Central Michigan University Athletics
Guevara Inks 4 on Signing Day
11/10/2016 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Andy Sneddon, CMUChippewas.com
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. - Central Michigan women's basketball coach Sue Guevara has announced the signing of four players to National Letters of Intent.
The players are Kyra Bussell and Sophia Karasinski, both of Grand Rapids; Madeline Watters of Rockford; and Kalle Martinez of Bay City. They will join the program beginning with the 2017-18 season.
"They're very smart students, smart basketball players that love to be in the gym," said Guevara, who begins her 10th season in charge of the program on Friday when the Chippewas play at No. 1-ranked Notre Dame in a Preseason WNIT game. "They come from good programs, championship-quality programs; they have played AAU, they have played some of the top competition ... they're gym rats that love to play."
Bussell, a 6-foot-1 forward/post, and Karasinski, a 5-9 guard, are teammates at Grand Rapids Catholic Central High School where they helped lead the Cougars to a Class A regional championship last season. They were also teammates on the AAU West Michigan Titans for three years. Watters also played for the Titans for the past two years.
Martinez is a guard who helped lead Bay City John Glenn to a Class B state semifinal appearance in 2016. Watters is a 5-10 guard who is recognized as one of the top players in the Grand Rapids Area.
"Bussell's got really good hands, is not afraid of physicality, knows how to use her body to score and she can also shoot the 3," Guevara said. "Karasinski is a strong, strong guard who can get to the basket and has good range. Watters, she can flat-out score the ball and she's very good at delivering it. She's another tough, tough kid - mentally tough. A very smart basketball player."
Martinez, Guevara said, compares favorably to current CMU guard Presley Hudson, a sophomore who last season led the Chippewas in scoring while earning the MAC Freshman of the Year Award.
"Good passer, good shooter - just a tough, tough kid," Guevara said of Martinez.
Watters, a two-time Basketball Coaches Association of Michigan All-Stater, has scored 686 career points at Rockford, while making 44.4 percent of her field goal attempts including 37.8 percent from 3-point range. She has made 74.4 percent of her free throw attempts.
"Maddie can flat-out score the ball," Guevara said. "She's very good at delivering it. She can drop a lot of dimes. And she's another tough, mentally tough, kid. Very smart basketball player."
 | Kyra Bussell • Forward • 6-1• Grand Rapids, Mich./Grand Rapids Catholic Central HS Three-year letterwinner ... elected team captain as a junior ... led Grand Rapids Catholic Central to back-to-back regional championships (2014-15, 2015-16) and three-straight district titles ... earned Academic All-State honors in 2016 ... received Detroit Free Press All-State Third Team accolades ... named to the O.K. Gold All-Conference team as a junior ... received Grand Rapids Dream Team Honorable Mention honors from the Grand Rapids Press ... voted as the Cornerstone Holiday Tournament MVP in 2016 after earning All-Tournament Team honors in 2014 ... also lettered in track and field ... played for the West Michigan Titans. years. | |
 | Sophia Karasinski• Guard• 5-9 • Grand Rapids, Mich./Grand Rapids Catholic Central HS Three-year letterwinner ... led Grand Rapids Catholic Central to back-to-back regional championships (2014-15, 2015-16) and three-straight district titles ... as a junior, averaged 14.4 ppg, 3.7 rpg and 3.3 apg ... earned All-State First Team honors for the 2015-16 season ... received Associated Press and Detroit Free Press All-State Second Team accolades junior year ... named to the Grand Rapids Press Dream Team (first team) and Advance Press -East All-Area First Team as a junior ... two-time O.K. Gold All-Conference Team member ... earned BCAM All-State Honorable Mention for the 2014-15 season ... also lettered in track and field ... played for the West Michigan Titans. | |
 | Kalle Martinez • Guard • 5-6 • Bay City, Mich./John Glenn HS Three-year letterwinner ... two-time team captain ... recorded 923 career points along with 240 assists, 196 steals and 162 three-pointers ... selected to the Detroit Free Press All-State Team in 2013 and 2015 ... received Associated Press All-State Honorable Mention accolades as a freshman and junior ... voted to the Bay City Times Dream Team (2013, 2015) ... a two-time BCAM Best selection in 2013 and 2015 ... earned NEMC All-Conference as a freshman and junior ... missed some of the sophomore season due to injury ... also lettered in softball ... played for the X-Press Hoops. | |
 | Maddy Watters • Guard • 5-9 • Rockford, Mich./Rockford HS Three-year letterwinner ... elected as team captain for upcoming season ... has recorded 686 career points ... earned BCAM Academic All-State honors as a junior ... two-time BCAM Class A All-State honoree ... named to the Detroit Free Press Class A All-State Honorable Mention Team in 2016 ... selected to the 2016 Associated Press All-State Honorable Mention Team ... received Grand Rapids Press Dream Team Second Team accolades as a junior ... member of the BCAM Top Ten Team for free throws as a sophomore ... earned O.K. Red All-Conference honors in 2015 and 2016 ... played for West Michigan Titans. |
