Perth centre to play in Big East
West Virginia University women’s basketball coach Mike Carey announced the addition of two more student-athletes for the 2008-09 season.
Natalie Burton (Perth, Australia) and Korinne Campbell (Princeton, N.J.) have both submitted their grant-in-aid forms and academic deposits.
Burton, a 6-foot-5 center, has been a five-year member of the West Australia State Team: 2004 (U-16); 2005-06 (U-18); 2007-08 (U-20). She will have four years of eligibility at WVU. Burton has also been invited to play for the Perth Lynx, the same team the produced future WNBA MVP Lauren Jackson. She attended Carine Senior High in Perth.
“Natalie runs the floor very well and has great quickness for a center,” Carey said. “She has a slender build and needs to develop more strength in our program, but she is very skilled and immediately adds to our size in the post.”
Campbell, a 6-foot guard/forward, comes to West Virginia from Minnesota where she played the last two seasons for the Golden Gophers, playing in 65 career games with 19 starts. For her career she averaged 6.2 points and 6.5 rebounds per contest.
In high school at Notre Dame High in New Jersey, Campbell was a Street & Smith’s All-American and was ranked the No. 2 small forward in the nation in 2006 by All Star Girl’s Report. As a senior, she averaged 24.5 points, 14.9 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 4.2 blocks and 3.6 steals per game. She finished her high school career with 1,398 career points and 987 career rebounds. Campbell garnered WBCA and Parade (fourth team)
All-America honors for her efforts.
She will sit out the 2008-09 season in compliance with NCAA transfer rules and have two years of eligibility remaining.
“Korinne will be an impact player here,” Carey said. “She’s a great athlete who can rebound the ball extremely well and attack the rim. She’ll have to sit out a year and adjust to our style but I’m confident she’ll be an impact player for us because she can play several positions.
“The addition of these two quality young ladies adds to what we believe is a very successful recruiting class. There has to be a time for an adjustment and chemistry, but we are confident and excited for next season.”
2008-09 WVU Women’s Basketball Recruiting Class
Name Pos. Ht. Hometown High School/JC
Madina Ali F 6-0 Williamsport, Pa. Daytona Beach CC
Natalie Burton C 6-5 Perth, Australia Carine
Korinne Campbell G/F 6-0 Princeton, N.J. University of Minnesota
Jessica Capers F 6-1 Gastonia, N.C. Forest View
Donica Cosby G 5-7 Coldwater, Miss. NW Mississippi CC
Dominique Dixon G 5-8 Detroit, Mich. Renaissance
Takisha Granberry G 5-11 Charlotte, N.C. University of Virginia
Vanessa House G 5-7 Fresno, Calif. Fresno City College
Amanda Keehan F 6-1 Cincinnati, Ohio Oak Hills
Kasonna Samms G 6-0 Massapequa, N.Y. Monroe CC
Alexandria Sanabria G 5-9 Miami, Fla. Okaloosa-Walton JC
Tracy Wittebolle C 6-4 Ieper, Belgium Antelope Valley JC
(Article provided by WVU Sports Information)
