DeLand, Fla. – Stetson University Head Women’s Basketball Coach Dee Romine is proud to announce the signing of six talented student-athletes to National Letters of Intent.  Four of the six players that will join the Hatters in the fall of 2008 are local Central Florida products.

Jessica Bivins, a 5’5” guard, comes to the Hatter program from Edgewater High School in Orlando, Fla. where she played for Head Coaches Malcolm Lewis and Natalie Ford.  EHS has captured a state championship as well as two metro titles, a district championship and a region title during her career, in which Bivins averages 9.7 points and three assists per game.  An All-State Second Team and All-Tournament Team honoree, the daughter of Kimberly and Kenneth Bivins is a member of the Spanish Honor Society and intends to major in Rehab Studies.

“Jessica can play both the point and the off-guard with a good mid-range jumper,” said Romine.  “She passes well and is a solid defender.  She’ll give us some nice depth at the guard position.”

Kristina Carruth, a 6’3” forward, joins Stetson from University High School in her hometown of Orlando where she played for Head Coach Jason Barnard.  Prior to attending UHS, Carruth helped her former school, Orlando Christian Prep, to a state runner-up finish in 2005-06 and is the first female student-athlete from her high school to sign with a Division I school.  She averaged 13 points and nine rebounds per game as a junior last season.  In travel basketball, Carruth was a 2007 AAU All-American and received Most Improved Player and All-Star honors.  She intends to major in Sports Management at Stetson.

“Kristina has good skills and is someone that we feel can help us immediately inside,” Coach Romine said.  “She’s strong and will help us with scoring and rebounding.”

Amber Cunningham, a 5’10” small forward from Jacksonville, Fla., will be a sophomore when she steps on campus next fall after earning her Associate’s degree from Mineral Area College in Park Hills, Missouri.  Cunningham helped Mineral Area to a 22-10 record last season and a regional finals appearance by averaging 3.7 points and 2.8 rebounds per game.  The daughter of a U.S. Army serviceman, Cunningham currently resides in Fort Stewart, Ga.

“Amber is long and lean; a very athletic perimeter player who shoots the ball really well from beyond the arc,” Romine reports.  “She’ll be a particularly difficult matchup in the Atlantic Sun conference because of her ability to penetrate, create her own shot and also hit the three.”

5’7” guard Kelly Ellison hails from Columbus, Georgia’s Hardaway High School, where she played for Head Coach Kendall Mills.  Ellison helped Hardaway HS achieve a 27-4 record last season, the best in its history, and a state Final Four appearance after finishing as runner-up in its region.  Her 214 assists (7.2 apg) led all prep players in the Peach State a year ago and she proved her scoring touch when she poured in 25 points against Cross Creek High School on February 23, 2007.  Ellison’s numerous accolades include being a Fellowship of Christian Athletes All-Star, All-State Honorable Mention, All Bi-City First Team, Wendy’s High School Heisman nominee and Region 2-AAA All-Tournament Team.  This well-rounded student-athlete has ranked #1 in her class three years in a row and is the Vice President of the HHS chapter of the National Honor Society.  The holder of school records in assists and steals and the daughter of Roderick and Shari Ellison, Kelly plans to study Pre-Law at Stetson.

“Kelly is the epitome of a student-athlete,” Coach Romine stated.  “She’s a strong student and a great basketball player as well.  She shoots the three-pointer well and I think she has the potential to be the kind of player that Nefertiti Walker (Stetson’s single-season scoring record holder) was for us; a zone-buster that stretches the defense.”

Lyllique Roman will join Stetson from Poinciana (Fla.) High School in her hometown.  This two-time All-Osceola County selection is a 5’8” guard/forward for Head Coach Jamerson Jones.

“Lyllique is a strong rebounder and brings a blue-collar work ethic to Stetson,” Romine said.  “She can put the ball on the floor and creates aggressively.  She’s a strong defender with similar character traits to (Hatter freshman guard) Brittany Carannante.” 

Ayiesha Vickers, a 5’11” forward, has enjoyed a very successful career at William R. Boone High School in her native Orlando.  During her three years playing for Head Coach Kim Burke, Boone has captured three district championships, two regional championships, two metro titles and has appeared in the Class 6A state semifinals each of the past two seasons.  Vickers averages 9.2 points, 7.1 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game for her career with seven double-doubles as a junior.  A recipient of the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Humanitarian Award and the daughter of Andrea Hamilton, Vickers wants to pursue studies in Sports Management and Journalism at Stetson University.

“Ayiesha brings versatility to our frontcourt; she can play both small forward and power forward.  She reminds me of Charles Barkley in terms of her strength and physique,” said Romine.  “She runs the floor extremely well for a big kid to go along with a nice shooting touch.”

The Hatters are 1-7 in the 2007-08 season and return to the court Monday, Dec. 17 to host Southeastern Louisiana at the Edmunds Center.  Game time is 7 p.m.