Huskers Sign Pair of Prep Standouts

Lincoln - The Nebraska women’s basketball team received National Letters of Intent from two high school stars during the early signing period on Friday, Nov. 12.

TreKessa (TK) LaFleur and Kelsey Griffin chose to join Coach Connie Yori’s Huskers for the 2005-06 campaign, which will be Yori’s fourth as Nebraska head coach.

Yori said both players will be excellent additions to the Nebraska roster.

"TK and Kelsey are both talented high school players who are wrapping up excellent careers this year," Yori said. "TK has been rated among the top 100 players in the nation, and we think Kelsey is a great fit for our program."

TreKessa (TK) LaFleur, 5-9, G, Grayslake, Ill. (Warren Township)
LaFleur, a 5-9 guard from Grayslake, Ill., was the first player to commit to NU’s 2004-05 recruiting class in late September. The All-Star Girls Report ranked LaFleur No. 43 on its Top 100 list of juniors in 2003-04, and No. 5 on its Top 100 two-guard list. She earned a spot in the adidas Top 10 Summer Camp in 2003 and 2004, and was chosen to the adidas Top 10 All-Star Team. LaFleur captured honorable-mention Street & Smith’s High School All-America honors. She was also a member of the USA Youth Development Festival North Team.

As a junior at Warren Township High School, LaFleur averaged 16.7 points, 5.4 rebounds and 3.3 steals per game, while shooting 42 percent from the field and 72 percent from the free throw line. She earned first-team all-area honors from the Arlington Heights Daily Herald, and was also a first-team all-conference pick for Coach John Stanczykiewicz and the Blue Devils.

Yori said LaFleur’s quickness and athleticism give her the ability to help the Huskers against some of the top players in the nation in the Big 12 Conference.

"She’s quick and athletic and she is going to bring some great skill and experience into our program as well," Yori said. "She has been in a really good club program, so she has played some good competition before coming to college. We hope that will help her make a quick adjustment to the college game."

Before moving to the suburban Chicago area in 2003, LaFleur was one of the top players in the state of Texas. As a sophomore at Langham Creek High School in Houston, LaFleur averaged 21.4 points, 5.6 rebounds, 4.6 steals and 4.1 assists per game in 2002-03.

Originally from Houston, Texas, before moving to Chicago prior to her junior season of high school basketball, LaFleur chose Nebraska over Baylor, Georgia Tech, South Florida and Tulsa, and also visited Vanderbilt, Kansas State and Duke.

While in Texas, LaFleur spent four summers playing AAU basketball for the Cy-Fair Texans, coached by Mike Ray and managed by her father, Cedrick LaFleur. The Texans finished fourth at the 2002 AAU national championships and fifth in 2003.

LaFleur said she chose Nebraska because of its rich athletic traditions and the strength of the Big 12 Conference.

"They are in the Big 12 and they are a school with a rich sports history," LaFleur said. "They have an up and coming program and were ranked in the top 25 last season. It appears that the program is going in the right direction and that is something I want to be a part of."

Kelsey Griffin, 6-2, G/F, Eagle River, Alaska (Chugiak)
Griffin, a 6-2 wing player at Chugiak High School in Eagle River, Alaska, committed to the Huskers in mid-October. A top candidate for state player-of-the-year honors in Alaska as senior, Griffin averaged 16 points, 12 rebounds, three assists and two blocked shots per game as a junior. She shot 42 percent from the field, including 42 percent from three-point range at the suburban Anchorage high school.

Griffin earned Class 4A honorable-mention Alaska All-State honors from the Anchorage Daily News as a junior. She led the Mustangs to a state title as a sophomore. Griffin was also standout on the volleyball court for Chugiak.

Yori said Griffin’s size and versatility could make her a contributor for the Huskers in the future.

"Kelsey is a good athlete who has the size to play inside and the quickness to play outside," Yori said. "She is definitely going to improve our overall athleticism. She has been playing primarily as a post in high school, but we think she can make the transition to the forward spot."