LONDON, Ont. - The Western Mustangs women's basketball program is pleased to announce that forward Matteke Hutzler will join the team for the 2010-11 season.
Hutzler, of Napanee, Ont., joins a strong recruiting class which includes NCAA Division 1 transfer Jenny Vaughan, a Dundas, Ont., native and former junior national team member who redshirted last year after playing 2008-09 season at Denver, and current junior national team guard Laura Dally of Sarnia, Ont.
Lauren Seabrook of North Vancouver, B.C., and Lacey Knox of Kingston, Ont., are also joining the squad. Hutzler will likely start at the five-spot for Western.
"She adds an element we did not have before. She's an athletic forward who will be our biggest asset," said Mustangs head coach Stephan Barrie. "And maybe more importantly is her experience in winning three national championships and playing for a program that everyone else in the nation has been trying to emulate for the past few years."
"This is the best incoming class we've ever had at Western," Barrie said. "How it fares nationally will have to be determined when it hits the floor."
Standing at 6'2, Hutzler will give opposing defences fits inside, while adding a strong defensive presence.
"My role on this team will be different. I will be a motivator through hard work and hard play," Hutzler said, noting she has been working hard to build on her offensive game over the summer. "Defence right now is my strength, and (at SFU) I played with a lot of great players who made it easy for me to be successful on offence. I will be relied on more for my offence here at Western."
Hutzler has one year of eligibility left and with Simon Fraser moving to the NCAA, she was no longer eligible to play with the Clan in 2010-11.
"I wasn't sure what I wanted to do... but I came for a visit here and I loved it," Hutzler said. "I like Steph as a coach and a person. I have felt totally comfortable right away. Basketball-wise, I was looking at who they had and who they were getting and I thought they had a pretty good chance of being successful and I want to be a part of that success."
"It's easy to get excited because everyone wants to be here," Hutzler added. "That sort of mindset is huge.
Hutzler averaged 8.2 points per game and 4.8 rebounds per game with the Clan in 2009-10, after posting career bests in 2008-09 with 9.9 PPG and 6.2 RPG.
"We have more depth and talent at the guard spot," Barrie said in reference to Vaughn, Dally and Lacey Knox of Kingston, Ont. "So to get someone to join us up front to match that intensity both offensively and defensively is huge for us."
