Monterey’s Schneider commits to Lady Raiders
BY TRAVIS CRAM l AVALANCHE-JOURNAL
Monterey junior Haley Schneider has made an oral commitment to the Texas Tech women’s basketball team for the 2010-11 season.
Schneider’s mother, Monterey head coach Jill Schneider, said she wanted to make sure her daughter knew there was no pressure to play college basketball.
“I knew she would have the opportunity to play, but I told her she didn’t have to,” said Jill Schneider, a member of the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame who starred at Wayland Baptist and Tennessee. “But she insisted that this was something she wanted to do, especially if she had the chance to play Division I basketball.”
Haley called Tech head coach Kristy Curry on Monday night to give her the news, but said she has been hanging on to the announcement for some time now.
“Getting a full scholarship isn’t something you hear about every day,” Haley said. “I’ve wanted to play Division I basketball all along, so I’ve kind of known it from the start. I guess I just didn’t want to make a decision right on the spot when (Curry) told me.”
Oral commitments are non-binding, and per NCAA rules, college coaches aren’t allowed to comment on recruits until they sign a national letter of intent.
Haley helped lead the Lady Plainsmen to a 24-10 record this season, and they finished fourth in District 2-5A at 14-4.
The 6-foot-5 center averaged 10.1 points and seven rebounds per game during the regular season. Monterey made the Class 5A playoffs before being eliminated by El Paso Hanks in the bi-district round.
With Wayland Baptist giving her an offer as well, the nice thing for Jill was knowing she might have the option to see her daughter play around the Lubbock area during her college career.
“It’s real exciting for me, from two aspects,” the elder Schneider said. “Just the fact that she gets to play at Tech, at a school in the Big 12 (Conference), it’s obviously one of the strongest conferences in the country with some of the best players and some of the best teams. And it will be close by so me and the rest of her relatives will get to see her play.”
Haley said she plans to challenge herself heading into her senior season by getting stronger and working to perfect her game before heading to Tech in the fall of 2010.
She also plans to challenge herself in the classroom and is looking into a degree in an engineering field, such as architectural engineering.
Coach Schneider hopes to see her daughter improve her offense after watching Haley become a solid defender for the Lady Plainsmen this past season.
“She averaged six blocks per game and nearly 10 rebounds per game this season,” Jill said. “I think she showed she can be a tremendous defensive presence on the court. When she develops more offensively, hopefully after this season, I think she’ll be a more well-rounded player.”
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Seems as though Tech does not want to win. The local talent is not that good, there is a world beyond the loop. Go Sooners #1
More tech nepotism…Myers, Knight, lets see who has made a large donation to the school and has a college aged child who can carry a bat?
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What is a stupid sooner doin’ on this blog? Why hate on this talented high school junior? She appears to be willing to take the next step to improve her game for her senior year, then take it higher to Tech. Hopefully, she will be instrumental in the defeats Tech hands to OU when she is playing for the Lady Raiders. Welcome to the Raiders, Haley. We Raider fans look forward to when you arrive on campus in search of an engineering degree, while helping the Lady Raiders to some great seasons on the basketball court. Despite what other fans for other schools might say, you have some great bloodlines and will be a great addition to the team.
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He is here because we help the athletes get degrees. Not free money
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A jr that averages 10 and 7? Huh? That translates into an offer? No wonder Way Baptist is the only other offer. Not good for TTU.
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Welcome Haley! We are excited that you’re coming to Tech.
By the way, it wasn’t long ago that the OU women’s baskeball program was the laughing stock of the Big 12 and country. Yes, give them credit for turning things around, but if I remember correctly they were considering cancelling their program a few years ago. Don’t forget how quickly things can change.
To say that the “local talent is not that good” is just plain ignorant. Tech has a National Championship, 3 Big 12 Championships and 2 tournament championships and has done it with talented young ladies from West Texas (as well as other places).
Wreck ‘em Tech!
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Don’t forget that Oklahoma has recruited quite a few players from West Texas. So, anyone saying there isn’t any talent there is just plain wrong. Welcome Haley!
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…such thoughtless rethoric…let the kool-aid flow…
a forecast to tomorrows sports stories, the refs cost both the men’s and women’s loss…
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that oklahoma oil money is drying up that last post may need to be updated…
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Final Score:
OU 82 Lady Red Rodents 43
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I think it’s interesting that people who are reduced to calling names are inadvertenly showing their lack of vocabulary.
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…lack of knowledge of subject, I think you mean Eric.
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Thanks WATCHDOG113! Maybe I better ease off on the tequila. GO RAIDERS!
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She’s SIX FOOT FIVE — and only a junior – you eggheads. How many 6′5 girls are there in the entire country? And here’s one in our own backyard–one who is very coachable and more than willing to work hard on improving her game.
Welcome, Haley!
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You can’t coach height. Obviously she has the tools and the pedigree to be a good player. Lots of great women’s basketball players from the ‘local talent pool.’ Ever heard of Sheryl Swoopes. Oh well, I guess if you’re ignorant you go to Oklahoma.
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i beliveve swoopes was from my high school at brownfield. thats is 35miles from lubbock and probably the best women basketball player that ever step on the court. stupid okie
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Congrats Haley,
Good choice. I watched your mother play when she was a Phillips Lady Blackhawk.
I have no doubt that you will do great things.
All I have to say is HEY, HEY, HEY Lady Red Raiders.
Mickey B
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