Washington Signs Kiwi Star

Having already recruited one of the top signing classes in the U.S., Washington goes international to land an elite post prospect.

The University of Washington has landed a recruit from New Zealand that one source likened to Lauren Jackson, the international superstar who plays for the Seattle Storm.

Jessica McCormack, 17, of Hamilton, New Zealand, and at 6-foot-5 the tallest member of the New Zealand national team, on Wednesday signed a National Letter of Intent to play for Washington, according to sources. Husky coach June Daugherty and her staff could not immediately be reached for comment. Wednesday is the first day Daughterty could comment on recruits who have signed LOIs.

According to sources in the college-coaching ranks, Duke initially inquired about McCormack, but her recruitment was a two-school race between Washington and Oregon, which has had success recruiting internationally under coach Bev Smith, a Canadian, and her assistant, Phil Brown, an Australian.

McCormack is believed to be the youngest player ever to make the New Zealand national team. One source who coached international basketball in the area said making the national team at 15 virually assures that McCormack is "the real deal."

Washington coach June Daugherty recruited what preliminary, statistically based HoopGurlz rankings indicate is the No. 12 class in the country. Those rankings do not include McCormack, who has not been evaluated by the site. The 2007 class otherwise includes includes three players - Kali Bennett of Ventura, Calif., the No. 36 overall prospect; Sarah Morton of Monroe, Wash., No. 66, and Candice Nichols of Long Beach, Calif., No. 83 - ranked in the HoopGurlz National Hot 100, with a fourth, Katelan Redmon of Spokane, Wash., at No. 104. A fifth recruit, Mackenzie Argens of Seattle, Wash., is a 6-3 post.

New Zealand national coach Mike McHugh, who coached Jackson in Australia earlier in her career, told the New Zealand Herald in April: "At the same age, Jess and Lauren were interesting studies. I'd say there are some things Lauren definitely did better but there are things that Jess does better too. It just shows what potential she has.

"The thing is that Lauren was in the Australian system which managed her day-to-day development and, unfortunately, we don't have anything like that here. She can get it but only by going overseas and that is one of the options in front of her."

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