Meet the freshman class

ISU men's basketball

Indiana State men's basketball will be joined by three new freshmen for the 2011-12 basketball season: Justin Gant, Brandon Burnett, and Devonte Brown.  

"First and foremost, Devonte, Brandon and Justin are great people.  We recruit good basketball players that have good character otherwise we don't recruit them.  These three fit in here perfectly.  They are conscientious students and have been working awfully hard since they got here this summer," head coach Greg Lansing said.

Justin Gant is a 6'9" forward.  He is from Terre Haute, Indiana and attended Terre Haute North Vigo High School.  Gant started playing basketball in fourth grade and is inspired most by his father.

"It is a big difference, a lot faster pace but I am adjusting pretty well just have to keep practicing every day and try to listen to the upperclassmen and take good advice.  My goals are to work hard every day and continue to get better." Gant said.

Brandon Burnett is a 6'6" wing guard.  He is from Tuscon, Arizona and attended Cienega High School.  Burnett started playing basketball in sixth grade and is most inspired by his dad, brother, and Colby Brant.  

"It's been a hard transition, but the best way to adjust is just to work hard in practice every day and listen to your teammates and coaches and just be open-minded, not get down on yourself.  Our goals for the season are to get back to the tournament and go a little bit farther into the tournament and just have a successful season overall," Burnett said.      

"We are fortunate to have veterans on this team that have established a work ethic and a way that we operate on a daily basis.  New guys either buy in or follow the lead of the older guys or it could be very tough…these three have bought in from day one," Lansing said.

Devonte Brown is a 6'3" point guard.  He is originally from Louisiana but attended Ellison High School in Killeen, Texas.  Brown picked up a basketball at age two and has been playing the game ever since.  He is most inspired by his mother, father, and brother.   

"My goal for the season is to just get better.  As far as the team goes we want to do what we did not do last year, and that is to go deeper and win more games and just get better as an overall program.  It was definitely more hard, lot faster, lot stronger, and they are a lot smarter ,but right now, I am in sponge mode, just soaking everything up right," Brown said.   

"We work them awfully hard.  They have basketball workouts daily, have to lift four times a week, have study table hours, as well as their class load.  They find they don't have much time for other things, but that's life as a college athlete.  If you want to be good, you have to make sacrifices…we feel winning championships and playing in the NCAA Tournament is well worth it," Lansing said. 

ISU women's basketball

Indiana State women's basketball team will be adding five new freshmen to this year's roster: Natasha Zurek, Jessica Valley, Travecia Franklin, Rachael Mahan, and Marah Morris.  

Natasha Zurek is a 5-foot-9-inch point guard.  She is from Saint John, Ind. and attended Andrean High School.  Zurek has been playing basketball since second grade and is inspired most by her mother.

"Tasha is relentless on both ends of the floor, she has a tremendous work ethic and is a very smart basketball player," head coach Teri Moren said.   

"At first it was really hard to adjust, the coaches kept telling me this wasn't high school anymore, but I am adjusting and getting there, just taking baby steps.  My main goal this season is to win the conference championship," Zurek said.      

Jessica Valley a 5-foot-9-inch guard.  She is from Lafayette, Ind. and attended McCutcheon High School.  Valley has been playing basketball since second grade and is inspired most by her grandmother.  

"Valley is very talented, she can do a little of everything, she has 3 pt. range, she has a mid-range game and she can attack the rim off the dribble," Moren said.

"I am picking up the intensity level that I have to have to play in college.  My goals are to be an 80 percent free throw shooter and to help the team get to the NCAA tournament," Valley said.