Womens Hoops Signs First Two Players in Brodhead Era

Contact: Cory Weigel

LAFAYETTE, La. – The Ragin' Cajuns womens basketball program announced the signing of two junior college standouts, including one All-American, for the 2012-13 season.

Byronesha Santiago (Ruston, La./Lon Morris College), who will be a sophomore with three years of eligibility and Ashley Benjamin (Houston, Texas/Tyler JC), who has two years of eligibility have signed national letters of intent to play basketball at UL.

Santiago, an honorable mention Junior College All-American by the WBCA, was a first team all-region performer after leading the team with 15.5 points and 7.7 rebounds per contest last season. She was recognized as the conference freshman of the year and was named to the all-conference first team.

The 6-2 forward/center was a 2011 graduate of Ruston High School and played in the 2011 Louisiana High School All Star game and was named to the All-State Team in Louisiana.

“We are excited about the opportunity to bring Byronesha to our program,” head coach Garry Brodhead said. “She is a frontcourt scorer who also rebounds the ball at a high rate. This is special because she is our first official signee and we look forward to what she will be able to bring to us for the next three years.”

Benjamin is set to graduate from Tyler on May 15. The 5-9 defensive specialist led her conference in charges taken, while averaging 9.5 points and a team-leading 6.7 boards per game, leading to honorable mention all-conference honors.

Benjamin attended Northshore High School, where she was a multi-sport athlete, leading her hoops team to an average of 26 wins per year and was third in the district in long jump at 18-0 ¾.

“We recruited Ashley because she can really get after it on the defensive end,” Brodhead said. “She is extremely athletic and we are excited that we were able to get a player who will be a tough matchup for many opposing scorers.”

The Cajuns are in their first year under the direction of Brodhead, who was hired on April 2, 2012. Brodhead, a former Associate Head Coach at McNeese State, takes over a UL squad that finished 7-23 a year ago.

--Ragin' Cajuns--

University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics

Womens Hoops Signs First Two Players in Brodhead Era

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