Jackson and Santoro Sign NLIs to Join Kent State Women’s Basketball Program
11/14/2019 1:05:00 PM | Women's Basketball
KENT, Ohio — Kent State women's basketball head coach Todd Starkey announced the addition of Lexi Jackson (Monroeville, Pennsylvania) and Casey Santoro (Bellevue, Ohio), who each signed a National Letter of Intent to join the program on Wednesday.
"We are excited that Lexi and Casey will be joining our Golden Flashes family," Starkey said. "They both help to address very specific needs for the program going forward. This is the smallest class in number that we've signed during the early period since we've been here, but I think that's more a sign of the outstanding job our staff has done, and continues to do, in recruiting high level student-athletes to the Kent State family."
Lexi Jackson | 6-4, Center
Jackson earned all-state third team honors after posting averages of 16 points, 18 rebounds and five blocked shots during her junior season at Gateway High School. She scored a career-best 37 points to go with 16 rebounds and 11 blocks in a win against Baldwin and led the Gators to a 19-4 record and Section 5A championship. As a sophomore, Jackson was an all-section second team selection and helped Gateway win its first-ever WPIAL Championship.
"Lexi is a talented young lady who is still learning some of the intricacies of the game of basketball," Starkey said. "She has the ability to face up and shoot the ball, can alter shots as a shot blocker and is a good rebounder in her air space. We are most excited about her upside and potential to impact the game in a positive way as she continues to develop."
Casey Santoro | 5-4, Point Guard
Santoro is a two-time All-Ohio First Team selection and enters her final season at Bellevue High School with 1,575 career points. Last season, she averaged 21.9 points, 5.9 rebounds, 4.0 steals and 3.6 assists per game for a Lady Red team that went 24-3. Santoro has led Bellevue to three consecutive Sandusky Bay Conference titles and a 49-5 record over the past two seasons, which both ended in the regional championship game against the eventual state champion.
"Casey is a very tough player that also has a very high basketball IQ," Starkey noted. "She doesn't back down from any challenges and makes players around her better. She made 10 threes in a game last season, and her ability to knock down shots will help with our spacing offensively. Casey has been really well-coached by her dad and is going to be a phenomenal asset to this program."
Kent State will play a pair of games this weekend down the road at the Akron Classic before hosting Ohio State at the M.A.C. Center on Thursday, Nov. 21 at 7 p.m.
Be sure to follow the Golden Flashes on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook for news and updates about the team.
