Nov. 14, 2007

AUBURN - Chantel Hilliard, a 6-foot-2 forward/center, Morgan Jennings a 5-foot-8 guard, Parrisha Simmons a 6-foot guard and Sierra "CeCe" Sims, a 5-foot-7 point guard, have signed national letters of intent to attend Auburn and play basketball in 2008-09, head coach Nell Fortner announced Wednesday.

"I am very excited about the future of our program with the addition of these four players," Fortner said. "They are fast, quick, and just extremely athletic. With the style of basketball we are playing, we have to continue bringing in this high caliber of athleticism. They are hard-working kids, but I just love their speed and quickness. We are excited about this class."

Hilliard is ranked as the No. 13 prospect among power forwards and No. 64 prospect nationally by Dan Olson's Collegiate Girls Basketball Report after averaging 20.0 points, 10.0 rebounds and 7.0 blocks per game in her junior campaign. The Biloxi, Miss. native helped her St. Martin High School to District titles the past two years. Hilliard was named 2006 MVP of the District while also being named to the Dandy Dozen twice in Mississippi.

"Chantel is a smooth, agile post player who runs the floor well," Fortner said. "She is very skilled on both ends of the floor. She is a tremendous defender who defends with a lot of energy but then gets out on the break and can finish on the other end. We are excited about her size and speed."

"Chantel will be a great asset to the Auburn program" St. Martin coach Gina Bell said. "She is a natural athlete and is the best player, girls or boys, to have come through St. Martin. She is a great kid and we love her here and I know she will be loved just as much once she gets to Auburn."

Jennings is ranked as the No. 17 prospect among guards and No. 83 prospect nationally by Olson's report as she averaged 9.8 points, 5.7 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 3.9 steals per game last season. An Honor Roll Student and three-sport letterwinner at Frederick Douglass High School in Atlanta, Ga., Jennings helped her team to the state 5A Final Four as a junior. She was named First Team All-State, All-5A Region and All-City Life/South/Metro Team, in addition to earning the Pitcher's Award in softball last year. Jennings also competed in the high jump (1st in State 05-06), 400m and on the 4x100 and 4x400 relay teams at her high school.

"Morgan could possibly be the best athlete to ever come through women's basketball at Auburn," Fortner said. "She was in the top three in terms of athletic ability of all the kids that I saw this summer. She has experienced great success in three sports in high school and can also dunk a basketball. She is a tremendous defender and brings so much athleticism to the floor, which with the style that we are playing, will fit in nicely."

"I am extremely happy for Morgan," Frederick Douglass coach Vernise Harris-Hill said. "I knew all along that she wanted to go to Auburn and I know she feels at home there. Morgan felt very comfortable with the team and the coaching staff and I think she will excel at Auburn."

Simmons is ranked as the No. 14 prospect among guards and No. 67 prospect nationally among all positions by Olson. As a junior at Southwest Macon High School in Macon, Ga., she averaged 17.2 points, 11.5 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 3.0 blocks per game. Over the last three years, Simmons has helped lead her Southwest Macon team to a 73-12 record. Simmons earned All-State honors the last two years and sports a career-high 33 points and 24 rebounds.

"Parrisha has great speed and quickness, but her lateral movement is one of the best I have ever seen," Fortner said. "She can play lock-down defense and that is very important to the success of our team. She can get out on the break really quick and finishes very strong to the basket."

"We are real excited about Parrisha signing with Auburn," Macon coach Willie Goolsby said. "I thought Auburn would be a good fit for Parrisha because Nell Fortner is a proven winner wherever she has coached. Parrisha will bring a lot of energy and athleticism to Auburn. She is fundamentally sound, can shoot the three, take it to the basket, pass the ball and play defense. She is an all-around player that can really help Auburn. We are excited for her to get an education and become a productive person in society."

Sims led her Brentwood High School team to District, Sectional and Regional titles last season and was selected to the All-District and All-Region Tournament teams. As a junior Sims averaged 7.1 points, 5.8 rebounds and 5.2 assists per game. The Brentwood, Tenn., native received the "Eye of the Tiger" award, which is given to the all-around best camper, at the Auburn University Women's Basketball Elite Camp in 2007. Sims competed in the Miss Teen Tennessee Pageant last year.

"CeCe brings tremendous leadership with her in that point guard spot," Fortner said. "She brings the ability to shoot the ball from the perimeter and a fitness level that you don't see in high school kids very much. She spends a lot of time on her fitness and is committed to it, which means she will be able to get up and down the floor at a very fast pace to lead this team. She is a great leader and a hard-worker, which you need at that point guard spot."

"We are tremendously excited for CeCe," Brentwood coach Ron Seigenthaler said. "It is awesome for her to have an opportunity like this and at the same time it is great for Brentwood High School girls basketball to have a representative like CeCe in the collegiate ranks. She is not only a gifted athlete, but also a gifted student and tremendous person. She has great character and we are happy for her and her family and for Auburn."

The 2007-08 Auburn women's basketball team continues play tonight vs. Troy at 6 p.m. in Beard-Eaves-Memorial Coliseum and hosts UAB on Saturday, Nov. 17 at 2 p.m.