It was a busy Wednesday for Nebraska women’s basketball coach Amy Williams as the early signing period began with five players signing National Letters of Intent to come to Lincoln.
The No. 21 ranked class, according to ESPN, includes two Nebraskans: Alexis Markowski of Pius X and Allison Weidner of Humphrey St. Francis. Joining the Nebraskans are Kendall Coley (Minneapolis, Minnesota), Kenall Morirarity (Wheaton, Illinois) and Tatiana Popa (Parkersburg, West Virginia).
“This 2021 recruiting class is a special group that has already been building great bonds with each other,” Williams said. “We know that they are a group that can make an incredible impact on our program and the goals we have to become Big Ten Champions.”
Coley is the No. 49 ranked player in the country after averaging 15.5 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 3.7 assists as a junior at St. Louis Park High School. The 6-foot-2 forward is ranked as the No. 9 wing nationally.
“Kendall is one of the most exciting players in the 2021 class,” Williams said. “”he is very versatile and can play every position on the court. She is long, athletic and skilled, which is a devastating combination. She is a special talent, and we believe she can make a great impact in the Big Ten Conference.”
Originally committed elsewhere, 6-foot-3 forward Markowski flipped to Nebraska earlier this year. She led Pius X to the 2020 Class A state title, setting school single-season records for points (560) and rebounds (315). Markowski also tied the Class A tournament scoring record with 80 points over three games, matching Nebraska Athletics Hall of Famer Maurtice Ivy’s record.
“We are so excited that Alexis is staying home,” Williams said. “She had an incredible junior season capped off by a state championship and is poised for a great senior year. All summer she played against some of the best post players in the country and continued to shine. She is a winner who just keeps working to expand her game, and her skills align perfectly with our needs.”
Moriarity was the first of Nebraska’s 2021 class to commit back in November of 2019. The 6-foot-1 guard made 43.1-percent of her three-pointers as a junior and led her team to a No. 1 ranking in Illinois.
“Kendall was our first commit in the 2021 class, and she fits perfectly into all aspects of our program,” Williams said. “She is a long, tough, gritty player with great versatility. She is a talented scorer, but her willingness to do all the dirty work on the court is what separates her. She is a great teammate and will lay it on the line for her team to win”
The tallest member of the 2021 class, 6-foot-5 Popa is a four star prospect. Popa’s father, Constantin, was taken in the second-round of the 1995 NBA Draft by the Las Angeles Clippers.
“Our program is thrilled to be adding this hard-working, talented young lady to our Husker family,” Williams said. “She knows how to use her length to her advantage on defense and has expanded her versatility on offense. She is working hard to add strength to her frame and understands the benefits that Husker Power will provide her in that area. The sky is the limit for her growth, and we can’t wait to watch it happen here at Nebraska.”
The final member of the 2021 Husker class is the No. 80 player in the nation and No. 32 ranked guard from Humphrey, Nebraska. Weidner, a 5-foot-10 guard, led Humphrey St. Francis to a Class D2 Runner-Up last season, while being named Omaha World Herald All-Nebraska First Team and Lincoln Journal Star Nebraska Super-State First Team.
“We cannot wait to add Allison to our Husker program,” Williams said. “She is a crafty point guard who can score at all three levels and is very good in the open court. She has great court vision and makes those around her better. She is a Nebraska native who possesses the values and character we look for in a Husker.”