University of Pittsburgh Athletics
Photo by: Alex Mowrey/Pitt Athletics
Women's Basketball Announces Highly Touted 2020 Signing Class
11/13/2019 7:00:00 PM | Women's Basketball
PITTSBURGH – Second-year head coach Lance White has announced the signing of three student-athletes to the Pitt women's basketball program for the 2020-21 campaign, as announced on Thursday morning.
Signing their National Letters of Intent to join the Panthers for the 2020-21 season are Tracey Hueston, Taisha Exanor and Liatu King.
"This 2020 class is one that we are extremely excited about," said White. "Within this group we have champions on and off the court. All three of our incoming signees are versatile players who will bring the next level of athleticism and competitiveness to our team."
"This class is one that I have had my eyes on since the first day I stepped foot on campus," White stated. "It all starts with evaluating each on the court and seeing their basketball potential and fit here at Pitt. We then get to know them and their families and without question, these athletes are a fit for my vision and continue to build on this program's foundation for the future."
Tracey Hueston | 6-2 | Forward | Roanoke, Va. | Northside High School
Ranked as a Top-100 recruit in the 2020 class by ESPN… Averaged 18.9 points and 9.5 rebounds while shooting 46% from the field as a junior… earned First Team Region D honors during her junior campaign… helped lead Boo Williams to the Nike EYBL Louisville Stop Championship earlier this summer… averaged 17.8 points and 12.3 rebounds as a sophomore while notching 12 double-doubles as a sophomore… also a track and field athlete at Northside as she captured the VHSL Class 3 Outdoor track and field state championship in the shot put and discus in the spring of 2019… went over the 1,000 career point plateau during her junior season… earned Second Team All-Blue Ridge District honors in volleyball as a sophomore… her sister Alexis Hueston plays basketball at Gardner-Webb University… currently holds a 4.08 GPA throughout her high school career… rated as a 4-star recruit.
White on Hueston:
"I am thrilled that Tracey is going to be a Pitt Panther! She is our first top-100 recruit and is a proven winner. This past summer while playing with Boo Williams, she and her team won the Nike EYBL Louisville Stop Championship. Tracey will bring leadership and tenacity to the forward position that we need. She is competitive, well rounded, and high achieving in every area of her life. She has set a standard for herself on the court and in the classroom that will positively affect our team. Tracey's ability and athleticism will be impactful on both ends of the floor, and I'm not sure that there is anyone more determined to win."
Hueston on why she chose Pitt:
"The family atmosphere on my official visit was just amazing. I loved the girls and they immediately took me under their wing and made me feel like one of them. The possibilities at Pitt seem endless, Hail to Pitt."
Taisha Exanor | 5-11 | Guard | Montreal, Quebec, Canada | Dawson College
Earned RSEQ First Team All-Star honors following her successful junior season… helped her team win the RSEQ Provincial Championship as a junior… named First Team All-Star of the Championship… member of the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) National Bronze medalist team in 2019… earned RSEQ Provincial Player of the Week and CCAA National Player of the Week honors in October of 2019… in 2017-18 she was a part of the National Silver medalist team while also earning RSEQ Provincial Championship team honors… was named Most Valuable Player of her league in 2016-17.
White on Exanor:
"I am very excited about Taisha and the need that she fills. Taisha's ability to shoot and her length on the perimeter will give us another outside threat. She possesses great defensive instincts, can defend multiple positions, and she has a very high basketball IQ which will help our team tremendously. Taisha's game fits where I see our program going in terms of her ability to run the floor and stretch the defense. Above all else, she is an extremely great person."
Exanor on why she chose Pitt:
"The family atmosphere at Pitt is amazing and I couldn't picture myself anywhere else. I just knew on my first visit that Pitt is where I belong."
Liatu King | 6-0 | Forward | Washington, D.C. | Bishop McNamara High School
Earned Second Team All-WCAC as a junior after averaging 9.0 points per game… led her AAU team to the 2019 Nike EYBL championship… earned All-Tournament team honors at the 2019 Bishop Walsh Invitational… named Third Team All-WCAC as a sophomore as she recorded her 500th career rebound through just 62 games played… notched her second career double-double with 14 points and 12 rebounds against Monsignor Scanlan (1/14/18)… earned WCAC All-Freshman team honors in 2016… currently owns a 3.929 overall GPA… earned Summa Cum Laude Honor Roll accolades in each of the last four years… a member of the American Sign Language Honor Society… has completed 70 hours of community service.
White on King:
"Tu makes me so excited because of her ability to not only score but defend, rebound, and lead in a variety of ways. This type of versatility is what drew me to her in the beginning. Tu will thrive in my overall vision of up-tempo basketball with her dynamic ability as a combo guard. As a starter, Tu and 'Team Takeover' won the 2019 Nike EYBL Championship this summer on the biggest stage in Chicago, proving she knows how to win. She is solid from start to finish and does whatever her team needs her to do. This type of mindset is rare and is a key ingredient to our future success here at Pitt."
King on why she chose Pitt:
"I chose Pitt because of the academic opportunities that will allow me to pursue a great degree in engineering. My bond with Coach White and the entire staff made me feel like I could be successful in that environment. Ultimately, I love Pitt's overall vibe and I'm looking forward to making Pittsburgh my home."
The impressive 2020 class will join Coach White's "First Class" which featured seven student-athletes. The first two classes will be relied on heavily to create a foundation for a program that is ready to become an ACC and national power under the tutelage of White.
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Signing their National Letters of Intent to join the Panthers for the 2020-21 season are Tracey Hueston, Taisha Exanor and Liatu King.
"This 2020 class is one that we are extremely excited about," said White. "Within this group we have champions on and off the court. All three of our incoming signees are versatile players who will bring the next level of athleticism and competitiveness to our team."
"This class is one that I have had my eyes on since the first day I stepped foot on campus," White stated. "It all starts with evaluating each on the court and seeing their basketball potential and fit here at Pitt. We then get to know them and their families and without question, these athletes are a fit for my vision and continue to build on this program's foundation for the future."
Tracey Hueston | 6-2 | Forward | Roanoke, Va. | Northside High School
Ranked as a Top-100 recruit in the 2020 class by ESPN… Averaged 18.9 points and 9.5 rebounds while shooting 46% from the field as a junior… earned First Team Region D honors during her junior campaign… helped lead Boo Williams to the Nike EYBL Louisville Stop Championship earlier this summer… averaged 17.8 points and 12.3 rebounds as a sophomore while notching 12 double-doubles as a sophomore… also a track and field athlete at Northside as she captured the VHSL Class 3 Outdoor track and field state championship in the shot put and discus in the spring of 2019… went over the 1,000 career point plateau during her junior season… earned Second Team All-Blue Ridge District honors in volleyball as a sophomore… her sister Alexis Hueston plays basketball at Gardner-Webb University… currently holds a 4.08 GPA throughout her high school career… rated as a 4-star recruit.
White on Hueston:
"I am thrilled that Tracey is going to be a Pitt Panther! She is our first top-100 recruit and is a proven winner. This past summer while playing with Boo Williams, she and her team won the Nike EYBL Louisville Stop Championship. Tracey will bring leadership and tenacity to the forward position that we need. She is competitive, well rounded, and high achieving in every area of her life. She has set a standard for herself on the court and in the classroom that will positively affect our team. Tracey's ability and athleticism will be impactful on both ends of the floor, and I'm not sure that there is anyone more determined to win."
Hueston on why she chose Pitt:
"The family atmosphere on my official visit was just amazing. I loved the girls and they immediately took me under their wing and made me feel like one of them. The possibilities at Pitt seem endless, Hail to Pitt."
Taisha Exanor | 5-11 | Guard | Montreal, Quebec, Canada | Dawson College
Earned RSEQ First Team All-Star honors following her successful junior season… helped her team win the RSEQ Provincial Championship as a junior… named First Team All-Star of the Championship… member of the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) National Bronze medalist team in 2019… earned RSEQ Provincial Player of the Week and CCAA National Player of the Week honors in October of 2019… in 2017-18 she was a part of the National Silver medalist team while also earning RSEQ Provincial Championship team honors… was named Most Valuable Player of her league in 2016-17.
White on Exanor:
"I am very excited about Taisha and the need that she fills. Taisha's ability to shoot and her length on the perimeter will give us another outside threat. She possesses great defensive instincts, can defend multiple positions, and she has a very high basketball IQ which will help our team tremendously. Taisha's game fits where I see our program going in terms of her ability to run the floor and stretch the defense. Above all else, she is an extremely great person."
Exanor on why she chose Pitt:
"The family atmosphere at Pitt is amazing and I couldn't picture myself anywhere else. I just knew on my first visit that Pitt is where I belong."
Liatu King | 6-0 | Forward | Washington, D.C. | Bishop McNamara High School
Earned Second Team All-WCAC as a junior after averaging 9.0 points per game… led her AAU team to the 2019 Nike EYBL championship… earned All-Tournament team honors at the 2019 Bishop Walsh Invitational… named Third Team All-WCAC as a sophomore as she recorded her 500th career rebound through just 62 games played… notched her second career double-double with 14 points and 12 rebounds against Monsignor Scanlan (1/14/18)… earned WCAC All-Freshman team honors in 2016… currently owns a 3.929 overall GPA… earned Summa Cum Laude Honor Roll accolades in each of the last four years… a member of the American Sign Language Honor Society… has completed 70 hours of community service.
White on King:
"Tu makes me so excited because of her ability to not only score but defend, rebound, and lead in a variety of ways. This type of versatility is what drew me to her in the beginning. Tu will thrive in my overall vision of up-tempo basketball with her dynamic ability as a combo guard. As a starter, Tu and 'Team Takeover' won the 2019 Nike EYBL Championship this summer on the biggest stage in Chicago, proving she knows how to win. She is solid from start to finish and does whatever her team needs her to do. This type of mindset is rare and is a key ingredient to our future success here at Pitt."
King on why she chose Pitt:
"I chose Pitt because of the academic opportunities that will allow me to pursue a great degree in engineering. My bond with Coach White and the entire staff made me feel like I could be successful in that environment. Ultimately, I love Pitt's overall vibe and I'm looking forward to making Pittsburgh my home."
The impressive 2020 class will join Coach White's "First Class" which featured seven student-athletes. The first two classes will be relied on heavily to create a foundation for a program that is ready to become an ACC and national power under the tutelage of White.
#H2P | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
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