Niya Butts has been recruiting heavily since the loss of three former freshmen players. Since Amani Butler, Jhakia McDonald and Malia Nahinu decided to leave the program in early April, the Arizona women’s head coach has been searching for player to bulk up their roster.
The Arizona women’s basketball team has made the fifth and sixth addition to its roster for the 2009-2010 season. Shanita Arnold, a point guard transfer from Arkansas, and junior college transfer Soana Lucet are the newest Wildcats to join the program.
The Arizona Wildcats announced the signing of Arnold, a sophomore, in late April. She will have to sit out the upcoming season due to NCAA transfer rules, but will have two years of eligibility remaining. Arnold started in all 32 games for the University of Arkansas Razorbacks and averaged 5.7 points and 2.3 rebounds and 26 minutes per game.
“”Shanita is a great addition to our team and family,”” Butts said. “”She will have an opportunity to learn our system during her first year here, which will no doubt help her transition into the (Pacific 10 Conference). She is an up-tempo point guard who can shoot the deep 3-pointer, which is exactly what we were looking for.””
Her addition will be a welcomed sight to current Wildcat point guard Ashley Frazier, who played nearly every minute of every game this season. This second option will give Arizona a double threat at the point, and will keep players fresh late in the games – an aspect which the team struggled with this season.
Lucet becomes the fourth junior college transfer to join the Wildcats in the off-season. An NJCAA All-American at the College of Southern Idaho, she adds great advantage to the team in terms of height and inside scoring ability. Her versatility with the ball allows her to not only penetrate in the paint, but also to shoot from the outside. She averages slightly more than 30 percent shooting from beyond the arc.
“”Soana will add versatility from the post position,”” Butts said in a statement released Tuesday. “”She has the ability to play inside and out, which gives us more flexibility within our offense. We struggled to score points all season long, and Soana will gives us a much-needed boost in offensive production.””
Lucet is the sixth addition to the Arizona program for next season. She is the third NJCAA All-American to join the team with Brooke Jackson and Jennifer Kioa. In addition, the Wildcats have also added Arizona high school player of the year Davellyn Whyte, and another junior college transfer in Amanda Pierson.
