Joanne Boyle and Staff Ink Top 20 Recruiting Class
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CHARLOTTESVILLE – Virginia head coach Joanne Boyle announced on Wednesday (Nov. 9) that Raeshaun Gaffney (5-9, guard, Fairfield, Ohio / Fairfield Senior High School), Jaryn Garner (5-8, guard, Sewell, N.J. / Germantown Academy) and Faith Randolph (5-10, guard, Derwood, Md. / Good Counsel High School) have signed National Letters of Intent to play for the Cavaliers beginning in 2012.
“This is a group of highly motivated signees who we feel will provide the foundation for future years here,” Boyle said. “They all bring the defensive presence that is extremely important in our system. Raeshaun, Jaryn and Faith are all players with tremendous character and are very committed to our vision for Virginia basketball. I am excited for them to have great senior seasons and look forward to them wearing orange and blue.”
Collectively, the group was rated among the nation’s top 20 by ESPNHoopGurlz on Nov. 1.
Raeshaun Gaffney averaged 26.1 points, 7.7 rebounds and 4.1 steals for Fairfield last season en route to Division I second-team all-state honors. Playing for Sports City U and coach Tom Jenkins on the AAU level, Gaffney is rated as the No. 35 2012 prospect by Blue Star Basketball and is an ESPNHoopGurlz Top 100 prospect.
Fairfield head coach David Loper had this to say about Gaffney: “I had the unfortunate pleasure of coaching against her for two years and now I am extremely happy to coach Raeshaun. We are an inexperienced team this year and Raeshaun is leading on and off the court. She is one of the hardest working kids I have ever coached. She is an asset to Fairfield and will be as well at the University of Virginia.”
“Raeshaun is a solid athlete on the perimeter who scores it well mid-range and to the rim,” Boyle said. “Having played for a prominent AAU program, she has great experience on a national stage. She has great basketball IQ and will add to our quality depth on the perimeter. Rae has been committed to Virginia for some time and we are excited to have her in this 2012 class.”
Jaryn Garner, a three-star prospect by ESPNHoopGurlz, is described as the ‘catalyst’ for Germantown’s up-tempo style of play according to her high school coach Sherri Retif. Germantown and Garner will be seeking their fourth-consecutive independent schools state championship. In 2011, Garner was one of two juniors selected to the Philadelphia Inquirer All-Area Team. On the AAU level, Garner played for the Lady Phoenix and coach Jonathan Taylor.
“Jaryn is a leader both on the court and in the larger school community,” Retif added. “She brings passion and intensity to every practice and game. Her fierce competitiveness is complemented by a determined work ethic. She is meticulous in honing her skill set. While defense is her forte, she also possesses a sweet pull-up jumper with nice extension. Offensively, Jaryn can explode past her defender.”
Boyle added: “Jaryn is a ultra-athletic guard who will bring energy and a fiery mentality to our team. She will be able to break defenses down and create for herself and others. She fits the up-tempo style that we are trying to play on both ends of the floor. Jaryn does many of the little things that do not show up on the stat sheet. She is a great fit for our team.”
Faith Randolph, ranked as the No. 26 prospect in the class by ESPNHoopGurlz, was Good Counsel’s leading scorer during her junior season under head coach Tom Splaine. She averaged 13.5 points, four rebounds and 2.2 assists while shooting 81 percent from the foul line. She was an All-Met selection by The Washington Post. Randolph played for the Germantown Lady Panthers and coach Milton Kimbrough on the AAU level.
“Virginia is getting a self-motivated, dedicated player and someone who is committed to both academics and athletics,” Kimbrough said. “She has a great work ethic that far exceeds the plateau other players reach. Faith is a humble person, but she is deserving of being called one of the best players in the Maryland-D.C. area. She’s an all-around great kid.”
Boyle added: “Faith will provide an immediate scoring threat for us on the wing. She is a powerful, athletic and quick perimeter player who has unlimited range and can score from a variety of areas. She plays the game at a tremendous pace at all times and her motor never stops. Faith will do an excellent job on the defensive end for us as well. We are excited to welcome her to Virginia.”