THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, May 14, 1996 TAG: 9605140405
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C7 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY VICKI L. FRIEDMAN, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Short : 46 lines
LaToya Small, a 5-foot-11 guard from Pensacola (Fla.) Junior College, is joining the Old Dominion women's basketball team.
A two-year starter for the school that plays in the Panhandle Conference, Small averaged 15 points and 10 rebounds last season, leading Pensacola to a 24-8 finish.
``She's the best rebounder I've ever seen. We call her `Little Rodman,' '' said Pensacola coach Vicki Carson.
Small of Vienna, Ga., is the third player to sign a letter-of-intent with the Lady Monarchs, 29-3 last season and ranked as high as No. 6 nationally.
Nicole Bellinghausen of Las Vegas and Natalie Diaz of Mojave Valley, Ariz., the high school players of the year in their respective states, signed last month.
All-conference both seasons at Pensacola, Small also considered Long Beach State, the University of Richmond, the University of Houston and Georgia State.
The business management major said she was impressed by the tradition of basketball at Old Dominion and the way team members presented themselves during her visit to Norfolk.
``I liked Old Dominion because I got along with the team, the coaches,'' she said. ``Everybody was really nice, and it was a nice atmosphere.''
Carson said the two years of junior college paid off for the 19-year-old Small. A small forward in high school, Small learned the guard spot in college and honed her defensive skills. ``There's not a lot of kids who want to play defense; she wants to play defense,'' Carson said. ``She just goes for the ball.''
Small is also an outside shooter, although she wasn't called on to shoot the 3-pointer at Pensacola. ``I think when I get to Old Dominion I will have to,'' she said.
The Lady Monarchs have two scholarship spots remaining. They lost Shonda Deberry, Esther Benjamin and Sarah Willyerd to graduation. Jill Berg will not return to the team and Misty Hart left late last year. by CNB