12/1/2008 2:31:20 PM
TURLOCK -- Cal State Stanislaus head coach Sharon Turner-Dean announced today that both Erin Santiago and Bianca Padilla have signed their National Letters of Intent to join the Warriors women's basketball program next fall.
Santiago is a 5-foot-8 guard at Turlock Christian High School, where she is coached by her father, Edwin. Erin was an All-League first team selection following her junior season and was named the team's Most Valuable Player in each of the last two seasons. In her first three years in high school, Santiago averaged 12.6 points, 4.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 2.7 steals per game. Academically, Santiago is a four-time Honor Roll and Dean's List student.
"The team is really a fun group to be with, I enjoyed the campus visit and my time spent with the team," Santiago said. She also stated that she appreciated Turner-Dean and assistant coach Gary Dean's hospitality as they had made her felt welcomed.
Padilla is a 5-foot-6 point guard from The Bishop's School in La Jolla. She averaged 12 points, 5 assists, 3 steals and 3 rebounds per game as a junior last season and had average 11.1 points per contest the year before.
"We are very excited to have Bianca joining our family next season," Turner-Dean said. "She is a very hard worker with a feisty, confident yet humble court presence."
Padilla is a scholar-athlete in both basketball and swimming at The Bishop's School. The Knights were the CIF Division IV Sectional runner-ups in 2007-08 in girls basketball.
"She has a tough mentality and is a good student at a highly respective private school, so she will do well academically as well," Turner-Dean added.