Marshall University Athletics
Hudson and Willis Join Women's Basketball Spring Signing Class
5/10/2006 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
May 10, 2006
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. - Marshall University head coach Royce Chadwick announced today that guards Melody Hudson and Sade Willis have both signed a National Letter of Intent to compete for the Thundering Herd women's basketball team beginning this fall.
Hudson, a 5-foot-8 guard from Hueytown, Ala., will transfer to Marshall from Shelton State Community College in Tuscaloosa, Ala. Hudson started all 36 games for Shelton State last season and captained the Lady Bucs to a 31-5 record. She averaged 11.0 points, 3.8 steals, 3.5 assists and 2.8 rebounds per game.
"Melody is the epitome of a team player who gets the job done with her defense," Chadwick said. "She is primarily a stopper, but can score when called upon. She can `D' up anybody, any size, anywhere."
Shelton State, a Division I member of the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA), was crowned the 2006 Alabama Community College Conference (ACCC) champions and won the Region XXII championship. Hudson, a 33 percent 3-point shooter, was named to the ACCC All-Tournament team and to the All-Region XXII North team.
Hudson was also recruited by Troy and South Alabama.
Willis, a Chicago, Ill., native, will begin her collegiate career at Marshall this fall. The 5-foot-6 point guard from North Chicago Community High School posted 16.8 points, 6.4 assists, 5.3 steals and 3.0 rebounds as a senior last season. In conference play, where Willis' squad went undefeated, she upped her scoring average to 20.2 points per outing.
"Sade has a tremendous upside and can be a great quarterback for our team," Chadwick said. "She can score, distribute and is an outstanding defender.
"She is unquestionably our point guard of the future."
Willis, an All-North Suburban Conference and All-Lake County selection, sank 44 percent of her field goal attempts and 83 percent of her free throws. She was recruited by Auburn, Memphis and UAB.
Hudson and Willis join Wintonia "Kizzy" Hart as spring signees for Chadwick and his staff.
