It’s recruiting season for women’s basketball and the Falcons are already plus one.
The BG women’s basketball program announced the addition of Erica Donovan to the team on July 2.
Transferring from North Carolina State, Donovan will sit out for her year of residency, per NCAA regulations, for the 2012-13 season.
Donovan is a Toledo native, so head coach Jennifer Roos said they were fortunate she was looking to transfer closer to home and that a scholarship was available.
Soon after the start of high school, Donovan moved to Texas then headed back east to play basketball collegiately for NC State.
At BG, sometimes recruiting new players can take up to a year and a half and it might not work out, Roos said, but with Erica, the process took less than a month.
“Recruiting is a crazy process and this one was quick with Erica,” Roos said. “We got her on campus as soon as we could.”
Donovan will be eligible to play in the 2013-14 season and she will have three years of eligibility left, Roos said.
In her lone year at NC State, she played in all 35 games off the bench and averaged 4.9 points per game and 2.5 rebounds.
“She can shoot the three well, drive, make rebounds and will be a strong defender with her size,” Roos said.
Her and the NC State Wolfpack went 19-16 last season and advanced through the second round of the WNIT.
Although she can’t play for a season with the team, Donovan will be busy and working as hard as the rest of the team Roos said.
“We plan for her to fit in very well,” Roos said. “She has the ability to play inside and outside and because she has to sit out she can learn the system and be able to practice against our starters which will make them better.”
She will also play on the scout team and against the men’s practice squad during her year of residency, Roos said. “We are ecstatic to have her closer to home and playing in front of her family,” Roos said.