Tucker signs Division I scholarship

By Staff
Kim West
Former Red Bay guard Lauren Tucker made school history earlier this month by becoming the first girls basketball player to sign a Division I scholarship.
Tucker, a 5-6 shooting guard who spent two years at state champion Shelton State Community College, will play for second-year coach Jack Frager at Fairfield University in Connecticut. The Stags are a member of the 10-team Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference.
"Lauren is a hard-nosed player that we feel will be a solid fit for our program," said Frager, whose team finished as the MAAC runner-up last season with a 22-7 record. "She will give us a long-range threat, as well as providing additional depth in the backcourt."
In two seasons at Shelton State, Tucker averaged 7.7 points and connected on 38.8 percent of her attempts. Last season Tucker averaged 9.4 points and 1.9 rebounds per game. She finished the 2007-08 season ranked 15th in the NJCAA in three-point field goal percentage (42.7 percent) and also ranked ninth in Division I with a 1.5 assist-to-turnover ratio.
Red Bay girls coach Donnie Roberts said Tucker's work ethic and skill made up for a lack of size during high school.
"She's not a big player – she probably only weighed 115 or 120 pounds in high school," said Roberts. "But she was an excellent scorer and defensive player, and she was a tremendous worker – you couldn't keep her out of the gym.
"She's had two good years at Shelton, and she's done a good job with her 3-point shot. She loves playing basketball, and she's definitely a competitor."
Tucker said she was attracted to Fairfield's competition level and winning atmosphere.
"First of all, they are a Division I school and I wanted to be able to play at that level," said Tucker, who also had scholarship offers from North Alabama, Tennessee-Martin, Kentucky Wesleyan and the University of Mobile.
"They have a great winning program and they really recruited me as if they really wanted me. It is a long way from home but I think it's the opportunity of a lifetime, and Fairfield also has a highly-rated business school that a lot of Fortune 500 companies pull from."
Tucker said she was fortunate to have a good support system that encouraged her to keep playing basketball.
"I just want to thank the Red Bay community for all the support you have given me, Coach Roberts for encouraging me and keeping up with me to see how I'm doing and my family for all their support," she said. "I am just really fortunate and thankful for this opportunity."