Women’s Basketball Welcomes Gross into Fold for 2012-13

MANCHESTER, N.H. – Saint Anselm College women's basketball head coach DeAnn Craft announced Friday that Ashlin Gross (Las Vegas, Nev.) has signed a National Letter of Intent to join the program and attend Saint Anselm in the fall.

"Ashlin has tremendous scoring potential for the collegiate game," Craft said. "She is well-versed in how to play, as she was part of national exposure teams, and knows how to get her shot off regardless of the defensive situation that surrounds her. What we are most excited about for Ashlin is that she chose to be part of a program that really sees her value. She is exactly the scoring option that we needed to continue forward with our program's rise. Her deep shooting range, along with her one-on-one scoring ability, makes her the perfect fit for our team. She solidifies our recruiting class for 2012 and puts us a step closer to returning the program back to its storied tradition."

Gross, who is originally from Fayetteville, Ark., played two years of varsity basketball at Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas, where she averaged 12 points per game while the team was ranked in the top 25, nationally. Gross played club ball for 24/7 Hoops and coach Pat Amico, as well as this past spring for the Utah Raiders and coach Gary Tomlinson.

Gross entered Bishop Gorman her freshman year ranked sixth in the country by Adidas Junior Phenom. After helping to lead the Lady Gaels to a state title and a top 25 national ranking by both USA Today and ESPN, however, Gross was sidelined from both school and basketball for two years with a medical issue. After extensive medical treatment, Gross returned not only to school, but to the court, as well, where she earned a spot on the Iolani Classic All-Tournament Team in her first action back after a two-year layoff. Gross helped guide the team to a 25-4 record and another top 25 ranking her senior year.

"Ashlin has a unique chapter to be told in her basketball story," Craft said. "And Saint Anselm College is very honored that she will get to unveil its telling here on the Hilltop as a Hawk."

The Hawks add Gross to a recruiting class that already features Alexius Hampton (Charlotte, N.C.), Nancy Stablein (Shelton, Conn.) and Raquel Johnson (Long Beach, Calif.)