Often times in collegiate recruiting, players earn scholarship offers even though the scouts attending their games or practices have really come to see a teammate or opponent. Such may be the case with the second commitment for the Lady Vols' 2009 signing class.
Pat Summitt and her staff made the short trip to Webb School of Knoxville several times to recruit Glory Johnson, a top-five recruit, last season. In the process they found 6'3" junior forward Faith Dupree.
The trips earned Dupress an invite to the Lady Vols Elite Camp this past weekend where she committed to sign with Tennessee during the early signing period this November.
With Johnson and Dupree, Webb was a state runner-up this past season. Dupress averaged 14.5 points, 6.3 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 1.7 blocks and 1.2 steals per game for the Spartans.
Dupree is the second in-state commitment as Pat Summitt begins building what she hopes will be a third-consecutive top-ranked recruiting class in NCAA women's college basketball.
Kamiko Williams, a 5'11" guard from Clarksville, had previously committed to the Lady Vols.
Both Dupree and Williams are ranked as four-star prospects by HoopGurlz.com with Dupree #67 nationally and Williams #68.
As is usually the case, Summitt is the hunt for several of the nation's top-rated recruits. Among those showing interest in the Lady Vols are 6'5" post Kelsey Bone [Sugar Land, TX], 5'8" point guard Skylar Diggins [South Bend, IN], 6'2" forward Mariah Chandler [Atlanta], 6'1" wing Shenneika Smith [Brooklyn, NY], 5'11" wing Tierra Rogers [San Francisco], 6'1" guard Taber Spani [Shwnee Mission, KS] and 5'11" guard Bianca Lutley [Penscola, FL]. All are five-star prospects and among the nation's top 25 players. Diggins is fourth nationally and Bone second. Bone had been first in her class since the beginning of her sophomore season before being overtaken by 6'7" post Brittney Griner of Houston. Griner has already committed to Baylor.
* Former Lady Vol Candace Parker was named as the winner of the Honda-Broderick Cup on Monday as the nation's top female college athlete. Parker flew to New York early on Monday to receive the award.
Just hours earlier, Parker recorded her first professional dunk with a one-handed break-away slam in the Los Angeles Sparks' 77-63 victory over the Indiana Fever. Parker joins teammate Lisa Leslie as the only WNBA players to dunk during a game.
Also nominated for the Honda-Broderick Cup were Virginia Tech's Angela Tincher (softball), Duke's Amanda Blumenherst (golf), North Carolina's Rachel Dawson (field hockey) and Arizona State's Jacquelyn Johnson (track).
* The National Champion Lady Vols will be honored at a White House ceremony on Tuesday.
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