June 22, 2006

Wayne State University women's basketball head coach Gloria Bradley has announced three new recruits for the upcoming 2006-07 season. Freshmen Brooke Bowers (Delphos, Ohio/Jefferson) and Rebecca Meyer (Brighton, Mich.) along with Oakland University transfer Bethany Jury (Plymouth, Mich./Livonia Ladywood).

Bowers, a 5-4 guard, played four years on the varsity basketball squad under coach David Hoffman. She finished her career as Jefferson's all-time leading scorer with 1,400 points. Bowers helped lead the Wildcats to two first-place Northwest Conference finishes (2004 and 2006) and earned several individual honors in her career, including Special Mention All-Ohio in 2006, all-league, all-district, and all-Northwest Ohio first team selections. A two-time League Player of the Year, she was named to the Lima News 2006 Dream Team. Bowers scored 39 points in one game making nine three-point attempts. She also played varsity volleyball for four years as a setter. A three-year scholar athlete, she also served as a team captain in both basketball and volleyball.

"At 5-4, Brooke carries a big punch," said Bradley. "She is a tough versatile player capable of hitting the long range jump shot, taking it strong to the basket, or creating open shots for her teammates. Brooke's aggressive style of play earned her player of the year honors in the Northwest Conference."

Meyer, a 6-2 center, earned two varsity letters for the Brighton Bulldogs and helped BHS to back-to-back league titles. She averaged eight points and nine rebounds per contest as a senior after scoring six points a game and grabbing six rebounds per game as a junior. Meyer was named to the Kensington Valley Conference All-Academic team while earning academic honor roll honors all four years. She played AAU basketball with the Livingston Sting (2004-05) and the Michigan Roadrunners (2005-06). She averaged 12 points and 10 rebounds per game with the Roadrunners.

"Rebecca is aggressive on defense and the boards but has a soft touch around the basket," stated Bradley. "She runs the floor well for a post player and loves the physical contact. Rebecca's strong work ethic is the factor that will mold her into an outstanding post player."

Jury, a 6-3 center, played the last two seasons at Oakland University. She appeared in only two games as a freshman before suffering a season-ending injury. Last year, Jury played in 14 games for OU. Her best outing was a five-point, seven-rebound affair at Toledo.

"Bethany saw limited action at Oakland," commented Bradley. "Injured after only two games, Bethany was sidelined for the rest of her freshman season. As a sophomore, injuries sidelined her again, allowing her to see time in only 14 games. At Livonia Ladywood, Bethany was one of the area's top post players. With great post moves and aggressive rebounding, she averaged a double double.

Last year's Wayne State squad improved its win total by four games from the previous year and has 10 returning letterwinners preparing for another challenging schedule.

In addition to 17 GLIAC contests, the Warriors begin the season at the Missouri-Rolla tournament before facing Central State in the home opener. The league schedule starts following a road trip to Northern Kentucky.