ESPN Player Evaluations
- Nov 7, 2011
- No. 30 Brittney Sykes decides from her four finalists
- Brittney Sykes of Newark, N.J., told ESPN HoopGurlz she has verbally committed to Syracuse. The No. 30 prospect in the ESPNU HoopGurlz 100 chose Syracuse over finalists Georgetown, Notre Dame and Penn State.
"They had my major, communication and broadcasting, and that department is one of the best in the country, so it would give me a foot in the door," Sykes said of why she chose the Orange. "I had a really good relationship with the staff, especially coach Kelley (Gibson). I just can't wait to get up there. One of my goals is to get to the tournament and hopefully get to the Final Four."
Sykes, the 5-foot-9 guard with a four-star rating, originally committed to Penn State at the beginning of October but recanted on the 17th to make more visits.
With Sykes on board and set to sign a National Letter of Intent later this week, Syracuse coach Quentin Hillsman has four players committed in the 2012 class, two of whom are ranked in the top 100. Sykes, the highest-rated pledge to date, joins No. 73 Cornelia Fondren of Memphis, Tenn., a 5-9 combo guard; Taylor Ford of New York, N.Y., a 6-1 wing with a four-star rating; and Pachiyanna Roberts of Powder Springs, Ga., a 6-1 forward who carries a rating of three stars.
- Nov 1, 2011
- No. 30 Brittney Sykes has four schools
- Brittney Sykes of Newark, N.J., who has re-opened her recruitment, told ESPN HoopGurlz that she has a list of four schools, essentially adding Notre Dame into the mix.
The 5-foot-9 guard, ranked No. 30 in the 2012 class, said she doubted that she would make a choice before the end of the early signing period, Nov. 9-16.
In addition to the Irish, Sykes still is considering Georgetown, Penn State and Syracuse. She had committed to the Nittany Lions in early October but recanted a little more than two weeks later, citing a desire to take a more deliberate approach to her decision.
- Oct 17, 2011
- No. 30 Brittney Sykes re-opens recruitment
- Brittney Sykes of Newark, N.J., the No. 30 prospect in the 2012 class, told ESPN HoopGurlz that she has re-opened her recruitment, but has three finalists.
The 5-foot-9 guard, ranked ninth by ESPN HoopGurlz at her position, previously committed to Penn State. She said she still is considering the Nittany Lions, as well as Georgetown and Syracuse.
"After talking to my family I've come to a decision to take a more serious approach in my recruiting process," Sykes said. "I committed off of adrenaline and emotion and I just want to take a step back and evaluate what's best for my future."
Duke and Virginia had been in Sykes' final five before her commitment to Penn State two weeks ago.
Sykes averaged 17.8 points, 6.0 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 3.1 steals and 2.5 blocks as a junior for University (Newark, N.J.)
- Oct 2, 2011
- No. 30 Brittney Sykes commits to a Big Ten program
- Brittney Sykes of Newark, N.J., has verbally committed to Penn State University. The No. 30 ranked prospect in the ESPNU HoopGurlz 100 for the class of 2012 confirmed she committed while on her official visit, Oct. 1.
"It felt right on my unofficial visit and then I just confirmed it on my official this weekend," Sykes said. "It was a little bit of everything that made me feel comfortable. The campus, coaching staff, and more than anything the chemistry with the team really set them apart to me."
Sykes, the 5-foot-9 guard who has a 4-star rating, chose the Lady Lions over finalists Duke, Georgetown, Syracuse and Virginia. She is the third player to commit to head coach Coquese Washington's program. She joins No. 27 Branndais Agee of Detroit, Mich., and No. 34 Candice Agee of Victorville, Calif., in the school's 2012 recruiting class.