Women's hoop roster increases The Northwest College Trappers added four players to their women's basketball roster. First-year head coach Janis Beal announced the signings last week.

All four players come to the program from outside of Wyoming. On paper, the headliner of the group may well be Latvian Laura Purina.

Purina comes to Northwest College from Ikskile, Latvia. The 5'8” guard has spent the last four years playing on various European Championship national teams, including a stint on the under-18 European Championships tournament champion squad. Purina's teams have never finished lower than fourth at the European Championships.

“It is exciting to have a player like Laura join our team,” said Beal. “She has competed on their national team for several years. She can play anywhere from the 1 (point guard) to the 3 (small forward) for us. Having Madara (sophomore Madara Upeniece) on the team will help with Laura's transition to Wyoming from Latvia.”

Beal also returned to the state of Utah to track down another player for the Trappers. Megan Goodman, a 5'8” guard from Mountain View High School in Orem.

“Megan was a member of the 4A state championship team,” said Beal. “She knows how to win. Hopefully that drive will be contagious among our team. At the guard position, she gives us an outside shooting threat.”

Goodman was a second-team all-state selection and an all-Valley team member. She also earned all-Valley honors as a softball player.

Alicia Valentine comes to the Trappers from Redmond, Wash., where she served as team captain for her high school squad last season. Valentine was a two-time King County honorable mention selection and was also voted most inspirational player on her team.

“Alicia is a true point guard,” said Valentine. “She handles the ball well and likes to get her teammates involved. She'll give us a leader out on the floor.”

The Trappers' final signee will split her time between the hardwood and the volleyball court. Valerie Lesu, already a signee with the Northwest College volleyball program, will pull double duty by playing hoops for the college as well.

“I'm excited about Val joining our team,” Beal said of the Waipahu, Hawaii, native. “She will give us a guard who has the ability to rebound very well. She also gives us a shooting threat from the outside.”

Lesu's basketball résumé includes being a three-time Oahu Interscholastic Association honorable mention choice.

She was an all-state honorable mention player as a senior and was named her team's top defensive player, also during her senior season.