University of Georgia Athletics
Cori Chambers Inks Papers With Georgia
November 14, 2002 | Women's Basketball
Nov. 14, 2002
Athens, Ga. ---Cori Chambers, a 5-10, combo guard from Elmsford, N.Y., has signed a national letter of intent to attend the University of Georgia, Lady Bulldog head coach Andy Landers announced on Thursday.
"Cori is a player that can do it all," Landers said. "She can defend, she can handle the basketball, she can penetrate can create a shot for herself and others. Most importantly for our team right now, she can jump up and shoot the basketball. Cori also represents the return of some height in the backcourt for us."
Chambers, who plays for Ursuline High School in New Rochelle, N.Y., has been rated as the nation's No. 23 overall prospect and No. 4 wing player by the All Star Girls Basketball Report. She was named to USA Today's pre-season Super 25 team of the top players nationally and was tabbed fifth-team All-America by Street & Smith's.
| Chambers holds one of Teresa Edwards' Olympic Gold Medals this summer. Edwards, a former Lady Bulldog, spoke to the players competing in USA Basketball's Women's Youth Development Festival last summer. |
As a junior, Chambers averaged 19.5 points, 6.6 rebounds and 4.4 assists per game while leading Ursuline to a 21-3 record and the Section 1 Class A title for the second time in three years. She also connected on 60 percent of her field goal attempts, 46 percent of her three-pointers and 78 percent of her free throws. Chambers was named Section 1 MVP a year ago and has been named All-League, All-Section and All-State each of the past two seasons.
"Cori is just a tremendous athlete," said Beth Wooters, Ursuline's head coach "The athleticism she brings to the basketball court is as good as I've seen. She's brought a new dimension to our team. Cori can shoot, drive, play defense. She really has a complete game. She's the best player I've ever had."
Last summer, Chambers represented the East in USA Basketball's Women's Youth Development Festival. She averaged 10.0 points, 2.6 rebounds and 1.8 steals while helping the East to a bronze medal finish.
Chambers is the second player to sign with Georgia during the NCAA's early signing period. On Wednesday, Rebecca Rowsey, a 6-3 forward from Chester County High School in Henderson, Tenn. signed with the Lady Bulldogs.
"Both Cori and Rebecca are prototype Georgia players in that they have diverse skills and can play more than one position," Landers said.
Georgia's Lady Bulldogs own one of the most impressive competitive resumes in women's college basketball. Landers, a four-time National Coach of the Year, has averaged 24.5 wins a year in 23 seasons at Georgia, which ranks second among all active Division I coaches with as much tenure. The Lady Bulldogs have appeared in 19 of 21 NCAA Tournaments and are one of only five teams to reach the Final Four five times. UGA's tallies of NCAA Tournament games played and won rank third and fourth nationally, respectively. In addition, Georgia has claimed seven Southeastern Conference Championships and has won four SEC Tournaments.
Teresa Edwards, the most famous Lady Bulldog alum and arguably the greatest women's basketball player of all time, won her fourth Gold Medal while representing the United States in her fifth Olympic Games in Sydney in 2000. Georgia also has been a leader in supplying talent to the WNBA. In April 2002, Tawana McDonald became the fourth Lady Bulldog to be chosen in the first round of the last two WNBA draft and no less than 10 former Georgia standouts have been on WNBA rosters this summer, the second-best total of any school in the nation.
The 2002-03 Lady Bulldogs are expected to be one of the nation's top teams. The youthful Lady Dogs with seven freshmen and sophomores on their 10-player roster are ranked No. 9 in both the Associated Press and ESPN/USA Today pre-season polls. Georgia opens the campaign a week from Friday at Chattanooga at 7:00 p.m.
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