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ERIC M. JUKELEVICS/Arizona Daily Wildcat
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Women's basketball head coach Joan Bonvicini calls a play last season at McKale Center. Bonvicini's program signed a pair of high school players to national-letters-of-intent yesterday.
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By Lindsey Manroel
Arizona Daily Wildcat
Thursday Apr. 11, 2002
Wildcats ink pair of prep stars
The Arizona women's basketball team has added two athletes to next season's roster, UA head coach Joan Bonvicini announced yesterday.
The Wildcats signed guard Phakisha Peterson and forward Donnisha "CoCoa" Sanford to national letters of intent on the first day of spring signing.
Peterson, a 5-foot-11 guard out of El Paso, Texas, was named the most valuable player of the America's Tournament and the Bowie Tournament.
As a senior at Andress High School, Peterson was named the city's most valuable player and averaged 21.4 points per game while grabbing 10.4 rebounds per game for the season.
At 6 feet tall, Sanford was a first team All-California Interscholastic Confederation, all-league and all-area selection at Morningside High School in Inglewood, Calif. - the alma mater of Lisa Leslie of the WNBA.
Sanford finished her senior year by being named Morningside's MVP and averaged 17 points and 13.7 rebounds per game, posting a four-year career total of 1,517 rebounds.
Sanford, who excelled in the 400-meter sprint, is also expected to suit up and compete for the UA track and field team.
The Wildcats, who closed their 2001-02 season with a 14-14 overall record, suffered a first-round loss to ASU, 66-58, in the Pacific 10 Conference Tournament.
With the absence of departing seniors Elizabeth Pickney and LaKeisha Taylor from next season's lineup, Bonvicini said both Peterson and Sanford are expected to be key factors next year.
"Phakisha is an excellent athlete who is very versatile and has great quickness. CoCoa is a great rebounder and a strong defensive player," Bonvicini said. "They are hard workers with great attitudes and are outstanding students.
"They will have an immediate impact in our system and will be a great complement to our current players and the other signees."
