May 6, 2008

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - The JU women's basketball team announced the signing of a local product, forward Taneskei Richardson of Santa Fe Community College (Lee High School) to a National Letter of Intent as the Dolphins put the final touches on their 2008 signing class.

Richardson joins guards Jessica George of Celebration High School, Valerie Jones of Charles Henderson High School and Ashanti Williams of Suncoast Community High School and forward Jasmine Coleman of Walters State Community College as the newest members of the JU program in 2008-09.

Richardson, a 6-foot freshman, earned first team all-Mid-Florida Conference honors after helping the Saints to a 20-7 record and a second-place finish in the district with an average of 12 points and six rebounds.

"We are excited about keeping Taneskei in Jacksonville and the potential that she has," said JU head coach Jill Dunn. "Her experience and versatility at the post position will add something to our team immediately and she will be difficult to guard because she can score in multiple ways. Taneskei can lead the break in transition, score on offensive put backs, beat her defender off the dribble and step out and shoot the three."

At Lee, she was a four-year starter and helped the Generals to a combined record of 81-24. As a senior, she was named to the Florida All-Star Team after averaging 17 points and 12 rebounds while the leading the squad to a second-place finish in the district. As a junior, Richardson was honorable mention all-state and was ranked on the top 25 players for the Class of 2006 in Florida for the third straight year after averaging 15 points and 10 rebounds while leading the Generals to a 24-3 record, a district title and a spot in the Sweet 16. Before averaging 16 points and 10 rebounds as a sophomore, she ended her freshman campaign by posting 12 points and 10 rebounds per game while helping the squad to a second-place finish in district and the Elite 8.

In AAU play, Richardson led the Stingers to back-to-back Sunshine State Championships from 2004-05 after averaging 10 points and eight rebounds.