Huskers Sign Four Junior College Players

The Nebraska women’s basketball team received four National Letters of Intent from junior college teammates during the early signing period on Friday, Nov. 14.

Colby (Kan.) Community College teammates Louise McLean, Jelena Spiric, Bojana Samardziska and Ivana Drmanac will all be coming to Nebraska for the 2004-05 season.

Nebraska Coach Connie Yori said the addition of the junior college teammates will help the Huskers make a transition next season to replace four senior starters from their 2003-04 squad.

"By signing four junior college teammates, we will be able to fill some immediate needs in our program," Yori said. "Our roster this season has four seniors, six freshmen and just two juniors. We needed some experienced players and by bringing in four players who have played together, we hope that we will be able to maintain a little more continuity,"

The signings brings Nebraska’s recruiting class for the 2004-05 season up to six players, joining high school recruits Sarah White and Danielle Page, who signed with the Huskers on Wednesday, Nov. 12.

Louise McLean, 5-10, Guard, Warrnambool, Australia (Colby CC)
A second-team NJCAA All-Region VI selection as a freshman at Colby Community College last season, Louise McLean brings impressive credentials to the Nebraska women’s basketball program.

The 5-10 guard averaged 12.5 points, 6.8 rebounds and 7.9 assists per game in her first season with the Lady Trojans. She notched a pair of triple-doubles against Colorado Northwestern and Pratt Community College last season. McLean set the Colby CC single-season record with 253 assists, while earning team MVP honors. She earned first-team All-Jayhawk West Conference honors while helping the Lady Trojans and Coach Tom Stephens to an 18-14 overall record and a fourth-place league finish. She scored a career-high 26 points in a win over Seward County CC, which won the Jayhawk West title last season and is the preseason No. 6 team this year in the NJCAA national rankings.

Colby CC has opened the 2003-04 campaign with a 3-1 record, and McLean has continued her impressive all-around play by averaging 14.8 points, 8.0 rebounds and 8.5 assists per game. She produced her third career triple-double with 10 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists last night in the Lady Trojans’ victory over Miles (Mont.) College in the opening round of the S&T Communications Ambassador Classic in Colby, Kan.

Nebraska Coach Connie Yori said McLean is a solid three-point shooter and can create shots for herself and her teammates off the dribble.

"Louise is a very talented all-around player," Yori said. "She has good size, and she distributes the ball very well to her teammates. She also is a good scorer and shoots the ball well from three-point range and off the dribble. She is also an aggressive rebounder. She is an experienced point guard who should help solidify our backcourt next season after the graduation of Margaret Richards and Keasha Cannon-Johnson."

McLean, who said she chose Nebraska over Iowa State, Oklahoma State, Baylor, Santa Clara, St. John’s and New Mexico State, liked the environment around the Nebraska women’s basketball program.

"When I first met the coaches and players I felt like I was in a family environment," McLean said. "They made me feel like I was already a part of their program. I am really looking forward to becoming a Husker and getting started in a new place."

Jelena Spiric, 6-1, Guard, Belgrade, Serbia & Montenegro (Colby CC)
One of three members of Nebraska’s recruiting class from Belgrade, Serbia & Montenegro, Jelena Spiric is the lone member of the junior college foursome that did not play at Colby (Kan.) Community College last season.

Spiric, a 6-1 guard, attended the University of Massachusetts Lowell and started 30 games a true freshman for the NCAA Division II power River Hawks. After completing her freshman season at UMass Lowell, Spiric transferred to Colby CC to play with her countrywomen Bojana Samardziska and Ivana Drmanac.

Colby CC has opened the 2003-04 campaign with a 3-1 record, and Spiric has been impressive, averaging 19.0 points per game.

Last season, she averaged 8.9 points per game, while ranking as one of the top defenders in the Northeast-10 Conference with 2.5 steals per game. She added 3.1 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game to help UMass Lowell to a 23-8 overall record, a 17-5 conference mark and a trip to the NCAA Division II Tournament.

Before coming to the United States, Spiric attended The V Belgrade High School and played club basketball for Rec Star, Radivoj Kora, Partizan, Vojvodina and the Serbia & Montenegro National Team program. Spiric played on the Partizan club team with Samardziska and Drmanac.

"Jelena is really a good player. She is going to give us a big guard, and we needed a big guard," Nebraska Coach Connie Yori said. "She is really a very good scorer. She moves very well without the basketball and is a good passer. She is a guard that can play any one of the three guard positions. She has good skills, and I think she is the best defensive player among our group of junior college players."

Spiric, who said she chose Nebraska over California, Oklahoma State, UTEP, New Mexico State, Manhattan and UNC-Wilmington, said she was impressed with Nebraska’s facilities and excited about the opportunity to play in the Big 12 Conference.

"I wanted to go to Nebraska because I really enjoyed the facilities and the coaches," Spiric said. "I also wanted to play in the Big 12 and go to a great academic school. I also liked the opportunity to play two more years with my teammates. I am really looking forward to the higher level of play, and I am excited to start someplace new and meet new people."

Bojana Samardziska, 6-4, Center, Belgrade, Serbia & Montenegro (Colby CC)
An honorable-mention All-Region VI performer in her first season at Colby (Kan.) Community College last season, 6-4 center Bojana Samardziska will bring size and strength to Nebraska’s inside game next season.

Samardziska averaged 14.3 points and 9.1 rebounds per game on her way to third-team All-Jayhawk West Conference honors a year ago. She posted an impressive 15 double-doubles on the season, including a career-high 28 points at Garden City Community College and a career-best 17 rebounds at McCook CC.

With Samardziska leading the way inside, Colby CC finished with an 18-14 record to finish fourth in the Jayhawk West Conference for Coach Tom Stephens.

Colby CC has opened the 2003-04 campaign with a 3-1 record, and Samardziska has continued her dominance inside by averaging 17.5 points and 9.0 rebounds per game, including a pair of double-doubles this season.

Before coming to the United States, Samardziska attended Zef Ljus Marku High School and played club basketball for Vodnjanski Lisici and Partizan. She was coached by her father, Boban Samardziska, and Sladjan Ivic. Samardziska played on the Partizan club team with Jelena Spiric and Ivana Drmanac.

"Bojana is going to be able to provide a physical presence for us inside," Nebraska Coach Connie Yori said. "She is a good defender and rebounder, and she shoots a high percentage from the field."

Samardziska, who said she chose Nebraska over California, Illinois, St. John’s, Manhattan and UNC-Wilmington, said the Nebraskans she met on her visit to Lincoln made her feel at home.

"I think everybody is very nice in Lincoln and the people are very friendly," Samardziska said. "I liked everybody I met on our visit, especially the coaches and the players. I can’t wait for next year. I think we made the right choice, and I can’t wait to go to Lincoln and start with classes and practices."

Ivana Drmanac, 6-2, Forward, Belgrade, Serbia & Montenegro (Colby CC)
Ivana Drmanac is one four starters at Colby (Kan.) Community College who signed with the Huskers this season. Drmanac, a 6-2 forward from Belgrade, Serbia & Montenegro, averaged 9.0 points and 4.6 rebounds as a freshman to help the Lady Trojans to an 18-14 record under Coach Tom Stephens last season.

Drmanac scored a career-high 26 points against Butler County CC last season and added a double-double with 13 points and 10 boards against Hutchinson CC. Drmanac helped the Lady Trojans to a fourth-place finish in the Jayhawk West, the highest conference finish in school history.

Drmanac is off to a solid start for the Lady Trojans this season. She has scored in double figures in three of Colby’s four games, including a double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds in a win over Crowder College at the South Plains Classic last weekend.

Before coming to the United States, Drmanac attended The XI Belgrade High School and played club basketball for Radivoj Korac and Partizan. She was coached by Bozidar Mitrovic and Sladjan Ivic. In 1998-99 and 2001-02, she helped her club teams to Yugoslavian national championships. Drmanac played on the Partizan club team with Jelena Spiric and Bojana Samardziska.

"Ivana is a good shooter and has the ability to score some in the post," Nebraska Coach Connie Yori said. "She fits in really well with the other players on her junior college team, and they all seem to feed off each other and make each other better."

Drmanac, who said she chose Nebraska over Hawaii, Oklahoma State, UTEP, UNC-Wilmington and New Mexico State, said she was excited about the potential of Nebraska women’s basketball.

"I am really excited about coming to Nebraska," Drmanac said. "It’s a higher level of play, and I can really develop as a player and also get a good education. I liked the coaches and the players, and I just really liked everything. It seemed like a perfect fit for me."