Southeast Missouri State women's basketball team adds two junior college recruits from New Zealand

~ New Zealand supplies pair of JUCO players for Redhawks basketball team

Southeast Missouri State women's basketball coach Ty Margenthaler completed his first recruiting class by signing two players who bring an international flavor to the Redhawks.

Point guard Jordan Hunter and forward/center Jessica Bygate, both New Zealand natives who played at junior colleges in the United States, made it official with Southeast on the second day of the NCAA's spring signing period Thursday.

"I'm very excited to have the two of them joining our program," said Margenthaler, who will be in his second season at Southeast. "They are familiar with each other, which should help us immediately. Both of them will be competing on a national level with New Zealand in the summer, and that will only help our team. These two bring both college and international experience, which will be a great help to us this year."

The 5-foot-7 Hunter is a sophomore at Crowder College in Neosho, Mo., where she earned All-Region 16 honors this year.

Hunter averaged 13.3 points, 5.3 assists, 4.4 rebounds and 2.4 steals per game. She shot 86 percent from the free-throw line. She will have two seasons of eligibility at Southeast.

"We really needed a point guard with Bianca Beck graduating," Margenthaler said. "She's a true point guard who can handle it and can score. You have to guard her. She's a coach's kid. She knows the game well and loves to play. She is a fierce competitor who will help our team immediately."

The 6-1 Bygate is a freshman at Moberly Area Community College in Moberly, Mo., where she also earned all-Region 16 honors this season.

Bygate averaged 10.7 points, 5.9 rebounds and 1.4 steals while shooting 52 percent from the field. She will have three years of eligibility with the Redhawks.

"Jess is going to come in and do a lot of good things on the court. She has a great awareness of the game," Margenthaler said. "She is a versatile player who can score around the basket and also step outside and hit jump shots. Having three years with us is a big plus."

Hunter and Bygate round out Southeast's six-player recruiting class for next season. They join four high school seniors who signed in November during the NCAA's early signing period.

The early signees are Jackson's Connor King, a 6-2 forward/center, and 5-8 combo guard Dru Haertling, along with 5-10 combo guard Olivia Hackman from Jefferson City, Mo., and 5-11 guard Kara Wright from Louisville, Ky.

That foursome recently concluded impressive high school careers, with Haertling, Hackman and Wright earning all-state honors.

Hackman was named the Missouri Basketball Coaches Association Player of the Year in Class 4, and Wright helped lead DuPont Manual High School to a 37-2 record and a state championship.

"It's great to see all four of these kids get recognized for their hard work," Margenthaler said. "The caliber of competition Kara played against the last four years is incredible. Kentucky only crowns one state champion for all divisions, and to come out on top is remarkable."

Margenthaler believes all six of the signees will help Southeast rebuild a program that had fallen on hard times before he took over. The Redhawks graduated just three seniors from his first squad and have filled all 15 scholarships for the 2012-13 season.

"I think our first recruiting class is definitely a good class, to go with our core group coming back," Margenthaler said. "I'm excited."