RAPID CITY, S.D. --- South Dakota School of Mines women's basketball head coach Ryan Larsen is pleased to announce the signing of junior transfer Francesca Facchini as the newest recruit to the Hardrocker women's roster for the 2019-20 season.
 
Facchini is a 5-foot-8-inch guard originally from Genova, Italy. She spent the last two seasons playing for the Western Wyoming Community College Mustangs in Rock Springs, Wyoming. This past season as a sophomore, Faccini averaged 11.9 points, 5.5 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game. She shot 33.1 percent from the field, including 24.3 percent from three-point range and made good on 80.7 percent of her free throw attempts.
 
"Fracesca is a very skilled player that can play either point guard or off the ball," Larsen said. "She can score at all three levels and can score from either the point guard or off-guard position."
 
Facchini has many accolades from her high school career as well, which include: her team was a three-time runners-up with NewBasketA-Zena (in Italy); CIF Champion Div. 4AA 2016 (in California); Rookie of the Year' and a Team MPV. Her St. Paul High School team (in California) won the 1st CIF Title Southern Section CA where Facchini made the game winning shot at the buzzer.
 
"The best personal time in my basketball career is for sure the day I scored the game winning shot at the buzzer beater to become champions of the Southern Section of California," Facchini said.
 
Coach Larsen added, "Francesca has a lot of playing experience internationally as well as domestically in two years of high school and junior college which I see as a great advantage. Francesca is a fantastic person and is a great addition to the Hardrocker women's basketball program."
 
While attending South Dakota School of Mines, Facchini plans to pursue a degree in Computer Science.
 
"I am proud to be a Hardrocker because I will be studying and playing at a challenging school and I will get the best out of it," Facchini said.