University of Georgia Athletics
Meredith Mitchell Signs With Lady Bulldog Basketball
November 14, 2007 | Women's Basketball
ATHENS, Ga. --- Meredith Mitchell, a 6-1, guard from Midfield (Ala.) High School, signed a letter-of-intent to play collegiately at the University of Georgia on Wednesday, Lady Bulldog head coach Andy Landers announced.
Wednesday was the first day of the NCAA's weeklong early signing period, with Mitchell expected to be Georgia's lone signee.
"We're really pleased to have signed Meredith," Landers said. "We're excited about her future at Georgia and intrigued by her potential. She has exceptional size and versatility and will be a valuable addition to our team. At 6-1, she is a very intriguing point guard prospect, but she has the abilities to slide over and play either wing position as well. She's also an outstanding student and is currently in the running for valedictorian honors for her class. She's a great all-around fit for our program."
Mitchell is a two-time all-ttate selection who helped lead the Midfield Lady Patriots to the Alabama Class 4A 2007 State Championship after runner-up and semifinal finishes in Class 3A during her freshman and sophomore seasons, respectively. Mitchell was named first-team all-state as a junior after being a second-team honoree as a sophomore.
"Athletically, Meredith is long," Midfield coach Reggie Ware said. "She's 6-1 with the wingspan of someone who's 6-4 or 6-5. She can grab the rim with both hands and has the abilities to play multiple positions. She's just as outstanding away from basketball. She'll probably be the valedictorian of her class, and she's always smiling."
Last season, Mitchell averaged 11.7 points, 10.9 rebounds, 6.6 assists and just under three steals per game for the Lady Patriots, who were 26-6. Midfield finished with identical 28-6 records during Mitchell's freshman and sophomore seasons. A four-year starter, she averaged 10.0 points and 9.0 rebounds as a sophomore.
Georgia has long been one of the nation's premier women's basketball programs under Landers, a 2007 inductee into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame. The Lady Bulldogs rank No. 5 in the all-time Associated Press poll and have been invited to 24 of 26 editions of the NCAA Tournament, the third-best tally of any school in the nation. Georgia has reached 17 "Sweet 16s," 10 "Elite Eights" and five Final Fours and finished as NCAA runner-up in both 1985 and 1996.
Among major college women's basketball head coaches, Landers ranks No. 2 in consecutive winning seasons (32), NCAA bids (24), NCAA "Sweet 16s" (17) and weeks with a team in the Associated Press poll (415). In addition, he is third in both wins at one school (687) and players who have gone on to play in the WNBA (18). Under Landers' guidance, 48 of 50 four-year letterwinners (96.0 percent) have received their degrees from UGA.
Names such as Teresa Edwards, Katrina McClain, Deanna "Tweety" Nolan and Kelly Miller headline the Lady Bulldogs' long and distinguished list of alumni. Edwards and McClain were the backbone of every U.S. National Team to compete in a major international competition from the late-80s through the late-90s. Edwards is the only U.S. basketball player -- male or female -- to participate in five Olympics. McClain was UGA's first inductee into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in 2006. Nolan is a perennial WNBA All-Star and was MVP of the 2006 WNBA Finals for the Detroit Shock. Miller was the starting point guard for this year's WNBA Champions, the Phoenix Mercury.
Georgia, which is currently ranked No. 8 and No. 10 in the Associated Press and USA Today/ESPN polls, respectively, will return to action this Friday when the Lady Bulldogs (3-0) host Temple (1-0) at 7:00 p.m. at Stegeman Coliseum.
Wednesday was the first day of the NCAA's weeklong early signing period, with Mitchell expected to be Georgia's lone signee.
"We're really pleased to have signed Meredith," Landers said. "We're excited about her future at Georgia and intrigued by her potential. She has exceptional size and versatility and will be a valuable addition to our team. At 6-1, she is a very intriguing point guard prospect, but she has the abilities to slide over and play either wing position as well. She's also an outstanding student and is currently in the running for valedictorian honors for her class. She's a great all-around fit for our program."
Mitchell is a two-time all-ttate selection who helped lead the Midfield Lady Patriots to the Alabama Class 4A 2007 State Championship after runner-up and semifinal finishes in Class 3A during her freshman and sophomore seasons, respectively. Mitchell was named first-team all-state as a junior after being a second-team honoree as a sophomore.
"Athletically, Meredith is long," Midfield coach Reggie Ware said. "She's 6-1 with the wingspan of someone who's 6-4 or 6-5. She can grab the rim with both hands and has the abilities to play multiple positions. She's just as outstanding away from basketball. She'll probably be the valedictorian of her class, and she's always smiling."
Last season, Mitchell averaged 11.7 points, 10.9 rebounds, 6.6 assists and just under three steals per game for the Lady Patriots, who were 26-6. Midfield finished with identical 28-6 records during Mitchell's freshman and sophomore seasons. A four-year starter, she averaged 10.0 points and 9.0 rebounds as a sophomore.
Georgia has long been one of the nation's premier women's basketball programs under Landers, a 2007 inductee into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame. The Lady Bulldogs rank No. 5 in the all-time Associated Press poll and have been invited to 24 of 26 editions of the NCAA Tournament, the third-best tally of any school in the nation. Georgia has reached 17 "Sweet 16s," 10 "Elite Eights" and five Final Fours and finished as NCAA runner-up in both 1985 and 1996.
Among major college women's basketball head coaches, Landers ranks No. 2 in consecutive winning seasons (32), NCAA bids (24), NCAA "Sweet 16s" (17) and weeks with a team in the Associated Press poll (415). In addition, he is third in both wins at one school (687) and players who have gone on to play in the WNBA (18). Under Landers' guidance, 48 of 50 four-year letterwinners (96.0 percent) have received their degrees from UGA.
Names such as Teresa Edwards, Katrina McClain, Deanna "Tweety" Nolan and Kelly Miller headline the Lady Bulldogs' long and distinguished list of alumni. Edwards and McClain were the backbone of every U.S. National Team to compete in a major international competition from the late-80s through the late-90s. Edwards is the only U.S. basketball player -- male or female -- to participate in five Olympics. McClain was UGA's first inductee into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in 2006. Nolan is a perennial WNBA All-Star and was MVP of the 2006 WNBA Finals for the Detroit Shock. Miller was the starting point guard for this year's WNBA Champions, the Phoenix Mercury.
Georgia, which is currently ranked No. 8 and No. 10 in the Associated Press and USA Today/ESPN polls, respectively, will return to action this Friday when the Lady Bulldogs (3-0) host Temple (1-0) at 7:00 p.m. at Stegeman Coliseum.
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