IUP women’s basketball head coach Cindy Martin has announced the early signing of Tara Powers and Danielle Stevens for the 2008-09 season. 

Powers is a 5-9 guard/forward from Ford City High School in Natrona Heights, Pa., and Stevens is a 6-1 forward from Booker T. Washington High School in Norfolk, Va. 

Story continues below pictures.

Tara Powers

Danielle Stevens

“Our coaching staff and team would like to officially welcome Tara and Danielle to our women’s basketball family,” said Martin.  “Both of them had full scholarship offers from numerous Division I schools, and the fact that they chose IUP says a lot about our faculty and athletic department.

“They are athletic, quick and physical and have great basketball IQs.  Off the court, they will enhance our efforts in the community and classroom.  Tara and Danielle are quality people and are coming to IUP for all the right reasons.  We are excited about the future of our program.”

Powers in entering her fourth season on the Ford City basketball team and has career totals of 742 points and 566 rebounds while shooting 56 percent from the field and 70 percent from the free throw line.  She led the Sabers in rebounding her sophomore and junior years and blocked 117 shots those two seasons.

She was the team MVP and a first team Kittanning Leader Times/Allegheny Kiski Valley all-section first team selection last year, the MVP of the Kittanning Tip-Off Tournament last fall and has helped lead her team to the WPIAL playoffs all three seasons, extending the school’s postseason run to 12 years overall.

Powers, who also played volleyball for three seasons, is outstanding in the classroom and has been a distinguished honors student at Ford City the past three years.

“I couldn’t be more thrilled to sign Tara Powers.  Too often over my coaching career I have seen local talent choose to leave home.  Tara is very close with her family and the community and will flourish on the court and as a special education major at IUP.  She will make an immediate impact,” said Martin. 

“I chose IUP because of the challenge of playing at a competitive level and the comfort I feel with Coach Martin, who is an excellent teacher,” said Powers.  “I’ve had an opportunity to meet the team and spend time watching them play and practice over the last two years.  They’re an amazing group of athletes, and I feel fortunate to soon be a part of this team.

“I believe Coach Martin and her assistants will help me develop to my game to its fullest potential because of their confidence in me.  It’s also important to me that the athletic programs at IUP work in conjunction with the academics to ensure the best mix for success.”

Stevens is in her fourth season on the basketball team at Booker T. Washington and has already enjoyed an honor-filled prep career.  She was the team’s rookie of the year as a freshman, the offensive player of the year as a sophomore and the team MVP her junior season.

She has averaged a double double in each of the last two seasons.  As a sophomore in 2005-06, Stevens averaged 12.7 points and 11.4 rebounds per game and improved those numbers to 15.6 points and 12.4 boards as a junior a year ago.  The 2007-08 season will mark her second as a team captain.

Stevens also played volleyball and was the team Co-MVP last year and is heavily involved in other extracurricular activities, including serving as class vice president this year.

“Danielle is the post player who we wanted to sign since last spring, and I think our staff did a great job of recruiting her,” said Martin.  “She will contribute immediately to our inside game.  Danielle rebounds, posts up, sets good screens, is aggressive on defense and will fit in with our up-tempo transition game.  I am excited to see her play at the next level, and she will be an asset to our program.”

“I chose to attend IUP because I feel the school will offer me the best opportunity to excel academically and athletically,” said Stevens.  “I believe IUP will enhance my academic achievement by offering coursework which will broaden my knowledge and provide me hands-on experience in the field of communications.

“On the basketball court, the IUP program will allow me to excel and reach my peak potential as a player.  Also, I loved Coach Martin’s 3 Cs philosophy of classroom, community and court.  By focusing on these 3 Cs, I will have four successful years as a student and basketball player.”

<back to top>