Cosby becomes sixth basketball signee for Gardner

FAYETTEVILLE – Mississippi state all-star Donica Cosby signed her national letter of intent to play women’s basketball at the University of Arkansas, Lady Razroback head coach Susie Gardner announced today. The 5-7 combo guard was selected to play in the Mississippi-Alabama All-Star game in late March, and averaged 24 ppg for Independence High in Coldwater, Miss., as a senior. After scoring seven in her first game of the year, Cosby reeled off 13 straight games of 15 points or more, including four games over 30 points. Cosby joins Kodak JC All-American Lauren Ervin as spring signees for the Lady Razorbacks, and becomes the sixth player to sign with Gardner for the upcoming 2006-07 season. “This class is becoming strong, and there is a team forming for next season through our signees and our returning players,” Gardner said. “Great players want to play with other great players, and this class has been extremely helpful in recruiting each other to be a part of what we’re building here at Arkansas.” Cosby also becomes the second Mississippian to ink with Arkansas. Ashley Wilson, a 6-3 post player from Byhalia, Miss., signed during the fall period with the Lady’Backs. “Ashley called us during the season and let us know that there was another great player in the state of Mississippi,” Gardner said. “The two of them took their official visits, and there’s been a lot of talk about what ‘we’ were going to do at Arkansas among the recruits.” Cosby played her junior season at Lake Highlands, Texas, where she was an all-state selection averaging 19.1 ppg per game. She was one of the Jackson Clarion-Ledger’s honorable mention all-state players as a sophomore in 2004. “Donica is an exceptional scorer, and she can score in many ways,” Gardner said. “She has a great three-point shot, and with Dominique (Washington) and Leslie (Howard) as seniors this year we wanted to make sure we were bringing in some outside shooters in this recruiting class.” This season, she produced 26 of Independence High’s 50 points in a win over Holly Springs, 36 of 66 scored in a 66-53 win over rival Coldwater High, and 32 of the Lady Wildcats’ 66 points in the season finale against Ripley. In the fall signing period, the Lady Razorbacks picked up 6-2 forward Tanisha Smith of Kansas City, Mo., Lincoln Prep; 5-8 guard Charity Ford of Arlington, Texas, Seguin; 5-8 guard Kendra Roberts of Fort Smith, Ark., Northside; and Wilson from Byhalia. “This class is very outgoing and they’re very encouraging of the other players to come to Arkansas,” Gardner said. “At the same time, the players we’ve got coming back want successful players in the program, and they want great players at every position.” Arkansas graduated six players from last year’s squad, but returns two starters from the 2004-05 team that missed last season with injuries, including 2005 leading scorer Sarah Pfeiffer and the team’s third-leading scorer Danielle Allen. The recruiting continues for the Lady Razorbacks who anticipate further announcements later during the spring signing period.