Ducks Sign New Zealand's Micaela Cocks to NLI
EUGENE, Ore. ? The University of Oregon women’s basketball team announced the signing of New Zealand national team guard Micaela Cocks to a National Letter of Intent, completing the Ducks’ recruiting class for the 2006-07 season.
"We are very excited and pleased with Micaela's decision to become a Duck,” said Oregon’s sixth-year head coach Bev Smith. “As a member of the New Zealand national team, Micaela brings us a high level of experience, athleticism, and a style of play that fits well with how we want to play next year.”
A product of the Basketball New Zealand High Performance program, the 5-8 Cocks was the Most Valuable Player at the 2004 NZ U20 championships and made her debut with the national side ? nicknamed the Tall Ferns - at the 2005 William Jones Cup tournament in Taiwan. Earlier this year, she helped the Tall Ferns take the Silver Medal at the Melbourne Commonwealth Games in Australia.
“Micaela's intensity and passion for the game is infectious, as is her bright and out going personality,” Smith said. “Micaela is a good student looking to major in Business and Sports Marketing. She is a wonderful addition to our program and university, both on and off the floor."
Over four seasons in New Zealand’s top women’s league, the WNBL, Cocks averaged 10.7 points and 2.9 rebounds per game. She played three seasons with Harbour (2002-03, 2005) and one with Waikato (2004), where she scored 12.7 points per contest and shot .492 from the floor.
Cocks, who can play either guard position, will be one of three freshmen on Oregon’s roster for the upcoming season, joining California prep guard Taylor Lilley and Italian forward Mary Sbrissa.
“Micaela is very dynamic in the full court, can shoot the long ball, and brings a high level of intensity to the defensive end of the floor,” Smith said. “At age 19, she is an experienced and mature basketball player and understands the work ethic and commitment needed to compete at the Division I level.”
With the addition of Cocks, seven of Oregon’s 12 players hail from outside the United States, representing Australia, Canada, Italy and New Zealand.
