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University of Massachusets Athletics
Women’s Basketball Lands Four Early NLIs
November 15, 2018 | Women's Basketball
Newest Minutewomen will join the program beginning with the 2019-20 season
AMHERST, Mass. – University of Massachusetts women's basketball and head coach Tory Verdi announced on Thursday that four incoming student-athletes have signed their respective National Letters of Intent. The group includes Maeve Donnelly (Binghamton, New York), Grace Heeps (East Greenbush, New York), Angelique Ngalakulondi (Manchester, New Hampshire) and Sydney Taylor (Huntington Station, New York). Together, the class is ranked second in the Atlantic 10 by ASGR Basketball.
"We are very fortunate to land these recruits and this particular recruiting class," said Verdi. "Many in this group were highly recruited by BCS schools and will help our program toward our goal of winning Atlantic 10 Championships. We will continue to relentlessly recruit the best players in the country in that pursuit."
All four signed their NLIs during the Division I Early Period, which runs from Nov. 14-21. The Regular Period begins on April 17, 2019 and continues through May 15, 2019.
Meet The Newest Minutewomen
Maeve Donnelly • Center/Forward • 6-5 • Binghamton, N.Y. • Susquehanna Valley High School
Ranked No. 271 nationally by the Dan Olson Collegiate Girls Basketball Report, Donnelly has been coached by Chad Freije at Susquehanna Valley as well as Mike Constantine with her club program, BNY Select. As a junior in 2017-18 she averaged a double-double (11.6 ppg, 10.1 rpg) plus 5.3 blocks per game, capping the year with a New York Section 4 Class B title. She earned NYSSWA Class B All-State First Team recognition following her junior season. Donnelly boasts finesse game in the paint and a shot-blocking presence. Academically, she is interested in public health.
Verdi on Donnelly: "Maeve is an agile post player who can run the floor. Her length alone will bother opponents as she has the ability to alter shots. Maeve can post up on the block and score with her back to the basket in isolations."
Donnelly on UMass: "I chose UMass because it gave me a gut feeling that reassured me it was the place for me to continue my basketball career as well as my education. Whenever someone asks me what my favorite part about UMass is, I am so overtaken by thinking of all the things I love about it. I am unable to choose just one aspect."
Grace Heeps • Guard • 5-11 • East Greenbush, N.Y. • Northfield Mount Hermon (Mass.)
Heeps is deceptively quick off the bounce and passes with purpose in transition. She plays just a short drive from UMass at Northfield Mount Hermon, where Grace Rehnquist leads the Hoggers. Now a captain of her squad, Heeps has previously been named a NEPSAC Class A All-Star and attended the Team USA 17U Trials in Colorado Springs, Colorado. She is a two-time Rose Classic All-Star and twice was named captain at Columbia High School, before leaving for Northfield Mount Hermon. Heeps also has played for the New York Havoc club program led by Terrance Florence. She is interested in nutrition as an academic concentration.
Verdi on Heeps: "Grace is one of the most competitive players that I have seen in a while. She is a combo guard who can create for herself and her teammates. This crafty guard can shoot it from well beyond the three-point line and make passes that shouldn't get there, but do. She is a great communicator and coach on the floor."
Heeps on UMass: "I chose UMass because I loved the campus and the big school environment. UMass is one of the few schools I looked at that has a nutrition program. I felt like I could really connect with the team and like Coach Verdi's style of playing fast and pushing the tempo. I also chose UMass because it is within two hours of my hometown, so my family can come see me play."
Angelique Ngalakulondi • Forward • 6-2 • Manchester, N.H. • Proctor Academy
Ngalakulondi signs with the Minutewomen ranked No. 278 nationally in her class. After moving to the United States from the Congo, Ngalakulondi emerged as a standout at Proctor Academy and was named the 2018 New Hampshire Gatorade Player of the Year. In 2017-18 under coach Junior De La Hoz, she posted averages of 24.5 points, 13 rebounds and 3.6 blocks per game. Proctor would ultimately reach the NEPSAC Class C Semifinals. As a sophomore in 2016-17 she was named the NEPSAC Class C MVP, leading the Hornets to the second of back-to-back Class C titles. Ngalakulondi heads into her senior season with 1,213 career points and played club ball for Mass Rivals under Scott Hazelton. Ngalakulondi is undecided on an academic major.
Verdi on Ngalakulondi: "Angelique can rebound out of her area and score around the basket and in transition as well. She will compete on the glass and will give us second chance opportunities. Her and Maeve Donnelly in particular fill tremendous voids for us and I'm excited for both of these players as I feel that their best basketball is ahead of them."
Ngalakulondi on UMass: "UMass was a place I fell in love with right away during my official visit. Right away I got to do a campus tour and got to spend a ton of time with the team. The coaching staff and team are the best and I know I'll be in good hands. I fit in well with their personality and also their style of play."
Sydney Taylor • Guard • 5-9 • Huntington Station, New York • St. Anthony's High School
Taylor will arrive in Amherst after a four-year playing career under Hugh Flaherty and a club stint with Kevin White of the New York City Heat. She is a threat at the arc with strong rebounding ability and handles in transition. With St. Anthony's, Taylor has helped the Friars to CHSAA championships each of her first three seasons and a state title as a freshman. As a junior in 2017-18, she averaged 14.9 points per game, five assists and 3.5 rebounds. Taylor is a two-year captain and two-time All-County selection who has also picked up classroom accolades as a Scholar-Athlete and recipient of the Duns Scotus Award. At UMass, Taylor will pursue the sciences as an academic concentration.
Verdi on Taylor: "Sydney is a big, strong guard who can score in bunches. She can handle in transition and attack the rim or pull up and shoot it from deep. Having another big scoring threat will provide us with more balance amongst all positions."
Taylor on UMass: "During discussions with my family, it was important to find a school with the best balance of academics and athletics. As soon as I visited UMass I knew I had found that balance. UMass is known for its great academics and athletics. This is the place I feel I can excel in both."
Follow UMass women's basketball on Twitter (@UMassWBB), Instagram (UMassWBB) and Facebook (UMass Women's Basketball) for the latest news and updates around the program.
"We are very fortunate to land these recruits and this particular recruiting class," said Verdi. "Many in this group were highly recruited by BCS schools and will help our program toward our goal of winning Atlantic 10 Championships. We will continue to relentlessly recruit the best players in the country in that pursuit."
All four signed their NLIs during the Division I Early Period, which runs from Nov. 14-21. The Regular Period begins on April 17, 2019 and continues through May 15, 2019.
Meet The Newest Minutewomen
Maeve Donnelly • Center/Forward • 6-5 • Binghamton, N.Y. • Susquehanna Valley High School
Ranked No. 271 nationally by the Dan Olson Collegiate Girls Basketball Report, Donnelly has been coached by Chad Freije at Susquehanna Valley as well as Mike Constantine with her club program, BNY Select. As a junior in 2017-18 she averaged a double-double (11.6 ppg, 10.1 rpg) plus 5.3 blocks per game, capping the year with a New York Section 4 Class B title. She earned NYSSWA Class B All-State First Team recognition following her junior season. Donnelly boasts finesse game in the paint and a shot-blocking presence. Academically, she is interested in public health.
Verdi on Donnelly: "Maeve is an agile post player who can run the floor. Her length alone will bother opponents as she has the ability to alter shots. Maeve can post up on the block and score with her back to the basket in isolations."
Donnelly on UMass: "I chose UMass because it gave me a gut feeling that reassured me it was the place for me to continue my basketball career as well as my education. Whenever someone asks me what my favorite part about UMass is, I am so overtaken by thinking of all the things I love about it. I am unable to choose just one aspect."
Grace Heeps • Guard • 5-11 • East Greenbush, N.Y. • Northfield Mount Hermon (Mass.)
Heeps is deceptively quick off the bounce and passes with purpose in transition. She plays just a short drive from UMass at Northfield Mount Hermon, where Grace Rehnquist leads the Hoggers. Now a captain of her squad, Heeps has previously been named a NEPSAC Class A All-Star and attended the Team USA 17U Trials in Colorado Springs, Colorado. She is a two-time Rose Classic All-Star and twice was named captain at Columbia High School, before leaving for Northfield Mount Hermon. Heeps also has played for the New York Havoc club program led by Terrance Florence. She is interested in nutrition as an academic concentration.
Verdi on Heeps: "Grace is one of the most competitive players that I have seen in a while. She is a combo guard who can create for herself and her teammates. This crafty guard can shoot it from well beyond the three-point line and make passes that shouldn't get there, but do. She is a great communicator and coach on the floor."
Heeps on UMass: "I chose UMass because I loved the campus and the big school environment. UMass is one of the few schools I looked at that has a nutrition program. I felt like I could really connect with the team and like Coach Verdi's style of playing fast and pushing the tempo. I also chose UMass because it is within two hours of my hometown, so my family can come see me play."
Angelique Ngalakulondi • Forward • 6-2 • Manchester, N.H. • Proctor Academy
Ngalakulondi signs with the Minutewomen ranked No. 278 nationally in her class. After moving to the United States from the Congo, Ngalakulondi emerged as a standout at Proctor Academy and was named the 2018 New Hampshire Gatorade Player of the Year. In 2017-18 under coach Junior De La Hoz, she posted averages of 24.5 points, 13 rebounds and 3.6 blocks per game. Proctor would ultimately reach the NEPSAC Class C Semifinals. As a sophomore in 2016-17 she was named the NEPSAC Class C MVP, leading the Hornets to the second of back-to-back Class C titles. Ngalakulondi heads into her senior season with 1,213 career points and played club ball for Mass Rivals under Scott Hazelton. Ngalakulondi is undecided on an academic major.
Verdi on Ngalakulondi: "Angelique can rebound out of her area and score around the basket and in transition as well. She will compete on the glass and will give us second chance opportunities. Her and Maeve Donnelly in particular fill tremendous voids for us and I'm excited for both of these players as I feel that their best basketball is ahead of them."
Ngalakulondi on UMass: "UMass was a place I fell in love with right away during my official visit. Right away I got to do a campus tour and got to spend a ton of time with the team. The coaching staff and team are the best and I know I'll be in good hands. I fit in well with their personality and also their style of play."
Sydney Taylor • Guard • 5-9 • Huntington Station, New York • St. Anthony's High School
Taylor will arrive in Amherst after a four-year playing career under Hugh Flaherty and a club stint with Kevin White of the New York City Heat. She is a threat at the arc with strong rebounding ability and handles in transition. With St. Anthony's, Taylor has helped the Friars to CHSAA championships each of her first three seasons and a state title as a freshman. As a junior in 2017-18, she averaged 14.9 points per game, five assists and 3.5 rebounds. Taylor is a two-year captain and two-time All-County selection who has also picked up classroom accolades as a Scholar-Athlete and recipient of the Duns Scotus Award. At UMass, Taylor will pursue the sciences as an academic concentration.
Verdi on Taylor: "Sydney is a big, strong guard who can score in bunches. She can handle in transition and attack the rim or pull up and shoot it from deep. Having another big scoring threat will provide us with more balance amongst all positions."
Taylor on UMass: "During discussions with my family, it was important to find a school with the best balance of academics and athletics. As soon as I visited UMass I knew I had found that balance. UMass is known for its great academics and athletics. This is the place I feel I can excel in both."
Follow UMass women's basketball on Twitter (@UMassWBB), Instagram (UMassWBB) and Facebook (UMass Women's Basketball) for the latest news and updates around the program.
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