ERIE, Pa. - Gannon head women’s basketball coach Cleve Wright announced the addition of Jennifer Papich (Indianola, Pa./Fox Chapel) and Kelley Sundberg (Mansfield, Conn./E.O. Smith) to the program Tuesday afternoon. Both student-athletes signed Letters of Intent during the NCAA’s early signing period.
Papich has been a varsity starter since her freshman season, being a three-year starter and letterwinner. The 6-foot-1 post player averaged 10.3 points, 5.6 rebounds, 3.1 steals, 2.1 assists and 1.3 blocks as a sophomore. Her junior statistics were not available.
“Jennifer is a versatile player,” said Wright. “She will help us in many ways. Jennifer plays with great passion and we are looking forward to having her in a Gannon uniform.”
The Indianola, Pa., native was named to the Valley News Dispatch second team after leading Fox Chapel to the WPIAL Championship Game last season. Papich has been part of back-to-back Section II Quad-A Championships. In addition, her AAU team placed fifth at the Division II AAU National Championship in 2006 and ninth in 2007.
A two-sport athlete, Papich is also a three-year letterwinner for the Fox Chapel track and field team. She was the anchor leg of the 4X100 relay team that owns the school record. Papich was named team MVP as a junior. She placed fifth in the high jump during the 2008 WPIAL Championships and eighth at the 2009 conference championships.
Sundberg has been a three-year starter at E.O. Smith High School in Mansfield, Connecticut. The 5-foot-7 guard averaged 12.3 points, 4.9 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 3.2 steals per game last season. A two-time team MVP, she led the team in steals and assists the last three campaigns. Sundberg is also a two-time all-conference selection.
“Kelley is a talented point guard who can score, pass and defend,” noted Wright. “She is fun to watch and exciting to play with.”
Sundberg has been part of three consecutive CCC East championships and back-to-back state quarterfinal teams.
Gannon has opened the 2009 season with a 5-0 record, including a 3-0 mark at the Disney Tip-Off Classic November 6-8. The 19th-ranked Lady Knights defeated ninth-ranked Stonehill (Mass.) 87-70 during the event. The squad then went 2-0 at last weekend’s Clarion Classic, defeating Bowie State (65-60) and Alderson-Broaddus (81-42).
Wright’s squad opens the home portion of its schedule Friday, November 20 against former Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) foe Ferris State. Game time at the Hammermill Center is scheduled for 6 p.m. The action can be heard live on 90.5 WERG and via the Internet at
http://www.gannon.edu/athletics/werg/knightsound.html.