Northern Kentucky women’s basketball inked three in-state products for the 2018-19 season, with Taylor Clos, Ally Niece and Emmy Souder signing their National Letters of Intent on Wednesday morning.
“First, I would like to thank the families of Taylor, Ally and Emmy!” remarked head coach Camryn Whitaker. “They all come from parents who have instilled in them a work ethic that is very rare. I also want to thank their high school coaches for pushing and teaching them what it means to win. Words cannot express how excited I am about our 2018 recruiting class. Our staff has worked extremely hard to identify the top talent in our area and we believe we have hit the jackpot with these three! Taylor, Ally and Emmy exemplify everything we look for in our players: hard work, high character and understanding what a winning culture looks like.”
Clos is a 5-foot-5 guard right out of Campbell County. The Camels have had 20-win seasons in the three years that the three-time Northern Kentucky Division I all-star has been on the roster, and the guard has been a key contributor in every season. The Alexandria native averaged 14.8 points in her first two seasons, and upped that average to 20.5 ppg last year, along with 4.5 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game. Clos was recently named the 37th District MVP and garnered 10th Region First-Team honors.
Whitaker on Clos: “Taylor is a player who has grown up loving Northern Kentucky University. She has attended games since she was a little girl, and I know she will work extremely hard to make sure we restore that winning culture NKU has known in women’s basketball for so long! Aside from her love for the school, Taylor is a knock-down 3-point shooter and has a great feel for the game. With her court vision and ability to score, I can’t wait to see what she will add to our team.”
Niece is a highly-touted recruit out of Simon Kenton High School who has played on the varsity team since she was in the sixth grade and has already racked up 2,773 points in her career. At the top of her lengthy list of accolades, the 5-foot-8 guard is a two-time first team all-state honoree for both the Louisville Courier Journal and the Lexington Herald Leader and was named the Player of the Year by the Cincinnati Enquirer, Greater Cincinnati Basketball Hall of Fame and the Cincinnati Women’s Sports Association. Niece helped the Pioneers reach the Elite Eight of the Kentucky State Tournament last season, averaging 19.2 ppg, 6.9 rpg and 4.5 apg. Her 87.3 percentage at the free throw line also ranked sixth nationally among all high school players according to MaxPreps.com.
Whitaker on Niece: “Ally is a special story that only comes along once in a while for a coach! I have been following Ally since she was in the seventh grade. The relationship we have built over the years is something I value and know will carry over to the floor. On the court, Ally is a strong, versatile scoring guard who can play multiple positions. Her leadership, understanding of the game and ability to score in a variety of ways is what makes her such a great player!”
A 6-foot-2 forward, Souder rounds out the recruiting class out of Mercer County High School. The Titans have had immense success in the past years, culminating in a KHSAA state championship last season. Souder was named to the all-tournament team, and was also honored on the All-USA Kentucky Second Team. In the last two years, Souder posted nearly 750 points for the Titans, averaging 10.2 ppg at a .485 clip. She also pulled down more than 5.0 rebounds per game and was a defensive threat with 1.4 steals per game.
Whitaker on Souder: “Emmy is one of those players who continuesto improve every time she steps on the court. With four college-bound players on her high school team, Emmy has been challenged each day, which is going to help her transition to the college game. Her ability to rebound the basketball and score inside/out is what makes her so special. Not only that, Emmy brings a toughness, selflessness and work ethic that will elevate our post play.”
Northern Kentucky begins its 2017-18 season this Saturday, Nov. 11 when the Norse welcome Kent State to BB&T Arena. Tipoff is slated for 1 p.m. ET, and the game will be carried out on ESPN3 with live streaming available on computers, tablets, smart phones and streaming devices through WatchESPN and the ESPN App.
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Chloe Smith
Assistant Athletic Communications Director
Northern Kentucky University
