COLUMBIA, Mo. – Mizzou Women’s Basketball head coach Robin Pingeton announced a trio of signings for the program’s 2017 recruiting class. Future Tigers Elle Brown (Columbia, Mo.), Nadia Green (Homewood, Ill.) and Kelsey Winfrey (Lebanon, Mo.) all inked National Letters of Intent to play for Mizzou on Wednesday.
“We are really excited to have Elle, Nadia, and Kelsey join our basketball family,” Pingeton said. “They are athletic and talented perimeter players that all bring their own unique skill set. Not only have they had great success on the court but they are also high character young ladies that will excel in the classroom and be great representatives of our women’s basketball program.”
Brown will continue the program’s tradition of featuring homegrown talent. The 5-foot-11 guard is the daughter of former Mizzou Track & Field All-American and U.S. Olympian, Natasha Brown, and Assistant Athletic Director for the Mizzou Made program, Brian Brown. Elle transferred to Rock Bridge High School for her senior season after three years as a standout at Johnston High School in Iowa.
At Johnston, Brown captained the Dragons to 52 wins over three seasons. As a junior, she averaged 11.9 points per game and steered her squad to a school-record 22 wins. Johnston spent much of the season ranked No. 1 in Class 5A and eventually earned a state runner-up finish. Brown was also a three-time Iowa state championships qualifier in track and field and holds school records in the 400-meter sprint and sprint medley relay.
Brown chose Mizzou over Wisconsin, Iowa and Iowa State, among others. She plans to pursue a degree in textile and apparel management at Mizzou.
Green is a versatile guard from the Chicago area with the ability to play multiple positions. A 5-foot-9 guard, Green averaged 15.0 points and 6.0 rebounds during her junior campaign. She earned 2016 IBCA Class 3A/4A Second-Team All-State honors and All-Conference recognition.
Green guided Homewood-Flossmoor High School to a 22-3 record and a sectional title last season. She is a shifty guard with the ability to score from the outside and attack the rim with physicality built for the Southeastern Conference.
Green elected to sign with Pingeton and the Tigers over offers from Cincinnati, Marquette, Purdue and Indiana. She will major in sport management at Mizzou.
Winfrey is the most decorated girls basketball player in Lebanon High School history. She already holds 21 school records after just three seasons, including career points (1,425), career rebounds (579), career assists (212) and career steals (320). The 5-foot-9 guard received 2016 First-Team All-State honors after averaging a school-record 21.2 points per game as a junior.
Winfrey is a three-time First-Team All-Ozark Conference selection, three-time First-Team All-District honoree and was a 2016 Gatorade Player of the Year finalist. Following a 12-14 freshman campaign, Winfrey has spearheaded a turnaround at Lebanon that has seen the Tigers post back-to-back winning seasons, including an 18-8 mark last year.
Winfrey was highly recruited, but she chose to stay home and attend Mizzou over interest from North Carolina and Oklahoma State, among others.
Mizzou Women’s Basketball opens the 2016-17 season at Mizzou Arena on Friday, Nov. 11, vs. Abilene Christian as part of the Preseason WNIT. Tip off is slated for 7 p.m.
— Mizzou Athletics —