Beavers Welcome in Nationally Ranked Class

CORVALLIS – The Oregon State women's basketball program welcomed another trio of outstanding players into the Beaver family Wednesday, as the team announced its signing class. Andrea Aquino, Patricia Morris and Jasmine Simmons will all join Oregon State for the 2018-19 season, and are currently the No. 14 ranked recruiting class in the nation according to ESPN.

Andrea Aquino
Forward
6-foot-9
Caacupe, Paraguay
Eastside High School
EYBL Nike New Jersey Sparks – Coach Keith Gilchrist

Andrea Aquino (Caacupe, Paraguay) comes to the Beavers as the No. 7 rated player in the nation according to ESPN, making her the highest rated signee in program history. The 6-foot-9 forward averaged 17.1 points, 12.2 rebounds and 7.0 blocks per game in her 2016-17 high school season, earning All-State honors in New Jersey. She led her high school to a Passaic County title in 2016, and earned Most Valuable Player honors at the NYC Lady Gaucho Mecca Tournament that season.

According to ESPN, Aquino brings: superior size, wingspan offers shot blocking presence in the paint; emerging post up game yields results, delivers vs. contact; superb in transition; an elite post prospect.

Aquino began her basketball career in Paraguay, where she helped guide Club Libertad to a championship in the 2014-15 season. A standout in the classroom, Aquino has consistently achieved in the classroom good grades, and hopes to pursue a business degree.

"I chose Oregon State because the coaching style fits my game." Aquino said. "I like the social environment and Oregon State has the academic major that I am interested in. I also really appreciate the college town atmosphere, and I love that I get to play in a winning program that is three times Pac 12 champs!"

Patricia Morris
Forward
6-foot-7
Duarte, Calif.
Duarte High School – Coach
WIL2WIN Grassroots Club – Head Coach Wil White
OC Elite – Head Coach Sheek Morris

Patricia Morris (Duarte, Calif.) joins the Beavers with a four-star rating from Prospects Nation. The forward has led Duarte High School to three-straight Montview League titles, and earned conference MVP honors in the 2016-17 season. Morris is a two-time All-California First Team honoree, and led her team to a runner-up finish at the 2016 state tournament. For her efforts during her junior campaign, she was tabbed as a San Gabriel Valley Tribune All-Valley First Team selection.

Morris averaged 17.3 points, 12.7 rebounds and 2.9 blocks per game during her junior season. In addition to her high school accomplishments, she has also been a standout competitor at the club level for WIL2WIN Grassroots Club and OC Elite. A multi-sport athlete, Morris played three seasons of varsity tennis, as well as two years of varsity swimming. She is currently ranked fourth in her class academically with a stellar 4.4 GPA.

"I chose Oregon State because I really fell in love with Corvallis," Morris said. "! I love Oregon State's amazing fan support and the coaching staff. The Pac-12 is a great conference. Every game is very competitive, and the Beavers are always ready to play. Oregon State is one of the top teams in the country, and I truly believe in what Coach Rueck has built."
Jasmine Simmons
Guard
5-foot-11
Mildura, New South Wales, Australia
Basketball Australia National Center of Excellence at the Australian Institute of Sport – Coaches Paul Goriss and Kristen Veal
Australian Under 17 Sapphires - Coach Shannon Seabohm
New South Wales Country State Teams - Coach Drew Fenton

Jasmine Simmons (Mildura, Australia) captained the Australian Under-17 national team to a FIBA World Championship in 2016, and made FIBA's U17 All-Star Five. She has also represented Australia on national teams in 2014 and 2015. She was named the New South Wales Player of the year last year, and has represented New South Wales from 2014 to present. The guard was the Australian Junior National U16 MVP in 2014, and the Australian Junior National U18 Co-MVP in 2016.

According to ESPN, Simmons is an: Agile combo-guard manufactures, delivers in mid-range game to the arc; rebounds, handles and attacks in transition game; distributes, executes in half-court; playmaker.

Simmons is ESPN's 7^th overall ranked international recruit and No. 1 ranked shooting guard in the class. Premier Basketball Report has her ranked as a 4 and a half star recruit as well. She has spent the last three years playing on scholarship at Basketball Australia's National Center of Excellence at the Australian Institute of Sport, and has amassed over 3,000 points and 2,000 rebounds over the course of her high school career. A multi-sport athlete, Simmons has also played soccer, cricket, netball and Australian rules football. She has also served as the youth ambassador for the Mildura Rural City Council.

Oregon State will open the 2017-18 season this Friday when it hosts North Dakota. Tickets for all Oregon State home games can be purchased online at BeaverTickets.com.

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