Prep standout Courtney Sandfoss (12) has signed to play at NKU next season.
HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – Northern Kentucky University women's basketball head coach Nancy Winstel has added two freshmen and a transfer to the Norse's 2010-11 recruiting class.
Winstel has signed freshmen Surya Gaffney and Courtney Sandfoss. NKU has also added Tusculum (Tenn.) transfer Ellen Holton to the roster.
Gaffney, a 6-foot forward, helped Canton McKinley High School win the Ohio Division I state championship this season. She averaged 8.5 points and 7.0 rebounds per game for the Lady Pups, who defeated Toledo Waite in the state championship game in March.
Gaffney is the daughter of former University of Cincinnati standout Kevin Gaffney, who averaged 10.8 ppg for the Bearcats during the 1982-83 season.
“Surya knows how to win, and she played at a very high level at Canton McKinley,” Winstel said. “She runs the floor well and has really good hands, which is important for any post player. Surya is a good rebounder, and we think she will develop into an effective scorer.”
Sandfoss, a 5-6 point guard, led Newport Central Catholic High School to the Kentucky All-A Classic state championship this past season. Sandfoss was also named the All-A Classic's most valuable player, and she later earned most outstanding player honors in Division II from the Northern Kentucky Athletic Conference.
Sandfoss averaged 15 points and five assists per game as a senior. Sandfoss scored 1,506 career points, which ranks fourth all-time in Newport Central Catholic history. She also collected 424 assists and 367 steals during her prep career. Sandfoss is also the daughter of former NKU guard Tony Sandfoss, who played for the Norse from 1979-1983.
“She comes from a great basketball family, and she played for two outstanding coaches during her career at Newport Central Catholic in Christie McDonald and Ron Dawn,” Winstel said. “Courtney's defense and understanding of the game will make her a successful player. She has the ability to run a team, and she has enjoyed a great deal of success at Newport Central Catholic.”
Holton, a 6-1 post player and a native of Elgin, Ill., played one season at Tusculum and averaged 2.2 points per game for the Pioneers. As a senior at Elgin High School, Holton averaged 14 points and 8.1 rebounds per contest. She also lettered in volleyball and track and field for the Maroons.
“Ellen played on the perimeter for Tusculum, but we see her as more of a back-to-the-basket type of player,” Winstel said. “She will play in the post for us, and Ellen knows how to finish. She is also good at using both hands, and we think she is going to help us inside.”
Earlier in the spring, NKU signed Bullitt East High School standout Kayla Thacker to a national letter of intent. Thacker, a 5-10 guard, averaged 13.8 points per game last season for the Chargers. She scored 1,655 career points at Bullitt East and was named the 6th Region Player of the Year as a senior.
Those four recruits join an NKU program that posted a 20-10 record and advanced to the NCAA Division II Tournament this past season. NKU has earned five consecutive berths in the NCAA Division II Tournament and won national championships in both 2000 and '08.
