May 1, 2003
Cullowhee, N.C. - The Western Carolina women's basketball team, fresh off its best season in 26 years, announced today the signing of three players for the 2003-04 squad. Erin May will join the team as a freshman next year while Sigita Maleraite and Lori Tanner will transfer to Western after having completed successful junior college careers.
May, a local product of Marion, N.C., played ball at McDowell High School, which finished its season with a 26-3 record and advanced to the regional finals. May averaged 13 points and eight rebounds per game as a 6-1 center. She shot 54 percent from the field and 75 percent from the free throw line. May was named to the Blue-White All Star team and will play in the North Carolina East-West game this summer. She was also named to the Asheville Citizen-Times' All-Western North Carolina team in her senior year.
Maleraite, a Lithuanian native, will graduate from Roane State Community College after a successful two-year career. A 6-0 guard, Maleraite led her team in scoring with 14 points per game, as well as in rebounding, averaging eight boards per contest. She will be the first foreign player on WCU's women's basketball team and basketball runs in her family. Maleraite's father played professionally in Europe.
Tanner, who played high school ball in Knoxville, Tenn., comes to Western from Hiwassee College in Tennessee. She averaged 10 points and three rebounds per game as a 5-10 guard and helped lead her team to the Junior College National Tournament where they finished the season seventh in the nation. Tanner played her freshman year at Centenary College in Louisiana where she was named the Freshman of the Year for Independent Schools. There, she averaged 11 points and five boards per game. No stranger to winning, her 16-year old AAU team, the Tennessee Stars, won the National Championship.
"Championships are won and lost in the paint," said WCU head coach Beth Dunkenberger. "Erin, Siga and Lori are three exceptional rebounders. They bring height and a good blend of great outside shooting, in addition to providing a strong presence in the paint. The two junior college transfers bring experience to our team, but I look for all three of them to contribute immediately."
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