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News Release

Women’s Basketball Adds Two Freshmen for 2008-09

5/6/2008

Five freshmen will join head coach Phil Stern and the Retrievers in 2008-09.

BALTIMORE—UMBC head coach Phil Stern announced today that two players – Jasmine Elum and Topé Obajolu – have inked National Letters of Intent during the spring signing period to join the Retrievers in the fall of 2008.

Elum, a 5-7 guard out of Bodine High School in Philadelphia, averaged 20.8 points, 4.1 assists, 4.5 steals and 5.4 rebounds in her high school career. Bodine’s all-time leading scorer among boys and girls, she is the first player in school history to score more than 2,000 career points, with 2,064. She was Pennsylvania’s second-leading scorer and tops in Southeastern Pennsylvania in 2007, when she averaged 29 points per game as a junior, and she followed that up with 21 points per game as a senior in 2008.

Elum led Bodine to a 71-28 record, two district championships and two appearances in the state quarterfinals in four years. She is a four-time District 12 All-Public League selection and a two-time All-State honoree. In addition, she was the runner-up fore the Phoenix Award, which is given to the best girls’ basketball player in Philadelphia.

“Jasmine is an outstanding scoring guard who has the ability to get to the basket,” Stern said.

Obajolu is a 6-3 post player from Randallstown, Md., who attended Archbishop Carroll High School in Washington, D.C. She averaged a double-double as a senior with 13 points and 11 rebounds per game while leading the Lions to a 19-9 record.

A three-year starter and a two-time WCAC All-Conference honorable mention, Obajolu was nominated for the McDonald’s All-American team in 2008, when she led the league with 100 blocked shots. Earlier this season, she posted a triple-double with 13 points, 11 rebounds and 12 blocks.

Obajolu also played for the nationally ranked Fairfax Stars AAU team.

“Topé brings great size and athleticism to our center position,” Stern said.

Elum and Obajolu join classmates Michelle Kurowski, Katie Brooks and Erin Brown, who signed in November.

“We’re very fortunate to sign two players of Jasmine and Topé’s ability in the spring,” Stern said.