Fourteen-year-old commits to Lady Vols

Athensvol · 11-26-2006, 12:47 PM

Fourteen-year-old commits to Lady Vols
Avant is guard for Memphis Lausanne

By DAN FLESER, fleser@knews.com
November 25, 2006

Rather than take her time, Lauren Avant took the initiative.

The high school freshman from Memphis called Tennessee women's basketball coach Pat Summitt on Thanksgiving and committed to the Lady Vols.

"I wanted to give Coach Pat something to be thankful for,'' Avant said.

The 5-foot-81/2 guard plays for Lausanne Collegiate School. She's starting her second season of varsity basketball. As an eighth grader, she averaged 12.6 points per game for a team that went 30-4.

Avant, who is 14 years old, was the only high school freshman named honorable mention to Street & Smith's magazine's High School All-American team. She already was drawing considerable attention from collegiate programs.

"She was getting a lot of mail, a lot of contact,'' said Andre Pruitt, who is Avant's father and her AAU coach. "It was already very heavy."

Avant said that she was receiving direct phone contact from schools.

"They're not supposed to; it happens,'' said Avant, who said she met with an NCAA official about the recruiting process.

Regarding Tennessee, Avant said, "They talked to my father. They never talked to me at all."

Nonetheless, the Lady Vols weren't recruiting wallflowers. Avant said Summitt sat in the front row last summer when Avant's AAU team was playing at the 15-and-under nationals in Monroe, La.

"It was huge for Pat to come,'' she said.

Summitt wasn't the only coach who was watching, which might have been another reason why Avant brought the recruiting process to a premature close.

"You have to perform in front of all these coaches,'' she said. "They're watching everything I do. It's kind of stressful, especially at a young age."

Avant made several unofficial campus visits this fall with her parents, including two to Tennessee. If anything, she was ready to make her decision a week ago.

"I knew I didn't want to leave the state of Tennessee,'' she said. "It was between Vanderbilt and Tennessee. I just felt comfortable at Tennessee.''

"Tennessee is my dream college. I always knew that's where I wanted to go."

More Recruiting: Amber Gray, a 6-1 forward from West Chester, Ohio, is making an unofficial visit this weekend.

Volunteer_Kirby · 11-26-2006, 08:29 PM

I've never heard of anyone committing that early.

rexvol · 11-27-2006, 07:28 AM

Pat never sleeps, she just works and works and works. What an awesome representative for our university. Pat Summit just does everything the right way.

Voldaddy · 11-27-2006, 08:24 PM

I hear we are in the running for a 6 year old in Nashville. She can really tear her Nerf Hoops set up. Geno will be in home next week.

smokeyman15 · 11-27-2006, 08:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Voldaddy

I hear we are in the running for a 6 year old in Nashville. She can really tear her Nerf Hoops set up. Geno will be in home next week.

Yea I heard about her. BALLIN!!

**hvwarrior58** · 11-27-2006, 08:34 PM

On the real, there is a freshman in the Nashville area that is already 6'8". She is already getting looks from UNC and I'm sure Pat has seen her.

Voldaddy · 11-27-2006, 08:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hvwarrior58

On the real, there is a freshman in the Nashville area that is already 6'8". She is already getting looks from UNC and I'm sure Pat has seen her.

6'8"?? Was she in the Deuce Bigalow movie?

smokeyman15 · 11-27-2006, 08:58 PM

Wow. A 5'8" sophmore male is impressed.

rexvol · 11-28-2006, 07:27 AM

there is a freshman in K-vegas that Pat has been to see, 5ft 8in named Glory Johnson.

therickbol · 11-28-2006, 09:49 AM

I think you are confusing Glory Johnson with someone else. Glory Johnson is not a freshman and she is probably closer to 6'2. Supposedly she can dunk.

Scout.com: Glory Johnson Profile

utvol0427 · 11-28-2006, 10:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Volunteer_Kirby

I've never heard of anyone committing that early.

Tony Passley's brother (I think his name is Cordell) committed to Buzz his Freshman year of high school and as far as I know, he is still committed to us. He is supposed to be a very good player. I think this could have led to Passley getting a 2nd chance.

**hvwarrior58** · 11-28-2006, 03:09 PM

I've heard that Glory will be the first female to tomahawk it in a game.

therickbol · 11-28-2006, 03:58 PM

Cordell committed to Bruce Pearl, not Buzz. And, yes as far as we know he is still committed to UT. He is very highly ranked in his class. The last rankings I saw had him as the #28 overall player in the country.

rexvol · 11-28-2006, 04:32 PM

it would be huge for the Vols to get him, but surely you dont think that factored into Bruce's decision do you? wink..wink..nudge..nudge

melissa hyberger · 11-28-2006, 05:25 PM

it just keeps getting better and better. we need to go ahead and give PAT lifetime job at Tennessee. no one could ever replace her anyways. Pat is what all sports should be about. CLASS, DEDICATION, LOVE OF THE SPORT, AND THE VERY BEST ROLE MODEL ANY PERSON MALE OR FEMALE COULD HAVE.