RAPID CITY, S.D. --- The South Dakota Mines women's basketball program has officially signed 6 women in its signing period for the class of 2022. Head coach Jeri Jacobson has announced the additions of Lauren Herman, Megan Alexander, Morning Grace Spotted Bear, Alexis Backhaus, Nora Ritchie, and Savea Mansfield.

"All of these young ladies are fired up about being Hardrockers and are ready to keep taking our program to new heights," said coach Jacobson. "We add a lot of length in this class with all of them being 5'10 or above. And not only are they great basketball players, but they are great students and just overall phenomenal people from tremendous families", commented Jacobson. Lastly, Jacobson added, "We are over the moon with these six and can't wait to have them in Hardrocker uniforms next year!"

From Holyoke, Colo., Lauren is a forward that earned All-Conference and All-State honors on the court while also earning Academic All-State and was her team captain at Holyoke. During the 2020-21 season, she averaged a double-double in 15 games, scoring 12.6 points per game and adding 10.4 rebounds per game.

"Lauren is an incredible teammate, hard worker, and flat out possesses all the intangible qualities we look for in our program," said coach Jacobson. "Basketball wise she is strong and can score the ball, find open teammates and is a relentless rebounder who can play multiple positions."

Megan is a post player, coming in at 6'1" from Freedom, Wis. Megan is athletic, earning not only All-Conference on the basketball court but also winning a state championship in Track & Field as well as being a two-time state qualifier in golf. She played on the Wisconsin Blaze for AAU Basketball as well as their club Volleyball team and participated in High School Volleyball. She is planning to be a two-sport athlete, while also participating on the Hardrocker Golf team.
 
"Megan understands the importance of team chemistry, is an ultimate teammate and will add a great dynamic to our post players," said coach Jacobson. "She knows when to score and when to find her open teammates and isn't afraid to battle on the block."

Morning Grace Spotted Bear is a 6'0 guard out of Billings, Mont. She is another that will bring size and length into the program. At Skyview High School, she earned All-Conference and All-State honors as well as earning Academic All-Conference and Academic All-State.
 
"Morning Grace is a phenomenal teammate and comes from very successful high school soccer and basketball teams, so she understands the importance of great culture," stated coach Jacobson. "She is going to add so much to our program with her length, defensive skills, and ability to score."
 
Another Colorado native, Alexis Backhaus joins the Hardrocker family from Winsor. She is an athlete who averaged 8.2 points per game and 5.7 rebounds per game during her junior season in 2020-21 and has been playing varsity since her freshman season. She thrived in the classroom as well, earning Academic All-State and Academic All-Conference.
 
"Lexi comes from a very successful high school program and understands the importance of team culture, hard work, and what it takes to be successful," said coach Jacobson. "She is an academic scholar and has a few connections to our current players and is a great fit for our program!"
 
Point guard Nora Ritchie from Plano, Texas will come up to Rapid City, joining the Hardrockers. She is fast and averaged 9 points per game on 45% shooting and 80% free throw shooting. She earned Academic All-District for her performance in the classroom.
 
"Nora has an extremely selfless attitude and is a perfect fit for our program," said coach Jacobson. "Our team loved her immediately when she came to visit campus, and she will bring a different dynamic to the point guard position with her length and is a tremendous addition to our team."
 
The sixth and final addition to the 2022 class is Savea Mansfield, a native of Washougal, Wash. She is a guard/forward who earned Best Defensive Player, Athlete of the Week, and team captain in high school. She also performed on the Track and Field team.
 
"If you look up the phrase hard worker in the dictionary it will most likely have a picture of Savea," stated coach Jacobson. "She has a never-ending motor and is an all-around player on both ends of the floor doing whatever it takes to for the team to be successful, we are excited for what she will bring offensively and defensively for us as well as all the intangibles off the court and in the classroom."
 
About South Dakota Mines
The South Dakota School of Mines & Technology is a member of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) and NCAA Division II offering 11 men's and women's varsity intercollegiate athletic programs. The Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference is a premier NCAA Division II conference with 15 members, as well as four associate members, located in the states of California, Colorado, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, South Dakota, and Utah.