Michigan Women's Basketball Program Signs Quartet to Letters of Intent
11/13/2019 10:18:00 AM | Women's Basketball
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- University of Michigan women's basketball head coach Kim Barnes Arico announced the signing of Meghan Fiso, Whitney Sollom, Elise Stuck and Cameron Williams to National Letters of Intent Wednesday (Nov. 13) to join the Wolverines for the 2020-21 season. The class is ranked No. 12 by ESPN, the highest in the Big Ten, as well as No. 16 by Prospects Nation and No. 25 by the All-Star Girls Report.
"I am really excited about our 2020 class," Barnes Arico said. "We were able to target next-level, versatile players from high-character families to continue the Michigan tradition. I was very excited to get two top players from the state of Michigan because that was really important to us, as well as getting two top players on the national scene because of the power of the block M.
"This group brings a lot of versatility to our program. That is something we have talked about with our team, which is positionless basketball. We talk about being able to do multiple things and contribute in multiple ways. That is the way our game is headed, and these players definitely do that. They are long, they are athletic, and they can do a combination of things from handling the ball to posting up to rebounding. Their versatility is tremendous, which is what we need with the graduation of someone like Kayla Robbins, who has that length and athleticism to impact the game on multiple levels. I think this group has a number of different positions and can help us take the next steps in Michigan women's basketball."
Meghan Fiso
Fiso, a 5-foot-11 guard from Seattle who attends Garfield, is ranked No. 40 by Prospects Nation. She helped West Seattle to the state opener game and an 18-6 record as a junior, averaging 12.9 points, 7.2 rebounds and 2.3 assists while playing out of position at the forward spot. Fiso earned a spot on the 3A all-metro first team following her junior campaign. She was named the 2018 Pacific Northwest Basketball Officials Association Female Player of the Year, given to the player who shows great sportsmanship and leadership while also being an outstanding player.
"Meghan Fiso is one of the best combo guards from out west. She is a strong, talented guard. She really gives us much-needed help in that guard spot of being able to handle the ball, being a tremendous passer, being a great scorer and three-point shooter. She has a great feel for the game and is an exceptionally hard worker. She has an unbelievable work ethic, and that is something we really value in our program."
"I chose Michigan because I felt like I would be challenged not only as an athlete but also as a student," Fiso said. "When I came on my visit, it felt like a home away from home. That was really important to me and something I was looking for in a school."
Whitney Sollom
Sollom, a 6-4 forward from Hartland, Michigan, was the Livingston County Player of the Year as a junior after averaging 10.9 points and 8.8 rebounds per game. She also recorded 67 blocks, including a nine-block performance in the regional semifinals as Hartland reached the state quarterfinals for the second straight season. She is ranked as the No. 77 player in the 2020 class from Prospects Nation. Her father, Ken, was a quarterback at Michigan from 1987-91.
"I remember going to the first game of her high school career when she was a freshman and being the only college coach there," Barnes Arico said. "She is someone that we have had our eye on since middle school. I have watched her grow up and develop as a basketball player over the last few years. She is a tremendous athlete as a 6-4 post player. She is long and can do a little bit of everything. She can catch in transition, has great hands and great touch around the basket. She is really a great complement to the rest of the class."
"I chose Michigan because it is where I felt the best fit for me personally," Sollom said. "I loved everything about it, from the players to the coaches and the campus atmosphere. My dream was to play college basketball, and Coach Arico gave me that opportunity. I am very excited to join Michigan women's basketball."
Elise Stuck
Stuck, a 6-1 wing from Charlevoix, Michigan, is already Charlevoix's all-time leading scorer with 1,494 points. As a junior for the Rayders, she averaged a double-double of 21 points and 10 rebounds per game. She led Charlevoix to an undefeated Lake Michigan Conference season last year while also helping the Rayders win their third straight district title. Stuck earned Division 3 all-state honors for the third consecutive season and was named to the ALL-USA Michigan Girls Basketball Second Team by USA Today High School Sports. She is a four-star recruit by Prospects Nation.
"Elise is a tremendous player who puts you in the mind frame of a Nicole Elmblad," Barnes Arico said. "She is a great leader, a high academic kid, someone who can come in and impact the game in so many different ways, whether that is defending, being your leading rebounder or scoring the basketball. I have seen her do so many things for her AAU and high school programs. She is going to be battling back from an ACL injury this season, which is a bummer because she was probably one of the best players to put on the Charlevoix uniform. She will be back 100 percent for the start of her freshman year."
"Michigan is the perfect fit for me because of the competitive and winning culture that Coach Arico, her staff and players have created, as well as the unique academic opportunities both during and after college," Stuck said.
Cameron Williams
Williams, a 6-2 forward from Chicago, is ranked No. 30 by ESPN HoopGurlz and is a five-star recruit. She attends Whitney Young High School and plays for the Mac Irvin Fire AAU program. She has helped Whitney Young to two straight sectional semifinals while anchoring her team's play down low. She turned in a 15-point, 13-rebound and five-block performance in Whitney Young's regional championship win over Kenwood this past February and helped the Dolphins to the city championship. She was named MVP of the Rose Classic during her sophomore season. Williams is listed as a candidate for the Illinois Ms. Basketball Award. Her dad, Aaron, played professionally in the NBA and overseas for 15 years.
"Cameron has been on our radar for years and years," Barnes Arico said. "I have been trying to get someone from her high school and AAU program because of how hard those teams play, how well they know the game, and the expectations that come from a coaching staff that I believe is one of the best in the country. She is an elite-level athlete who puts you in the mindset of a Naz Hillmon because she can impact the game in so many different ways, both offensively and defensively. She is a five-star player from a basketball family who will be able to impact our program immediately."
"I chose the University of Michigan because I felt it was a place I could significantly grow on and off the court to take my talents to the next level," Williams said. "I immediately felt a welcoming, family atmosphere by just being around the team and coaching staff. That is something I value as a player and a person."
