RAPID CITY, S.D. --- The South Dakota Mines women's basketball program has officially signed two women in its signing period for the class of 2023. Head coach Jeri Jacobson Owsley has announced the additions of Samantha Darnell and Emily Thomas.

"We are excited to add both Sam and Emily to our Hardrocker family and look forward to what they are going to bring to our team" said head coach, Jeri Jacobson Oswley. "They both come from high school programs that emphasize the same core values we have and preach on a daily basis so needless to say we are thrilled about the type of people we are bringing in with this class. They join Morning Grace Spotted Bear, who redshirted this past season to round out our freshman class."

In the last two classes, the women's basketball team has emphasized size and length, and these two additions are no different, starting with Samantha Darnell, a 5-8 guard from Windsor, Colorado. She was a two-time All-Conference honoree at Windsor, while also being named team captain and Academic All-Conference. Across three seasons, she played in 73 games, playing 27 & 28 in her final two seasons. In her senior season, she averaged 9.1 points per game, along with 5.5 rebounds per game, 5.1 assists per game, and 4.7 steals per game.

"Sam comes from a high school program where she has experienced a lot of success over her career, playing in three state championships," Jacobson Owsley." "She joins her former high school teammate in Lexi (Alexis Backhaus) and is going to bring great work ethic, competitiveness, knowledge of the game, and above all, feisty defense to our team."

Emily Thomas, a true point guard from Highlands Ranch, Colorado attended Arapahoe High School. At Arapahoe, she was a two-time All-Conference selection as well as an Academic All-State and Academic All-Conference selection along with being a team captain. Thomas was a factor all four years at Arapahoe, playing 89 games during her career. During her senior year, she averaged 6.9 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 3 assists per game.
 
"Emily has a point guard mentality of wanting to set up her teammates, but she can score if she needs to," said Jacobson Owsley. "She comes from a program that is all about family and team success. Her high school coach called her their 'glue player.'" "Emily is going to bring immediate size and physicality to our team from the point guard position with her experience playing at the highest level of basketball in Colorado, and we are excited about her competitiveness and what she is going to add not only offensively but defensively for us as well."

The women's basketball team opens its 2023-24 season on November 10th at the conference challenge in Texas.
 
Tickets for the 2023-24 season will go on sale soon.
 
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.