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On Wednesday, in front of family, friends and coaches beaming with pride, Molly Bent, Kyla Irwin and Crystal Dangerfield officially became Connecticut Huskies.
It's official... I'm no longer dreaming! I'm a UConn Husky pic.twitter.com/pTbCpFfrCd
— Crystal Dangerfield (@_CrystalD32) November 11, 2015
Crystal Dangerfield is a 5-foot-6 guard from Murfreesboro, Tennessee. The No. 3 prospect in the country according to ESPN, Dangerfield considered LSU, Maryland, South Carolina, and others before selecting the Huskies. ESPN states that Crystal is an explosive, but under control, playmaker and "the complete package with a dose of swagger."
Some of Dangerfield's notable accomplishments include 2014 and 2015 Tennessee Gatorade Player of the Year, and Class AAA Miss Tennessee Basketball in 2015. She was also named to the Naismith High School All-America third team as a junior last year and has played with multiple current UConn players (Katie Lou Samuelson, De'Janae Boykin, Napheesa Collier) on the Team USA circuit. Dangerfield is the first recruit for Geno Auriemma from the state of Tennessee.
Auriemma on Dangerfield:
Crystal is one of those unique little guards, like Moriah Jefferson, where she is strong enough and quick enough that she can get things done that a lot of players can't. She can get to spots on the floor, on offense and on defense, which a lot of kids cant. She had a great summer with USA Basketball and really learned a lot. I think with Moriah graduating, Crystal is going to come in and have a chance to have an impact right away.
The second player to sign on Wednesday was Kyla Irwin- a 6-foot-2 forward from Lemont, Pennsylvania. ESPN writers have great praise for Kyla's game, describing her as a "deceptively agile and versatile interior prospect with tough, competitive persona." She averaged 20 points, 13.1 rebounds, and 2.3 blocked shots as a junior at State College High.
Irwin's accolades include 1st-team AAAA All-State in 2015 and second-team AAAA All-State in 2014. She is also an all-state volleyball player. Her mother, Bethany--a former player at Penn State--coached Kyla in high school and is a Branford, Conn. native.
Geno:
Kyla is the kind of kid that we have taken great pride in getting over the last 30 years. She is a hard-working, high-energy kid and has skills that allow her to play more than one position. She knows how to play the game. She is exactly the kind of kid that we have looked for at UConn and the fact that she has some connections to Connecticut is an added bonus. We are really excited about having her and her family as part of our program.
A third player, Molly Bent, has also made her commitment to UConn official, per a release from UConn. Bent is a two-sport athlete and standout student as well at Tabor Academy in Marion, Massachusetts, where she has won multiple awards both on and off the field.
Geno:
[Bent] is an old-fashioned kind of guard. She is a throwback to the days when kids just played hard and competed. She sees things and is unselfish and is just a basketball junkie. Molly loves the game as much as anyone I've seen in the last 30 years and I think the people here are going to really enjoy watching her play.