SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – Marlynda Harland, a former high school all-state and junior-college all-region performer, has signed a national letter of intent to play women's basketball at NCAA Division II Slippery Rock University, first-year Rock head coach Tanya Bauer announced Tuesday.
“Marlynda is a skilled combo guard who plays at a high level of intensity," Bauer said. "She possesses the passion and work ethic we need in building this program."
Harland earned honorable mention All-Ohio Division II status as a senior at Notre Dame Cathedral Latin High School in Chardon. Last winter, she was named to second-team National Junior College Athletic Association Division II Region 3 honors after averaging 9.5 points and 4.7 rebounds per game as a 5-foot-6 “combo guard” at Mercyhurst Northeast in Erie.
She ranked third in the region last winter in 3-point shooting percentage with a 40% accuracy and was fourth in steals per game at 2.3.
Harland will have two seasons of collegiate eligibility remaining when she starts her Rock career.
“Marylynda is a tremendous player who works hard on and off the court,” Mercyhurst Northeast head coach Courtney Ivan said. “She's got great court vision, gets up and down the court well and has great jumping ability.
“As a person, she's a top-notch kid who gets the job done in the classroom and is the kind of quality student-athlete every coach wants to have in their program,” Ivan added.
Harland is the fourth recruit signed by Bauer, who was named as SRU's head coach in May after serving nine seasons as an NCAA Division I assistant coach, the last two at Southern Illinois University.
She joins 5-8 guard
Shannon Lee (Marshalltown CC), 6-foot post player
Danielle Smith (Brown Mackie College) and 5-9
Sherita Stanley (John A. Logan College) as the newest members of The Rock program.
The Rock opens its 2010-11 schedule with a Nov. 3 exhibition game at Division I Cleveland State before officially tipping off the campaign with a No. 15 home game vs. Tiffin (Ohio) University in Morrow Field House on the SRU campus.
