Jayhawk women land another top recruit

Kansas University women’s basketball coach Marian Washington announced another prep signee on Friday.

Sharita Smith, a 5-foot-8 guard from Dallas Lincoln High in Dallas, signed a national letter of intent to become a Jayhawk. Smith, rated 37th nationally by All Star Girls Report, averaged 16 points, six assists and four rebounds as she helped Lincoln reach the Class 4A state championship game the past two years.

“Sharita is the kind of player who can come in and impact our program immediately, she is that caliber of a guard,” Washington said. “What attracted us to her is that she is the ‘total package’ as a player. With her scoring, quickness and ability to create for teammates, she could become one of the top guards in the country.”

Smith, who joins Wednesday signee Lauren Ervin, chose Kansas instead of Oklahoma, TCU, Missouri, Stephen F. Austin and UNLV.

KU track lands prospect

Kansas track coach Stanley Redwine announced the signing of highly touted prospect Gavin Ball to a national letter of intent on Friday. Ball enters the 2002-03 season ranked as the top high school discus thrower in the country. Ball, who is also nationally ranked in the shot put, attends Monona Grove High in Cottage Grove, Wis. “We expect him to be a dominant force, both in the conference and nationally,” KU throws coach Doug Reynolds said.