 
|
May 23, 2007 PRINCESS ANNE, Md. - Some injuries and some personnel issues may have caused the University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) Women's Basketball program a sub-par year last season, if you consider double digit wins sub-par, but Head Coach Fred Batchelor has made sure that last season will be distant memory in the eyes of the Hawk faithful as he continues to reload on talent. The latest form of that talent comes in the form of 6-3 Center Chena Parker from Poughkeepsie, N.Y. Parker played her last two season of high school ball at the Manhattan Center for Science and Math where she averaged 16 points and 10 rebounds per game. An All-City and All-Borough performer each of the last two seasons, Parker is regarded as not just a physical force, but a positive force as well. "She is a dominant force and a leader with a winning attitude," said her high school head coach Jaywana Bradley. "Her greatest asset was her desire to want to learn how to get better every time she steps on the floor." Parker's attitude was noticed by her teammates as well as being named the Lady Ram's Most Valuable Player and a tri-captain this past season. Those accolades are but a few on Parker's trophy case as she earned Temple free throw champion titles, Taconic All-Star accolades, a spot on the Conrad McRae Brooklyn All-Star Team, spots on the Poughkeepsie Journal All-Star Honorable Mention team and the Daily News Second Team, the 2005 Clyde Frazier Slam-Jam All Star Team and a nod as the Lower Hudson Athletic Conference, Conference One All-League team. "We are extremely excited about getting a player of Chena's caliber. Her size and strength will add depth at our center position and we expect her to play right away," said Coach Batchelor. "She will be a force in the MEAC throughout the course of her collegiate career." Other than talent Parker brings a winning attitude to UMES. After all she was a part of a program that went 50-13 in her two seasons at Manhattan Center and twice went to the New York City Championship semi-finals. That program was ranked in the top ten in the tri-state and in the top three in New York City. Prior to her stint at Manhattan Center Parker played her first two seasons at Arlington High School. Parker joins Casey Morton, Josephine McLane, and Queenique Taylor as new signees for the Lady Hawks this season.
|
|||||||||
| ||||||||||
