Dec. 7, 2006

Stony Brook, N.Y. - Head coach Maura McHugh and her staff are proud to announce the signing of four recruits to National Letters of Intent in the early signing period. Ariel Brown, Misha Horsey, Kirsten Jeter and Jodie Plikus will join coach McHugh and her squad for the 2007-08 season.

"I am very excited about our fall class of signees," said McHugh. "We have added some quality players who will help secure the future of Stony Brook women's basketball."

Ariel Brown, a 5-8 guard, is in her senior year at Rancocas Valley Regional High School in Mount Holly, N.J. Brown, as a junior, averaged 14.5 points per game and four assists per game en route to being named the team MVP. Brown also garnered All-Liberty League honors, was named first-team All Group IV and was named to the All-Burlington team. Brown currently ranks fifth on the Burlington Country Times scoring leaders list and is involved with the Saint James Social Services Club and is an honor roll student.

"Ariel is a quick and athletic scorer," added McHugh. "She can shoot the 3 as well as take the ball to the basket."

Misha Horsey, 5-5 point guard, is wrapping up her career at Cheltenham High School in Philadelphia, Penn. Horsey is a three-year letterwinner who led her team to the state championship as a sophomore and the semi-finals as a junior. Last year she averaged 11 points and seven assists per game and was named as a to 20 player in the greater Philadelphia area and earned first-team All-Suburban and was named to the All-State Honorable Mention squad. The All-Star Girls Report ranks Horsey as a top 300 player and a top 50 point guard. This past summer Horsey participated in the Adidas Top 100 All-America Camp.

"Horsey is an outstanding point guard who will bring quickness and superior ball handling to the point guard position," said McHugh. "She plays in an excellent AAU program with high profile players."

Kirsten Jeter is closing out her high school career on Long Island and is anxiously awaiting to begin her college career at Stony Brook. Playing at Elmont Memorial High School in Elmont, N.Y., Jeter was named All-Conference as a freshman and improved to garner All-County Honors as a sophomore. Last year Jeter helped guide her team to the Nassau County Playoffs en route to being named to the All-Tournament Team and was named to the All-Long Island Team and to the All-New York State Team.

"Jeter is a tough and physical player," said McHugh. "She is an outstanding rebounder who plays with tenacity under the basket."

Jodie Plikus, a four-year varsity starter for Waterford High School, rounds out the early signees for the women's basketball recruiting class. Plikus is the Eastern Connecticut leading three point shooter and has been named to the All ECC medium division First-Team. She earned the ECC Tournament Team Award and was named to the New London Day All-Area First Team. The Hartford Courant named Plikus to the "Best of the Rest" as one of Connecticut's top players and last year was named to the New Haven Register's All-State Girls Basketball Honorable Mention squad. Plikus has worked as an AAU basketball summer camp counselor and is in the top quarter of her class.

"Plikus is an excellent shooter with deep three point range," added McHugh. "She is one of the best pure shooters I saw during the July recruiting period."

The women's basketball will return to action this Saturday when they host Long Island rival, Hofstra. Tip-off is slated for 3:00 p.m.