The Montana State women’s basketball program has signed three freshmen to National Letters of Intent, announced fifth-year Bobcat head coach Tricia Binford. MSU inked Emily Allen, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia; Kate Webb, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia; and Ausha Cole, Mesa, Arizona.
Allen, a 6-0 forward, was a member of the Australian U19 squad. She also played three seasons on the Queensland state team. Allen, who preps at Aquinas College, was the 2006-07 Female Athlete of the Year. In 2008, she played for the All Australian School team.
“Emily is a slasher that will fit very well in our dribble-drive offense,” Binford said. “She has good ability to get to the free throw line and she has a good nose for rebounding. In addition, Emily runs the floor very well.”
Kate Webb, a teammate of Allen’s on the national junior championship Queensland South squad, is a 5-8 guard who preps at Kings Christian College. Last season, Webb was part of the Australian National Junior team that played exhibition games against several NCAA Division I opponents. In seven outings, she averaged seven points, two rebounds and two assists per game. She posted a tour-best 14 point at Idaho.
“Kate will be a combo guard for us,” Binford said. “She is a very skilled player who has a lot of potential to be a good scorer. Kate is tough at both ends of the court. With the loss of Erica Perry next year, it was essential that we could find someone to come in and contribute immediately.
“It’s exciting to be bringing in Emily and Kate as teammates,” Binford added. “They really feed off each other and they know where each other are on the court.”
Ausha Cole, a 5-6 guard, will also help bolster the guard spot for the Bobcats. Cole preps at Gilbert High School, where she is a three-time Golden Scholar honoree. A three-year letterwinner for the Tigers, Cole was a first-team All-Region selection as a junior.
“Ausha is another combo guard,” Binford said. “She makes sure everyone around meets the standards of defense. Ausha is physical, gritty, competitive, and absolutely loves playing defense.”
Binford indicated the Bobcats will look to sign another athlete in the spring.
“My staff did an absolutely superb job in signing these three players,” Binford said. “Emily, Kate and Ausha have the ability to take us to another level. In addition, they are a great fit for the program and will keep it fun and rewarding.”