Photo by: Michael J. Okoniewski
Orange Welcome Nationally Ranked 2018 Class
11/14/2017 9:19:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Syracuse women's basketball signs two, top-15 recurits
SYRACUSE, N.Y. – For the second consecutive season, the Syracuse women's basketball program welcomes a top-10 recruiting class, as announced by head coach Quentin Hillsman during the early signing period. The 2018 women's basketball class comes in at seventh and 10 nationally, as ranked by espnW HoopGurlz and Blue Star Report, respectively.
The Orange continue to garner international talent as they welcome a French recruit for the second year in a row, in addition to two athletes from the Eastern Seaboard of the United States.
Kadiatou Sissoko
A 6-2 guard from Paris, France, Sissoko is a five-star recruit with a No. 10 ranking from espnW HoopGurlz. Sissoko is also rated No. 15 by the Bluestar Basketball Report, in addition to her 98 scout grade.
Sissoko most recently represented France as a member of the U18 French National Team in 2017. The guard averaged 7.3 points and 4.1 rebounds per game at the U19 World Cup this year. Sissoko helped France to a fifth place finish alongside current Syracuse freshmen Marie-Paule Foppossi and Maeva Djaldi-Tabdi.
"Kadiatou is a tremendous athlete that runs in transition," said Hillsman. "She plays at both ends of the floor and is a tenacious rebounder who attacks the rim off the bounce. She has enough range to step out and shoot the three. She's just a very explosive player on both ends of the floor."
Emily Engstler
A 6-2 forward and guard from St. Francis Prep High School in New York City, Engstler is one of two five-star recruits to sign with the Orange, making this the second consecutive recruiting class with two five-star commits. She received a No. 11 spot ranking both from ESPN Hoopgurlz and Bluestar Basketball Report and earned a scout grade of 98.
A product of New York state, Engstler plays for St. Francis Prep in Fresh Meadows, New York. During her junior campaign, the guard averaged 19.0 points, 15.7 rebounds, 3.4 steals and 5.9 blocks per game. She posted a career-high 33 points against Archbishop Molloy and recorded a quadruple double against Nazareth Regional (27 points, 29 rebounds, 11 assists and 10 blocks).
"Emily is a very explosive offensive player," said Hillsman. "She is a player that can really play four positions for us, the two through the five. She can shoot the ball with range. She's great passer and a tremendous ball handler. Emily is definitely a three-dimensional type for us and has no limit to her game. She's the best all-around, complete player in the country."
Taleah Washington
A 5-7 combo guard from Upper Marlboro, Maryland, Washington is a three-star recruit with a number of accolades in her basketball career. Washington was named All-Met First Team this year and made the First Team All-State Maryland in 2016.
Washington attends the Rock Christian Academy High School and plays on the Havoc City club team, which is coached by her Father, James 'Boogie' Washington. In her junior year of high school, Washington averaged 16 points per game and scored her 1,000th career point against Good Counsel in December of last year. In January of this year, she notched a 40-point game against Capital Christian.
"Taleah is a very heady point guard that has deep range shooting the ball," said Hillsman. "She plays very well off the bounce and really attacks in transition. She has played at extremely high levels for a long time so transitioning to this level should be easy for her because she has played at a high level since day one."
For the latest news on the Syracuse women's basketball program, follow /SyracuseWBB on Facebook, @CuseWBB on Instagram, and @CuseWBB on Twitter.
The Orange continue to garner international talent as they welcome a French recruit for the second year in a row, in addition to two athletes from the Eastern Seaboard of the United States.
Kadiatou Sissoko
A 6-2 guard from Paris, France, Sissoko is a five-star recruit with a No. 10 ranking from espnW HoopGurlz. Sissoko is also rated No. 15 by the Bluestar Basketball Report, in addition to her 98 scout grade.
Sissoko most recently represented France as a member of the U18 French National Team in 2017. The guard averaged 7.3 points and 4.1 rebounds per game at the U19 World Cup this year. Sissoko helped France to a fifth place finish alongside current Syracuse freshmen Marie-Paule Foppossi and Maeva Djaldi-Tabdi.
"Kadiatou is a tremendous athlete that runs in transition," said Hillsman. "She plays at both ends of the floor and is a tenacious rebounder who attacks the rim off the bounce. She has enough range to step out and shoot the three. She's just a very explosive player on both ends of the floor."
Emily Engstler
A 6-2 forward and guard from St. Francis Prep High School in New York City, Engstler is one of two five-star recruits to sign with the Orange, making this the second consecutive recruiting class with two five-star commits. She received a No. 11 spot ranking both from ESPN Hoopgurlz and Bluestar Basketball Report and earned a scout grade of 98.
A product of New York state, Engstler plays for St. Francis Prep in Fresh Meadows, New York. During her junior campaign, the guard averaged 19.0 points, 15.7 rebounds, 3.4 steals and 5.9 blocks per game. She posted a career-high 33 points against Archbishop Molloy and recorded a quadruple double against Nazareth Regional (27 points, 29 rebounds, 11 assists and 10 blocks).
"Emily is a very explosive offensive player," said Hillsman. "She is a player that can really play four positions for us, the two through the five. She can shoot the ball with range. She's great passer and a tremendous ball handler. Emily is definitely a three-dimensional type for us and has no limit to her game. She's the best all-around, complete player in the country."
Taleah Washington
A 5-7 combo guard from Upper Marlboro, Maryland, Washington is a three-star recruit with a number of accolades in her basketball career. Washington was named All-Met First Team this year and made the First Team All-State Maryland in 2016.
Washington attends the Rock Christian Academy High School and plays on the Havoc City club team, which is coached by her Father, James 'Boogie' Washington. In her junior year of high school, Washington averaged 16 points per game and scored her 1,000th career point against Good Counsel in December of last year. In January of this year, she notched a 40-point game against Capital Christian.
"Taleah is a very heady point guard that has deep range shooting the ball," said Hillsman. "She plays very well off the bounce and really attacks in transition. She has played at extremely high levels for a long time so transitioning to this level should be easy for her because she has played at a high level since day one."
For the latest news on the Syracuse women's basketball program, follow /SyracuseWBB on Facebook, @CuseWBB on Instagram, and @CuseWBB on Twitter.
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