Lehigh University Athletics
Troyan announces women’s basketball 2017 recruiting class
5/23/2013 10:46:00 AM | Women's Basketball
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Lehigh women's basketball coach Sue Troyan announced the addition of four athletes that will comprise the team's Class of 2017. Forwards Lexi Martins and Kiernan McCloskey and guards Kayla Burton and Kari Moffat will join the Mountain Hawks prior to the 2013-14 season. Lehigh will be looking to capture its fourth 20-win season since 2008.
“We feel this is a very talented group of student-athletes who will represent our program as both outstanding students as well as quality basketball players,” Troyan said. “They are players who have come from very successful high school and AAU programs, and who have a strong understanding what it takes to win. They are a talented group of players who will also bring the important qualities of strong leadership, a highly competitive spirit and a strong work ethic to our program.”
Martins, a 6-foot forward from Irvington, N.Y., is the all-time leading scorer (1,879) and rebounder (1,485) at Irvington High School. She has been the New York State Class B Player of the Year and Sectional MVP three times while leading the Bulldogs to a 105-6 overall record during her four years. During this time, she helped guide her Irvington team to four state championships and three Federation Championships. Martins also excelled in the classroom, earning the distinction of New York State Scholar Athlete in all four years of high school. She was named a USA Today All-American and runner up for Miss Basketball in New York State her senior year.
“Lexi comes into our program following a highly decorated high school career highlighted by four straight New York State Championships,” Troyan said. “She is a highly competitive athlete who has great talent to go along with her in-born nature to know how to win. We believe she has the offensive and defensive abilities to make an immediate impact on our program.”A three-time All Inter-AC Selection, McCloskey comes to Lehigh from Germantown Academy. The 6-1 forward from Fort Washington, Pa., is the second player in the school's history with more than 1,000 points and 1,000 rebounds in her career, the other being Lehigh women's basketball assistant coach Laura Kurz. McCloskey lead her team to a PAISSA State Championship in 2011 and was named to the Pennsylvania All-State second team and All-Southeastern Pennsylvania Second Team her senior year. She was a three-sport athlete at Germantown. In addition to her basketball honors, McCloskey was an All Inter-AC Selection for volleyball her senior year and ranked seventh in the high jump at the 2010 PIAA State Track and Field Championships.
“Kiernan is a tremendous athlete who has the ability to make an immediate impact on our program at both ends of the floor,” Troyan said. “She possesses strong defensive abilities with her length, athleticism and ability to rebound the ball. She also has the ability to be a very strong offensive presence in our system with her ability to score the ball and play in an up-tempo transition game.”
Burton was a point guard at Newton South High School for four years, including two as a captain. The 5-7 Newton, Mass., native averaged 15.6 points, 3.7 rebounds and 7.1 assists per game her senior year before being named a 2013 McDonald's All-American Nominee and to the All-State team. She was also recognized for her strong academic achievements with selections to the Boston Globe and Boston Herald All-Scholastic Teams in 2013. An ESPN HoopGurlz four start recruit and Dual County League All Star for four years, Burton won a number of AAU tournament titles with her Bay State Jaguars program. She had success on the track as a 2013 Dual County League Champion in the Mile Run and 4x800 meter relay.
“Kayla is a highly competitive and spirited point guard who comes from a very successful AAU program where she helped guide her program to multiple tournament titles,” Troyan said. “Kayla is a very skilled and athletic point guard who possesses very strong leadership qualities, she is someone who we believe possesses the skills to make immediate contributions to our program.”
Moffat, a 5-6 guard from Lincolnshire, Ill., was captain of her basketball teams at Adlai E. Stevenson High School that won back-to-back Illinois Regional Championships in 2012 and 2013. She led her team in assists her junior and senior seasons while also being named to the North Suburban All-Academic Team. Moffat is a three-time All-Conference and two time All Area selection.
“Kari is a talented point guard who has had a high level of success in her high school program,” Troyan said. “She is a steady point guard who makes very good decisions with the ball and who has the ability to take on multiple roles at the point guard position – as a distributor, as a scorer, as a defender, or as a leader. She understands what it takes to win and is selfless in her pursuit to make that occur on her team, we feel she can play a very important role in our program.”
The four freshmen will join nine returnees on the Mountain Hawks' 2013-14 team. Lehigh is coming off a 14-16 record in the 2012-13 season and will be looking to advance to the Patriot League semifinal for the seventh time in the last eight years.
Lehigh Women's Basketball Class of 2017
Name Pos. Hometown/High School College
Lexi Martins F Irvington, N.Y./Irvington Arts and Sciences
Kiernan McCloskey F Fort Washington, Pa./Germantown Academy Business
Kiernan McCloskey F Fort Washington, Pa./Germantown Academy Business
Kayla Burton G Newton, Mass./Newton South Arts and Sciences
Kari Moffat G Lincolnshire, Ill./Adlai E. Stevenson Arts and Sciences
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