Horned Frog Women Sign Four Wednesday
11/10/2010 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Nov. 10, 2010
| Name | Position | Hometown | High School |
| Ashley Colbert | Center | Fort Worth, Texas | Crowley High School |
| Jazz Parker | Guard | Houston, Texas | Mayde Creek High School |
| Chelsea Prince | Forward | Fort Worth, Texas | Dunbar High School |
| Natalie Ventress | Guard | Fort Worth, Texas | North Crowley High School |
COMPLETE BIOS | QUOTES | VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS
FORT WORTH, Texas - TCU women's basketball head coach Jeff Mittie announced Wednesday the signing of four student-athletes to early national letters of intent to play for the 2011-12 season.The quartet is comprised of four Texas natives, including three from the Fort Worth area. Overall, the TCU class, which ranks as high as No. 27 nationally according to Collegiate Girls Basketball Report, ranks as the second highest in the Mountain West Conference by All-Star Girls Report. All four future Frogs rank in the top 31 amongst Texas high school players according to Premier Basketball Report, including three in the top 20.
"This is a very athletic class and group that we feel can make some plays for us at both ends of the floor," said Mittie. "It was our goal going into this recruiting class to improve our size and depth inside, while getting a little bit more athletic upfront and I feel like this class addresses those needs for the most part. Overall, I think this class has a chance to be a pretty good group for us. We lose a very good group of seniors after this season and these four fill some needs for us."
Inking with the Frogs on Wednesday were center Ashley Colbert (6-3, C, Fort Worth, Texas (Crowley High School)), shooting guard Jazz Parker (5-8, SG, Houston, Texas (Mayde Creek High School)), forward Chelsea Prince (5-11, F, Fort Worth, Texas (Dunbar High School)) and guard Natalie Ventress (5-11, G, Fort Worth, Texas (North Crowley High School)).
Colbert, a Crowley High School product, will don the Purple and White next season after ranking as the No. 13 post-player in the country according to ESPN/HoopGurlz. A four-star rated prospect by ESPN/HoopGurlz and Premier Basketball Report, Colbert has dominated the lane the last three years at Crowley High School and currently ranks in the top 250 players in the country by All-Star Girls Report. The 6-foot-3 center is also currently the second-best post-player in the state of Texas according to Premier Basketball Report and the 13th-best player overall in the Lone Star state. Colbert, who ranks as the No. 195 player in the nation according to Dan Olson Collegiate Girls Report, owns career averages of 15 points and 10 rebounds per game heading into her senior season.
"Ashley Colbert is a good back to the basket player and will give the defense different angles to have to guard. She is a lefty inside and shoots the mid-range jumper well. She is a player that is still learning to play at a faster pace, but has the capabilities to be able to do that for us in the future," said Mittie.
Parker, a 5-foot-8 guard and four-star rated prospect out of Mayde Creek High School in Houston, earned first-team all-district and Class 5A all-state accolades by the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches during her junior campaign. Currently ranked as the 34th-best guard in the nation and a three-star rated prospect by ESPN/HoopGurlz, Parker is a two-time first-team all-district honoree, while also earning all-region honors during her junior season. She is currently ranked as the seventh-best guard in the state of Texas by Premier Basketball Report and is the No. 18 ranked player in the state of Texas. Parker, who ranks as the No. 96 ranked player in the country by Dan Olson Collegiate Girls Report, heads into her final season for the Rams averaging 20 points per game, eight rebounds and three blocks per game.
"Jazz Parker is the best one-on-one player of the group, who can go get her own shot in a variety of situations. She is still improving her three-point shot, but is very good with the pull up jumper. She is a strong on-ball defender," said Mittie.
Prince, who ranks as the No. 121 player nationally by Dan Olson Collegiate Girls Report, has excelled in multiple sports at Dunbar High School and comes to TCU as the 12th ranked guard in the state of Texas by Premier Basketball Report. The 5-foot-11 forward also ranks in the top 150 players in Texas by Premier and currently sits in the top 150 players in the nation according to All-Star Girls Report. She earned all-region and all-district team accolades during her junior season.
"Chelsea Prince is a super athlete and is a player that has great leaping and shot blocking ability. We feel like she will be a player for us that can play a majority of positions like Helena the last couple of years," said Mittie.
Ventress, who earlier this year was ranked as high as the No. 91 overall prospect in the country by ESPN/HoopGurlz Hot 100, is a four-star rated guard out of North Crowley High School. She currently sits at No. 103 according to All-Star Girls Report and as the 82nd best player in the country by Dan Olson Collegiate Girls Report. Ventress also currently ranks among the top 100 players in the nation and is No. 12 overall in the state of Texas according to Premier Basketball Report. She is also the fourth-best guard in the state of Texas and ranked No. 30 overall among guards nationally according to ESPN/HoopGurlz. A Texas Girls Coaching Association all-state honoree as a junior, Ventress has earned multiple honors during her time with the Panthers, including first-team all-district accolades and District 3-5A MVP honors. Ventress, who has averaged over 15 points during her high school career, has also excelled in the classroom at North Crowley earning academic all-district accolades multiple times in both volleyball and basketball.
"Natalie Ventress is probably the best defender of the group. She gets a lot of deflections and steals. I like her ability at both ends of the floor. She also possesses a good mid-range game," said Mittie.
TCU will open its 2010-11 season Friday against Houston Baptist. Start time is set for 5:30 p.m. at Daniel-Meyer Coliseum.
Ashley Colbert
Colbert, a Crowley High School product, will don the Purple and White next season after ranking as the No. 13 post-player in the country according to ESPN/HoopGurlz ... A four-star rated prospect by ESPN/HoopGurlz and Premier Basketball Report, Colbert has dominated the lane the last three years at Crowley High School and currently ranks in the top 250 players in the country by All-Star Girls Report ... The 6-foot-3 center is also currently the second-best post-player in the state of Texas according to Premier Basketball Report and the 13th-best player overall in the Lone Star state ... Colbert, who ranks as the No. 195 player in the nation according to Dan Olson Collegiate Girls Report, owns career averages of 15 points and 10 rebounds per game heading into her senior season.
Jazz Parker
Parker, a 5-foot-8 guard and four-star rated prospect out of Mayde Creek High School in Houston, earned first-team all-district and Class 5A all-state accolades by the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches during her junior campaign ... Currently ranked as the 34th-best guard in the nation and a three-star rated prospect by ESPN/HoopGurlz, Parker is a two-time first-team all-district honoree, while also earning all-region honors during her junior season ... She is currently ranked as the seventh-best guard in the state of Texas by Premier Basketball Report and is the No. 18 ranked player in the state of Texas ... Parker, who ranks as the No. 96 ranked player in the country by Dan Olson Collegiate Girls Report, heads into her final season for the Rams averaging 20 points per game, eight rebounds and three blocks per game.
Chelsea Prince
Prince, who ranks as the No. 121 player nationally by Dan Olson Collegiate Girls Report, has excelled in multiple sports at Dunbar High School and comes to TCU as the 12th ranked guard in the state of Texas by Premier Basketball Report ... The 5-foot-11 forward also ranks in the top 150 players in Texas by Premier and currently sits in the top 150 players in the nation according to All-Star Girls Report ... She earned all-region and all-district team accolades during her junior season.
Natalie Ventress
Ventress, who earlier this year was ranked as high as the No. 91 overall prospect in the country by ESPN/HoopGurlz Hot 100, is a four-star rated guard out of North Crowley High School ... She currently sits at No. 103 according to All-Star Girls Report and as the 82nd best player in the country by Dan Olson Collegiate Girls Report ... Ventress also currently ranks among the top 100 players in the nation and is No. 12 overall in the state of Texas according to Premier Basketball Report ... She is also the fourth-best guard in the state of Texas and ranked No. 30 overall among guards nationally according to ESPN/HoopGurlz ... A Texas Girls Coaching Association all-state honoree as a junior, Ventress has earned multiple honors during her time with the Panthers, including first-team all-district accolades and District 3-5A MVP honors ... Ventress, who has averaged over 15 points during her high school career, has also excelled in the classroom at North Crowley earning academic all-district accolades multiple times in both volleyball and basketball.
