May 5, 2008

FORT COLLINS, Colo. - Colorado State University women's basketball Head Coach Kristen Holt announced Monday that Natalie van den Adel has been admitted to Colorado State and has signed a financial aid agreement to join Rams' program.  Van den Adel, a native of Barendrecht, Netherlands, will join the Rams for the 2008-09 season, along with fall signee Meghan Heimstra from Silver Creek High School in Longmont, Colo., as part of Holt's first recruiting class.  Holt and her staff will continue recruiting efforts during this spring signing period.   

Natalie van den Adel (6-1, G, Barendrecht, Netherlands)
Van den Adel is a 6-foot-1, guard from Barendrecht, Netherlands, where she has played club basketball for CBV Binnenland since 1998.  In 2006, van den Adel began playing on the Netherlands national team.  During the 2006 and 2007 seasons, she played in two European Championhips, U16 in 2006 held in Finland and U18 in 2007 held in Romania, and has been invited to participate in the 2008 European Championships as part of the U20 national team.  In 2007, and again in 2008, van den Adel led Binnenland to a club teams U20 national championship.  During last year's championship run, she earned most valuable player honors.  In 2008, van den Adel also played for the senior club team, where she was selected to the all-star team and was tabbed as the Rookie of the Year. 

Holt on van den Adel:  "Natalie is going to be a great addition to our basketball team and program.  Natalie is an excellent 3 point shooter and also possesses the ball-handling skills to put the ball on the floor, get to the basket, or create opportunities for teammates.  Being  6-1 gives her great versatility on the perimeter.  In addition, she will gain valuable experience this summer by playing  Internationally with her age group on the Netherlands national team."

Meghan Heimstra (6-2, F, Longmont, Colo./Silver Creek HS)
Heimstra, a forward and four-year starter at Silver Creek High School in Longmont, Colo., was an all-Colorado performer in 2007 and 2008.  As a senior,  she averaged 14.8 points, while  leading the Raptors to a 25-3 overall record, 13-1 in the Northern League, and an appearance in the Cololrado Class 4A championship game. As a junior in 2006-07, she averaged 15.1 points, 9.3 rebounds, 2.8 blocks and 2.5 assists per game, while shooting nearly 60 percent from the floor to lead the Raptors to a berth in the Final 16 of the Colorado Class 4A state tournament. During her sophomore season, Heimstra averaged 12.3 points and pulled down 5.4 rebounds per contest to help guide Silver Creek to its second consecutive Great Eight appearance in the state tournament.  Heimstra is a four-time recipient of the Raptor Award given to the best all-around player, and was the 2007 Raptor of the Year winner, given annually to the best athlete in any sport. 

Holt on Heimstra:  "Meghan Heimstra is a great addition to our program and the future of Colorado State Women's Basketball.  She is going to give us immediate help at the forward position.  She has a nice face-up jumper but also has the quickness to get by her defender and get to the basket."