On the first day of the early signing period for NCAA basketball, IU coach Teri Moren gathered letters of intent from two high school players, Danielle Williams and Kym Royster.
With an undersized team this year, Moren’s focus was on collecting height, and both players fit that mold.
“This recruiting class fills some immediate needs for us,” Moren said in a Nov. 13 release. “When we got here in August, we knew we needed to get some post players to help balance our roster. These two young ladies will provide us with the size and athleticism that we need in the Big Ten.”
A center from Fort Worth, Texas, Williams is a defensive stalwart averaging five blocks to go with seven rebounds and 10 points per game. She is ranked the No. 88 player and No. 17 post player in the country by ESPN.
With no current centers on the roster, the Hoosiers will welcome Williams’ 6-foot-5 frame, which will likely make her the tallest player on next year’s team.
“Signing Danielle Williams is a huge coup for us,” Moren said. “Danielle will give us a low block threat offensively as well as a rim protector defensively. Her best basketball is ahead of her, which excites us for the future.”
The second recruit for Moren is Kym Royster, a 6-foot-2 forward from Newark, Ohio. In her junior season, Royster averaged a near double-double with a stat-line of 20 points and 9.6 rebounds per game while shooting more than 60 percent from the floor.
ESPN ranks Royster the No. 19 forward in the country and her 6-foot-6 wingspan allows her to rebound better than her size – something Moren was quick to praise.
“Kym gives us some much needed length and athleticism in the post,” Moren said. “She can score in transition or in the half court. We are excited about the different schemes that we will be able to run with her on the floor.”
The Hoosiers are a young team this year, as every active player on the roster is listed as either a freshman or sophomore. However, they lack size with only three post players.
With the addition of Williams and Royster, the Hoosiers are addressing their most glaring need, but Moren also stated the importance of recruiting character.
“Not only are these two good basketball players with high ceilings, they are good people,” Moren said. “It is important for us to not only recruit basketball players that will help us on the court, but also young ladies that will represent Indiana University off the court.”
Casey Krajewski
