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Kahl adds five to 2009-10 recruiting class

Coach Aaron Kahl

MITCHELL, S.D. – Dakota Wesleyan University women’s basketball coach Aaron Kahl announced Monday that he has added five more commitments to his 2009-10 recruiting class. The five newest Tigers are all in-state recruits and this wave of signing gives excellent depth to Kahl’s recruiting class.

Faulkton star Jordan Melius headlines the latest group of commitments, which also includes four players either from Mitchell or the immediate surrounding area. A pair of Mitchell High School players, Alli Fredericksen and Whitney Morgan, have both decided to stay in town to continue their college careers, and they’ll be joined at DWU by White Lake’s Sarah Konechne and Kimball’s Andrea Taylor.

The five latest recruits join South Dakota All-State players Elizabeth Lamb from Sully Buttes and Brittany Hills from Summit to give Kahl seven solid commitments for 2009-10, all from within South Dakota’s borders.

“We are excited to add all of these players to our 2009-10 recruiting class,” Kahl said. “I think, combined with Brittany Hills and Liz Lamb, this gives us a strong group of new players for next year. These kids are good students, hard-working athletes and they are excited to join the Tiger women’s basketball family.”

Melius, a 5-10 forward, will be a strong addition to the DWU frontcourt. She averaged 15.8 points and 10 rebounds per game as a senior captain at Faulkton Area High School while earning All-Conference, All-Area and Athlete-of-the-Week honors. Melius was also named a North East Area All-Star and she won several team awards, including Ms. Offense, Hardest Worker and the Coaches’ Award. She is the daughter of Joel and Dawn Melius, and the 4.0 Academic All-State student plans to major in business and accounting at DWU.

“I think Jordan Melius will fit in well here,” Kahl said. “She had a very good career at Faulkton and will add some depth to our front court.”

Fredericksen and Morgan both played their high school ball for former Tiger great Wes Morgan at Mitchell High. Fredericksen, a 5-7 guard, was a three-time letterwinner and a starter for the Kernels as a senior, when she was named the team’s Most Improved Player and the Best Offensive Player. Morgan, a 5-9 forward, was a two-time letterwinner for the Kernels. Fredericksen is the daughter of Bart and Nikki Fredericksen, and she plans to major in sport, exercise and wellness at DWU. Morgan is the daughter of Pat and Melissa Morgan, and she plans to major in accounting.

Konechne, a 6-0 post player, gives Kahl’s frontcourt more size and depth. At White Lake, the three-year starter was a two-time All-Conference Selection and a recipient of the Sioux Falls Argus Leader Player-of-the-Week award. Konechne’s best performance was a 24-point, 13-rebound game in the district playoffs and she was a four-time letterwinner. She is the daughter of Merlin and Jacki Konechne and the Gold Honor Roll student plans to major in biology/pre-med at DWU.

Taylor, a 5-7 guard, comes to DWU after a great career at nearby Kimball High School. The three-time All-Conference selection averaged 12.5 points and 4.4 rebounds as a senior, and she helped the Kiotes compile a 42-7 record over her final two seasons. Taylor was a team captain, and she won the team’s Hustler/Dedication award three times and the Team MVP award as a senior. She was also an Academic All-State pick and a two-time winner of the Hanson Classic Basketball Tournament Sportsmanship Award. Taylor is the daughter of Dale, her high school coach, and Kathy Taylor, and she plans to major in secondary education at Dakota Wesleyan.

“It is always nice to add some local talent to your roster and I think we have added some very good players with Whitney Morgan, Alli Fredericksen, Andrea Taylor and Sarah Konechne,” Kahl said.

Kahl is entering his third season as DWU’s head women’s basketball coach. Last season, the Tigers graduated three seniors from a 13-18 team that competed in the best women’s basketball conference in the NAIA, the Great Plains Athletic Conference.