Tulsa's McConnell-Miller Inks Three Players to National Letters
11/15/2001 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Nov. 15, 2001
Tulsa, Oklahoma - University of Tulsa third-year Head Basketball Coach Kathy McConnell-Miller announced today the signing of Megan Moody, Kara Pongonis and Jillian Robbins to national letters-of-intent on the first day of the early signing period for high school seniors.
Moody is a 6'2" guard/forward from Frankston, Victoria, Australia. A two-time member of the Victorian State team, Moody has also trained with the Melbourne Tigers National League team and was selected to the Knox Amateur Basketball Association's ABA team. During the 2000 season, she led her club team, the Nunawading Spectres, to a runner-up finish at the Grand Final. As a member of the U18 Victorian Metro State team, she led her club to a bronze medal at the Australian National Titles. In 1998, she guided her U16 Victorian State team to a silver medal at the Australian National Titles and was one of 40 players selected to the Adidas ABC All-Star Basketball Camp. That same year, she was named the Junior Sports Star of the Year by The Leader Newspapers.
She chose Tulsa over Auburn and Virginia Commonwealth.
"Megan (pronounced Mee-gan) is a young, eager and exciting player," McConnell-Miller said. "She should make the transition to our style of play very quickly. Megan has exceptional versatility in the forward position and overall, she is the type of player that can change the complexion of our team. Megan and her family are a welcome addition to the Tulsa family."
Pongonis, a 5'5" guard from Springdale High School in Springdale, Arkansas, is a three-year letterwinner and starter for the Bulldogs. A two-time all-state and all-conference performer as a sophomore and junior, she has led Springdale to a state runner-up finish last season. SHS is ranked as the fifth-best team in the state and second-best in AAAAA-West in the preseason rankings. Last season, Pongonis averaged 14.2 points and 3.0 steals and assists per game. She led her AAU team, the Lady Belles, to a fifth-place finish and picked up MVP honors at the Arkansas Elite Basketball Camp. She was also named to the all-area team by the Northwest Arkansas Times and was recently nominated to the 2002 McDonald's All-American Team.
She chose Tulsa over TCU, Southwest Missouri State, Arkansas, Arkansas-Little Rock and Princeton.
"Kara is a leader. She is the type of player that makes everyone around her better. Her determination and will to win is contagious. Kara's physical condition and mental preparation makes her very difficult to defend. She is an outstanding point guard and what she lacks in size she makes up for in heart and determination," McConnell-Miller said.
Robbins is a 6'1" forward from Klein High School in Spring, Texas. A two-year letterwinner, Robbins begins her senior season ranked as the 34th-best center in the national class of 2002, and also ranks as one of the top-200 players in the nation according to the All-Star Girls Report. She is an All-Greater Houston Preseason second-team pick entering her senior season. Robbins missed her junior season with a knee injury, but averaged 15.0 points, 7.5 rebounds and 3.4 blocked shots per game as a sophomore, while shooting 56-percent from the field. She was named to the all-district first team and was selected as the Newcomer of the Year for District 15-5A. As a freshman, Robbins was a first-team all-district performer, MVP of the Bruce Allen League and she was selected to the Gulf Coast Classic first team.
She chose Tulsa over Texas A&M, TCU and Oklahoma.
"Jillian is an outstanding athlete who will give our team great versatility in our interior game. Defensively, she is a stopper with great anticipation. She has the potential to score from the perimeter or provide a powerful threat from the blocks. She is a true competitor and should make an immediate impact," McConnell-Miller said.
Name Pos. Ht. Hometown/High School Megan Moody G/F 6-2 Frankston, Victoria, Australia/Frankston H.S. Kara Pongonis PG 5-5 Springdale, Ark./Springdale H.S. Jillian Robbins F 6-1 Spring, Texas/Klein H.S.
