at two-year colleges.

Hammond was Thompson’s teammate the last two seasons at Coffeyville CC, averaging 5.2 points and 3.4 rebounds in 2004-05 with 31 assists and 20 steals. The 6-0 forward was named an NJCAA Academic All-American a season ago with a 3.77 GPA and, like Thompson, graduated Phi Theta Kappa. Hammond earned recognition on Coffeyville’s President’s Higher Honor Roll for posting a GPA of at least 3.75. In 2003-04, she averaged 7.4 points and 4.2 rebounds with 25 assists and 18 steals.

Coleman arrives after averaging 10.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 3.0 steals over 28 starts at point guard for Pensacola Junior College (Fla.). She was tabbed first team All-Florida Community College, competed in the league’s all-star game and helped the Pirates (22-5) to as high as a No. 8 ranking. In 2003-04, Coleman averaged 8.0 points and 3.9 assists over 31 starts as PJC (26-5) posted a No. 3 ranking as well as a 19-game winning streak. She was named to the Dean’s List as a sophomore, and academic all-state and all-conference both years before graduating cum laude.

The women’s squad returns three starters and nine letterwinners in 2005-06 from a team that finished 9-18 overall last season, and 5-13 in Northeast Conference play.