European prospects finalize X-Women basketball recruiting drive
Daughter of legendary X-Man chooses StFX
ANTIGONISH, NS – StFX X-Women basketball head coach Augy Jones is pleased to announce his final recruits for the 2012-13 season. Point guard Nicolette Fong Lyew Quee from Manchester, United Kingdom and forward Shannon Hatch for Lausanne, Switzerland will be joining the X-Women lineup this fall. Hatch is the daughter of former X-Men basketball standout John Hatch, an Olympian, three-time all-Canadian and StFX sports hall of fame member.
Shannon Hatch is a 5’10” small forward who went to high school at Liceo di Mendriso in Mendriso, Switzerland, having played basketball since she was ten years old for first division ‘Riva Basketball’. Shannon was selected to the Swiss national U16, U18 and U20 teams, having won five Swiss championships over the years. She has played in two European B division championships and has played against professional players for the past three years. She will be enrolled in the bachelor of arts program at StFX in the fall.
“Shannon is an extremely talented player, who has experienced the highest levels of competition of any of the players presently on the X-Women team,” comments head coach Augy Jones. “She is another of the many multi-talented forwards that we have playing the wing position.”
“Her father John was a pillar in the foundation of Steve Konchalski’s X-Men program,” continues Jones. “His name is all over the record books here. Shannon is another X-Women recruit who seems to be coming home. She has a very bright future here at StFX.”
Nicolette Fong Lyew Quee is a 5’4” point guard who attended Trinity High School, Loreto College and Leeds University, where most recently she was a member of the Leeds University team who were British university champions in 2011 and 2010. She was also a British college champion with Loreto College in 2009. Nicolette played for the Manchester Mystics from 2003 to 2008 in the United Kingdom division one and represented England on their U16 team in Bulgaria in 2008. She was recently invited to a tryout for the British U20 team. Nicolette will be enrolled in the human nutrition program at StFX this fall.
X-Women head coach Augy Jones comments, “I saw Nikki’s highlight video on YouTube. Her passion and intensity was very evident. I also have a good eye for point guards, and Nikki has all of the mental and physical attributes of a top-notch player at that position. Winning is a big part of a point guard’s resume, and she has won championships in the past consistently. We are pleased to have her running our team going forward.”
Nicolette comments, “After playing division one in England, I feel like the move to Canada is a step in the right direction to further both my education and my basketball career. After speaking to Coach Jones, I realized that the X-Women program is more than a team, they are a family. This is very similar to my previous teams and is very important to me, especially coming from another country. I am very excited to be a part of StFX and to see the improvements that I will make in the future.”
Hatch and Fong Lyew Quee join previously announced Cape Breton recruits Marissa MacKinnon and Kayla MacIntyre to the X-Women line-up for the 2012-13 season, as well as Ontario natives and JUEL league products Lindsay Lessard, Alana Lawn and Courtney Kilyk. Another addition to the X-Women line-up will be Antigonish, N.S. native Melissa Gotchall who will be transferring from Acadia University and red shirting for the 2012-13 season.
The X-Women open exhibition play on October 11th in Dartmouth against the University of Windsor, followed by the Mirimichi tournament Oct. 12-14th. Atlantic University Sport regular season play begins November 10th.
(30)