June 3, 2009

UNIVERSITY OF RICHMOND, Va. - The Richmond women's basketball team welcomed freshman Ryann Dannelly from Clarksville, Md to campus this week. Dannelly, a 6'3 forward from River Hill High School, looks to add to the Spiders' post presence this fall.

As Dannelly prepares for an exciting experience at the University of Richmond, she was interviewed as to what she is looking forward to as the newest member of the Spider basketball family.

What are you looking forward to the most as you enter a new chapter in your life at the University of Richmond?

The chance to live off on my own while meeting new friends and just having fun while on a college campus and on the basketball court (while of course learning more about what I am interested in and what I might become interested in while in the classroom).

Why did you choose the University of Richmond?
The size was not too overwhelming, but was not too small like a high school. The campus was beautiful and professors that I met seemed to have an extreme passion for what they did and seemed to care about the students around them. The team and coaching staff were all really welcoming and nice.

How would you describe your strengths and what will you bring to this year's team?
I am an asset in the post area, a post player who can shoot outside shots, rebound, and block my opponents. I hope that the team will benefit from my presence in the post area.

What are your thoughts, feelings, and expectations for the upcoming basketball season?
The first feeling that comes to mind is exhilaration because the entire experience will be new to me. However, I am so excited to go out there and play with the girls that I have seen play countless times in games. I am excited to join into their style of play. Regarding my expectations, I don't have many since I have never played college basketball but I am expecting that everything will be faster and I hope that we do really well next year as a team.

Dannelly averaged 13.0 ppg, 9.6 rpg, and 2.0 blocks per game her senior campaign. Dannelly helped the River Hill Hawks to the state title game and was named a Baltimore Sun and Howard County Times First Team selection in 2008 and 2009. Dannelly scored 356 points, grabbed 270 rebounds, recorded 59 steals and swatted 58 blocks her senior season.

"Ryann is a highly skilled forward who can shoot well from the perimeter and is a good scorer on the low block," said head coach Michael Shafer. "With her height and length, she has the ability to alter or block a lot of shots. She is also a good passer, which is a great attribute for a post player. I believe that as she continues to gain strength, she will blossom into a very good player for us. Ryann's best basketball is ahead of her, but she has a nice enough skill set to contribute right away."

The Spiders return 12 members from last year's 24-10 squad. Richmond ended its season with the most wins since the 1988-89 season and third best overall record in program history.