After sitting out the end of the UCLA women’s basketball
season last year with a knee injury, junior guard Noelle Quinn is
returning to the Bruins fully recovered and anxious for this season
to start. “My knee is fine,” Quinn said. “I just
tested my vertical the other day and I’m 3 inches above the
rim, so it’s back. I’m ready to go.”
Quinn’s first action back with the team took place during the
Bruins’ two-week tour in Australia at the end of June. Quinn
averaged 20.5 points per game on the trip and was second on the
team in scoring behind Lisa Willis. “I was ready to go before
Australia,” Quinn said. “I’d been playing for a
while. In Australia, I just got more confidence back.” Having
Quinn back on the team will be a major boost for the Bruins, as
UCLA lost five out of its last six games and failed to make the
NCAA tournament last season. Sophomore forward Lindsey Pluimer
notes that Quinn’s presence is felt both on and off the
court. “Not only is she a tremendous athlete that means so
much to the team, but she’s the team’s leader,”
Pluimer said. Since the Australia trip, Quinn has continued to play
basketball over the summer with the L.A. Spirit in the Los Angeles
Summer Showcase women’s basketball league that takes place on
the USC campus. The Spirit lost its first game of the season
Saturday after starting off with eight straight victories. Quinn is
joined on The Spirit by senior forward Emma Tautolo and incoming
freshman guard Tierra Henderson.
INCOMING FRESHMEN: All of UCLA’s incoming women’s
basketball freshmen are participating in the Los Angles Summer
Showcase. Henderson, a 5-foot-10-inch guard from Muir High School
in Pasadena, is playing with the L.A. Spirit. Ashlee Trebilcock, a
highly recruited 5-foot-9-inch point guard from Hart High School in
Newhall, and Chinyere Ibekwe, a 6-foot-4-inch center from Carson
High School, are playing alongside Bruin veterans Nikki Blue and
Pluimer. “It’s really nice to get games in with Nikki
and Pluimer and Ray-Ray (Ibekwe),” Trebilcock said.
“(College games) are a lot quicker and everyone’s a lot
stronger. Playing in these games is helping me make the transition
and not just jump into it when the season starts.” From what
they have seen so far, the returning Bruins taking part in the
showcase have been impressed with the new freshmen.
“They’re all awesome girls,” Tautolo said.
“They fit into our team personality-wise. They’re going
to bring a lot of aggressiveness and athleticism to the table, and
that’s how our team is.” “Tierra is a very good
defensive player, Ashlee is an All-American out of high school, and
Ray-Ray brings us a presence in the post,” Quinn said.
“I’m excited for the upcoming year.”
NEW RECRUIT: USA Today reported on July 18 that Amy Horton, who
will be a senior in high school this season, plans to commit to
UCLA. Horton, a 5-foot-11-inch guard out of Haralson County High
School (Buchanan, Ga.) has earned many honors as a high school
player. She was on the All-State first team as a junior last season
and has been selected as an Adidas Top Ten Camp Underclass All-Star
each of the past two seasons. Horton averaged 26 points and 11
rebounds for her high school team last year.