DePaul University Athletics
DePaul Adds Two Transfers to Women's Basketball Program
5/26/2006 12:00:00 AM | WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
CHICAGO - DePaul University women's basketball coach Doug Bruno announced today that Deirdre Naughton and Natasha Williams have transferred to DePaul. Naughton played her freshman season at Wake Forest University and Williams played two seasons at the University of Minnesota. Both student-athletes will sit out the 2006-07 season under NCAA transfer guidelines.
Naughton, a Winnetka, Ill., native was selected to the ACC All-Freshman team and earned ACC Rookie of the Week honors on two occasions last season. She ranked second on the team with 15.0 points per game while knocking down 57 three-pointers and grabbing a team-high 5.5 rebounds per game. She was also second on the team with 73 assists and 55 steals. In ACC games, she led Wake Forest with 15.9 points and scored in double-figures in 26 of 28 games overall. Against Savannah State, she totaled a freshman-record 37 points, which is also the third-highest single-game total in Wake Forest history.
"Deidre Naughton was the best player in Illinois as a high school senior," said Bruno. "She proved herself in the ACC when she received the second-most votes for ACC Freshman of the year. This achievement took place in a season in which the ACC was the best league in the country and in a season in which the ACC sent two teams to the Final Four. Deirdre is a versatile player that can play all three guard positions. She is one of the most competitive players I have ever seen."
At New Trier High School, she was a third team Parade All-American and the 2005 Chicago Sun-Times Player of the Year. Naughton averaged 21 points, four assists and four steals per game at New Trier and finished her career with over 2,000 points as the school's all-time leading scorer.
Williams, a Skokie, Ill., native was named Minnesota's Most Improved Player after averaging 8.2 points with a team-high 35 blocked shots last season. She played in all 29 games with 14 starts while shooting .571 from the field. As a freshman, Williams played in 22 contests off the bench. The Academic All-Big Ten honoree totaled 51 games with the Golden Gophers with a career .558 field goal percentage and 46 blocked shots.
"Like Deirdre Naughton, Natasha Williams was a recruiting priority as a senior at Niles North," said Bruno. "Natasha brings a great post presence along with excellent athleticism up and down the court. Natasha is also an excellent defender and shot blocker. With two years of Big Ten experience, Natasha should have immediate impact in the BIG EAST. She was a 22-minute per game starter for Minnesota as a sophomore."
As a prep student-athlete at Niles North High School, she was a fourth team Parade All-American and finished her career with the school's all-time records in scoring, rebounds and blocked shots. She totaled 1,710 points, 1,267 rebounds and 470 blocked shots in her four seasons.
DePaul returns 10 players from the 2005-06 squad that posted a 27-7 record and made the program's first NCAA Sweet Sixteen appearance. In the first year of BIG EAST competition, the Blue Demons finished third with an 11-5 record.
