BROOKLYN HEIGHTS, N.Y. - The St. Francis Brooklyn women's basketball program has received a National Letter of Intent (NLI) from one junior college and four high school standouts. A pair of Division I transfers have also signed scholarships to round out this year's recruiting class and join the Terrier program next fall.
"This is one of the best recruiting classes in our time here, "head coach Linda Cimino said. "We've added a lot of experience both at the college and international levels and have filled the roster with extremely talented players who can step in and compete right away. We are excited to attract these high-quality players and people who will help lead us as a championship caliber program. We've added two high IQ point guards, length and scoring at the wing, and height, strength and athleticism inside.
Anna Altmann | 6-1 | PF | Budapest, Hungary (Leövey Klára Gimnázium)
Anna comes to Brooklyn from Budapest, the third Hungarian to play for the team in the past two seasons. She played alongside current Terrier Eszter Varga on the Hungarian National 3x3 Team. During the 2020-21 season, Anna played for Vasas Academia in the Hungary-A Division.
Cimino on Altmann: "Anna gives us great size inside. She is a strong post player with great footwork. She has solid back to the basket post moves and also has the ability to face up and shoot the trail three. We are very excited to add someone of Anna's caliber to our program. Her 3x3 experience as well as playing at a high level internationally will be a great addition to our program."
Bella Green | 6-0 | G | Perth Australia (Midland College)
Bella comes to SFBK from Midland College (MC) in Texas. She spent two seasons with the Chaparrals, starting 41 of the 42 games she played in with Midland. She played her best basketball with MC during the 2021-22 season, averaging 13.7 points per game on 47.5% shooting. Her efforts earned her NJCAA Third Team All-American status and she was named Most Valuable Player in the Western Junior College Athletic Conference. She scored a career high against Clarendon College on Jan. 8, scoring 24 points in a 95-69 victory. Bella chose St. Francis because she wanted to part of a family atmosphere and she loves NYC. She plans to major in Sports Management.
Cimino on Green: "Bella is a huge addition to our program. She is an outstanding, versatile player who will be a tough matchup. She can score efficiently from the outside as well as post up. She's strong and will help us on the glass as well. She's had two great seasons of high-level junior college ball and is a proven winner. She's as mature as they come and I see her being one of the leaders in our program."
Katie Januszewska | 5-11 | G | Derby, England (Charnwood College)
KJ joins St. Francis Brooklyn after a breakout year across the British basketball scene. She made the jump to the Women's British Basketball League for the 2021-22 season, playing with the Leicester Riders, after being named to the Women's National Basketball League Division 1 British Team of the Year with the Loughborough Riders. She averaged 13.5 points, 6.9 rebounds and 1.6 steals per game in 30 minutes of action. This past June, Januszewska attended the prestigious Basketball Without Borders Camp in Milan, Italy. She was also a member of the 16u Great Britain national team with fellow Terrier Paige Martin. This is the second consecutive season a British-born student-athlete has joined the team, following London native Khaleah Edwards. She chose SFBK for the basketball and academic programs, because it is family oriented and was the right fit for her.
Cimino on Januszewska: "KJ has had so much success already. We are so excited to see her take this step at the next level. She adds so much length to the wing and can score in a variety of ways. She can come in and make an immediate impact because of her versatility as well as her ability to defend. She has so much experience playing at a high level and we expect her to contribute right away."
Mikayla Markham | 5-7 | G | Manasquan, NJ (Columbia University)
Mikayla comes to St. Francis as a graduate transfer from Columbia University, where she helped build the Lions up to their first postseason appearance in Division I history during the 2021-22 season. She set the first-year record with 120 assists during the 2018-19 season, and was part of the first 20-win season in Columbia's DI history. After having her junior year wiped out when the Ivy League canceled the 2020-21 campaign due to COVID-19, she looks forward to playing her fourth year of eligibility while pursuing a master's degree in management. Prior to Columbia, Markham had a successful four-year career at St. Rose High School where she scored over 1000 points and dished out over 500 assists earning All-Shore and All-State honors. Mikayla chose SFBK because of the academic and basketball programs and the opportunities the college and city offer.
Cimino on Markham: We are very excited to welcome someone of Mikayla's talent and experience to our Terrier program. She is a high IQ point guard who makes her teammates better. She is a pass first player but can also score. The level of maturity she carries herself with on and off the court will be a very important addition to our program. Mikayla is someone who displays sportsmanship and unselfishness and has always put the team first. We are thrilled she will be suiting up for us in Brooklyn this season."
Paige Martin | 6-0 | PF | Hastings-on-Hudson, NY (Hastings High School)
A New York native, Paige joins the Terriers after a successful high school career at Hastings High School in Westchester County. She was named to the Journal News/lohud Super 7 team in her senior season, averaging 18.2 ppg for the Yellow Jackets, and been named a lohud Athlete of the Week on multiple occasions. While scoring over 1,000 points at the high school level, she was selected to play with the 16u Great Britain national team with future Terrier teammate Katie Januszewska.
She chose St. Francis, in part, to fulfill a lifelong dream of living in New York City, and plans to major in business management.
Cimino on Martin: "Paige is another player with international experience as she is a member of the GB u16 National Team (her mom is British). We are excited to add her to our program as she has a high motor and is a very aggressive player. She will give us depth at inside with the ability to lengthen the floor at the trail. She's a strong rebounder and we are thrilled to add her to our program as she brings athleticism and strength."
Tyra Myers | 5-6 | PG | Columbia, SC (Hammond School)
Myers comes to St. Francis Brooklyn after a 2,000+ point career at Hammond School in her hometown of Columbia, SC. Myers has been an impact player with the Skyhawks since she was an eighth grader, winning a state championship that year. She finished her high school career averaging 23.0 ppg, and was named South Carolina Independent School Association (SCISA) Player of the Year her final two seasons. Tyra was also one of three McDonald's All-American nominees from South Carolina. Throughout her career at Hammond, she played four different sports (softball, soccer, volleyball, basketball) and looks forward to growing her game under head coach Linda Cimino and her staff. Tyra was drawn to Coach Cimino's program because of her connection with the team and staff, and plans on majoring in psychology, beginning this fall.
Cimino on Myers: "Tyra is a dynamic, versatile guard who distributes and creates for her teammates as well as shoots the three. She scored over 2000 points in a competitive high school league and has never let her size prevent her from being the best player on the court. I once watched her take four charges in the first quarter of a game. With Tyra we are getting a hungry guard who is as tough as they come. She will defend and push the tempo and will compete right away."
Ella Ogier | 6-0 | G | Melbourne, Australia (San Jose State)
Ella arrives in Brooklyn Heights as a junior most recently finishing a stellar season at San Jose State. Starting all 30 contests and averaging 30.5 minutes per game, Ogier scored 12 points, 3.9 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game. In her freshman year at the University Nebraska Omaha, she averaged 8.1 points and 5 rebounds and scored in double figures 12 times throughout the season. Ella comes from a sporting family, with her father Darren having played Australian rules football professionally, and her sister Genna a four-year member of the Fresno State Women's Basketball team.
Cimino on Ogier: "Ella has the ability to be a program changing player for us. She is a high-level guard who can score in a variety of ways and has had proven success at the Division I level. Her length and athleticism will make her a tough matchup. She brings experience and leadership and will make an immediate impact for us."
