Jennies Make Indianapolis High-School Product Third Recruit for 1999-2000 Campaign

Warrensburg, Mo. (June 15, 1999) -- The basketball Jennies of Central Missouri State University have made Carlonda Pettiford of Lawrence Central High School in Indianapolis, Ind., their latest recruit for the 1999-2000 season. Her letter of intent signing was announced Monday by Jennies Head Coach Scott Ballard.

A 5-8 guard, Pettiford averaged 18.9 points, 5.0 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 2.5 steals per game as a senior, while shooting 51.2% from the field and 65% at the free-throw line, to earn team most valuable player, all-conference and all-county honors for Coach Tammy Wertman. She was also named team MVP and was an all-league, all-county (two years) and all-metro selection in volleyball.

Pettiford plans to major in computer programming at CMSU. She is the daughter of Carlos and Pamela Pettiford of Indianapolis.

"We are excited to add another quality student-athlete to our program who will give us more speed and depth at the shooting-guard position," says Ballard. "Carlonda is a great athlete with good ball skills and plays hard at both ends of the floor from baseline to baseline. Her ability to break defenses down with the dribble and convert at the free-throw line will be strong assets to our team."

Pettiford joins 6-0 forward Callie Newton of Republic (Mo.) High School and 5-9 forward Blanche Tucker of Odessa (Texas) College as recruits so far for the Jennies, who are expected to return eight players, all of whom will be either sophomores or juniors, from this year’s 17-11 squad that tied for sixth in the NCAA Division II-affiliated Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA) regular-season standings. CMSU made its 17th consecutive appearance in the league’s annual post-season tournament and reached the semifinals before bowing out.