Mittie Inks Five Wednesday Afternoon
 SIGNING DAY VIDEO |  PHOTO GALLERY
FORT WORTH, Texas - TCU women's basketball head coach Jeff Mittie announced Wednesday the signing of five student-athletes to early national letters of intent to play for the 2013-14 season.
All five hail from the state of Texas, including two from Houston. Overall, two of the five future Horned Frogs are four-star rated recruits and ranked in the prestigious ESPNU 100. The Frogs also signed three front-line players, including a nationally ranked six-foot-six post player.
"We went into this recruiting class wanting to become more physical and add more size along the front line. I think we were able to accomplish that," said Mittie. "From the point guard to the five spot, each player gives us a dimension and physicality that really adds to our basketball program moving forward in the Big 12."
Inking with the Frogs Wednesday were point guard A.J. Alix (5-6, PG, Bellaire, Texas, Bellaire High School), guard/forward Jada Butts (5-8, G/F, Lewisville, Texas, Lewisville High School), center Klara Bradshaw (6-6, C, Emory, Texas, Rains High School), forward Janay Keys (6-1, PF, Arlington, Texas, Lamar High School) and center Carol Willie (6-2, C, Houston, Texas, Cypress High School).
Alix will don the Purple and White next season after being ranked as the fourth best player in the state of Texas by Joey Simmons' Premier Basketball Report. Ranked as the No. 48 rated prospect in the entire nation in the ESPNU 100, the 5-foot-6 point guard is a consensus top-75 rated recruit who sits at No. 65 nationally by All Star Girls Report. She also ranks as the 11th-best point guard in the country by ESPN/HoopGurlz. A four-star rated recruit and 43rd-best prospect in the country by JumpOffPlus National Scouting Report, Alix earned all-greater Houston honors a year ago and is a first-team preseason all-area selection by the Houston Chronicle. She is a two-time all-district honoree and averaged 14 points per game, 4.1 assists per contest and 3.1 steals a year ago, while leading Bellaire to a 30-5 overall record.
Butts comes to TCU from Lewisville High School where she earned first team all-district accolades a year ago. The 5-foot-8 wing is ranked as a four-star rated recruit by ESPN/HoopGurlz and sits at No. 78 in the prestigious ESPNU 100. She also ranks No. 9 overall in the state of Texas by Joey Simmons' Premier Basketball Report. Butts, who averages 19 points and eight boards a contest for Lewisville, was selected as the 21st-best guard in the entire country by ESPN/HoopGurlz. The academic all-district team selection is a consensus top-125 rated recruit, including being ranked as the 106th-best prospect in the entire country by All Star Girls Report.
Bradshaw, a 6-foot-6 post player, earned all-state and all-region accolades a year ago and is a consensus top-250 recruit nationally. The Emory, Texas product, who also earned second-team all-district honors in volleyball last fall, sits as the No. 183 recruit in the country according to Dan Olson Collegiate Girls Report. She also excelled in the classroom, earning multiple academic all-district accolades.
Keys won't have to travel far next season as she hails from Lamar High School in Arlington. A three-star rated recruit and currently ranked No. 38 by position nationally according to ESPN/HoopGurlz, the 6-foot-1 forward was a first-team all-district selection a season ago after averaging 13.3 points per game, 8.2 boards and 2.0 blocks per contest. Keys, who is ranked in the top 225 by Dan Olson Collegiate Girls Basketball Report, earned District 4-5A Newcomer of the Year accolades during her sophomore campaign at Lamar High School after setting school records for rebounds and blocks in a single-season.
Willie comes to TCU from Cypress Falls in Houston. A three-star rated recruit who ranks as the 18th-best post in the country by ESPN/HoopGurlz, is considered a top 225 recruit nationally. Willie ranks in the top-220 players in the country according to the JumpOffPlus National Scouting Report and is coming a season in which she led Cypress Falls High School to the final four of the state tournament. A multiple all-district selection and a 2012 second-team all-greater Houston honoree, Willie was named a 2012 Adidas All-American All-Star, while also earning top-50 accolades by VYPE Magazine. The 6-foot-2 post player was also a finalist for Player of the Year by VYPE Magazine. She was recently selected second-team preseason all-area by the Houston Chronicle.
TCU will open its season tonight against Charlotte. Start time is set for 7:00 p.m. CT from Daniel-Meyer Coliseum.
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