Contact: Christina Cracolici

Phone: (315) 228-6761

June 3, 2002

Hamilton, N.Y. -  Colgate University head basketball coach Beth Spycher has announced the signing of four student-athletes for the women's basketball program.

Joining the Raiders in 2002-03 is 6'1" center Devon Warwick (Amesbury, Mass./Amesbury), 5' 11"  guard/forward Meghan Curtin (Bronx, N.Y./Horace Mann), 5' 7" guard Meghan Ballard (Atlanta, Georgia/North Atlanta) and 5'5" guard Chigozie Ozor (Ann Arbor, Mich./Ann Arbor). 

"Our incoming freshman class will compliment and improve an already strong returning core of players," said Spycher.  "Warwick, Curtin, Ballard and Ozor will each bring their own unique abilities and strengths to bolster our line-up giving us added depth in the fall."

At 6' 1", Warwick, the 2002 Cape Ann League Player of the Year, will join a young and talented group of frontcourt players for the Raiders in returning sophomores Milaina Lagzdins and Leandra Fuller.  As a senior, Warwick led Amesbury to the 2002 North-Eastern Massachusetts Sectional Championship averaging a double-double with 13.5 points and 13 rebounds per game. 

Curtin, a prolific scorer at Horace Mann with a school-record 2,123 points, will add another threat to an already high-scoring Colgate squad that averaged 73.8 points per game in 2001-02.  Curtain, a McDonald's All-America nominee, averaged 27.5 points, eight rebounds and six assists per game in her senior season and is a three-time all-Ivy League first team selection.

"Warwick is an extremely athletic post-player," said Spycher.  "She loves to run the floor and will be able to score in transition for us and Curtin, a natural scorer, will give us another weapon on the perimeter.  The addition of both Warwick and Curtin will lighten up the scoring load for Malissa Burke and Allison Lipinski, our top two returning scorers.  Curtin will stretch our opponents defense with her outside shooting while Warwick will allow us to use Burke as a true three-guard."

Ballard, whose older brother Jeremy is a member of the Colgate men's basketball team, brings the Raiders some added depth at the guard position. Ballard served as North Atlanta's team captain as a junior and a senior, averaged 14 points, seven rebounds and seven assists during her career with the Lady Warriors.  

Ozor, a late-season transfer from Butler, will become the Raiders fourth Michigan-bred player joining Emily Damuth of Saginaw and Malissa Burke and Emily Braseth of East Grand Rapids. Playing her high school basketball for the Ann Arbor Pioneers, Ozor was an All-Area and All-Conference first team Ann Arbor News selection as well as an All-State Detroit Free Press honorable mention selection averaging 14.7 points, 6.7 assists and seven steals per game during her senior year. 

"Meghan is an adept defender who will help replace the loss of Sarah Parks due to graduation," said Spycher.  "While Chigozie, who will be ready to join the team in time for the conference season, is a slasher and will be able to create things for us offensively."

The Raiders open their season November 22 at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C.  Colgate's home-opener is scheduled for Sunday, November 24 at 2 p.m. versus Wagner College.