Two four stars and another nationally-ranked prospect in Stollings' 2016 class.
From the Athletic Communications Department:
Head coach Marlene Stollings and her Minnesota women’s basketball staff have signed four future Golden Gophers to National Letters of Intent (NLI). Gadiva Hubbard (Virginia Beach, Va.), twin sisters Kehinde and Taiye Bello (Southfield, Mich.) and Jasmine Brunson (Queens, N.Y.) will join the program beginning in the 2016-17 season.
Gadiva Hubbard
Virginia Beach, Va. (Princess Anne High School) | 5-9 Guard
Gadiva Hubbard comes to the Gophers listed as the No. 27 guard in the nation by ESPN. She received a four-star rating from Prospects Nation and played AAU for one of most storied programs in the nation, Boo Williams Elite. Hubbard is a two-time All-USA Today Virginia Girls Basketball First Team selection, including status as the only underclassman on the first team in 2014. She has twice collected Virginia High School League Group 5A All-State, All-Tidewater Player of the Year, Group 5A South Region First Team and All-Atlantic Conference Player of the Year accolades.
Hubbard led Princess Anne to consecutive Group 5A state titles her sophomore and junior seasons. In 2014, she scored 15 of the Cavaliers’ 16 fourth-quarter points as part of her championship-record 35, which included seven 3-pointers. Hubbard scored 31 points in the 2015 title game, including 25 in the second half to help Princess Anne overcome a 16-point halftime deficit. She averaged 18.6 points and 7.1 rebounds per game as a sophomore, notching 97 steals and 70 3-pointers. As a junior, she averaged 16.6 points, 5.8 rebounds, 3.8 steals and 2.9 assists.
Hubbard on her commitment: “Once I realized the difference between me wanting to play for a school, and a school wanting me to play for them, I knew the University of Minnesota was where I should be. It’s not close to home, but Coach Marlene and Coach Nik have been recruiting me for a long time. Everyone made me feel so comfortable and at home on my visit. UMN has one of the greatest pharmacy schools, allowing me to fulfill my career dream while balling at the same time. The coaching staff is great and my future teammates are, too. Big Ten, here I come!”
Stollings on Hubbard: "Gadiva is someone who we have been recruiting for many years and it is special to have her joining our program. She is a delightful young lady with aggressive academic and athletic goals. Gadiva is a pure scorer who will thrive in our high-octane offense. Her toughness on the court and her high basketball IQ are innate qualities that fit perfectly in our system. We are ecstatic that Gadiva is joining our Gopher family.”
Princess Anne coach Darnell Dozier: "(Gadiva) is a very well spoken, outgoing young lady. She is very basketball savvy and always willing to give a helping hand. She will bring a lot to the Golden Gopher program. Watch out: The long 3-ball is coming to your school. Go, Gophers!"
AAU coach Boo Williams: “The Golden Gophers are getting a player with a good work ethic and high basketball IQ, and a proven winner. I can’t wait to see her in Maroon and Gold.”
Taiye Bello
Southfield, Mich. (Southfield-Lathrup High School) | 6-2 Forward
Taiye Bello, a Prospects Nation four-star recruit, has been ranked the No. 20 and No. 38 forward in the country by ESPN and Collegiate Girls Scouting Report (CGSR), respectively. LBI rated her the third-best prospect in Michigan, and All-Star Girls Report (ASGR) tabbed her the No. 108 overall prospect nationally. Bello garnered Associated Press Class A All-State Honorable Mention, All-Oakland County Activities Association Red Division and All-Oakland County laurels in 2015. She led her team in blocks (1.8) and rebounds (9.0) per game and was third in scoring (10.6 points per game) as a junior, while shooting 54 percent and tallying 10 double-doubles. Bello averaged 16 points, 12 rebounds and three blocks as sophomore.
Taiye Bello on her commitment: "I'm so grateful to have been given the opportunity to play for the University of Minnesota. I quickly realized after meeting Coach Marlene and her staff, and then seeing the campus and everything Minnesota had to offer, that this was the school for me--a school I could grow more than anywhere else I visited, as student and as an athlete. I'm thrilled to be a Golden Gopher."
Stollings on Taiye Bello: "Taiye is top-notch in the classroom and takes great pride with her academic endeavors. On the court, she gives us outstanding speed, length and versatility. Her athleticism is elite and she has the ability to score in a variety of ways around the basket, as well as in transition. We are ecstatic about the dimension she adds to our team."
Kehinde Bello
Southfield, Mich. (Southfield-Lathrup High School) | 6-2 Forward
Kehinde Bello was part of Southfield-Lathrup’s Oakland Activities Association Red Division championship team in 2014-15. The Chargers went 21-2 and earned a No. 3 ranking in Michigan’s Class A. Bello also helped her team reach the regional semifinals as a sophomore. She averaged 6.3 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game as the team’s top defender her junior year. ESPN ranked her the No. 45 forward nationally in the 2016 class. Bello and her twin sister, Taiye, play for coach Michele Marshall at Southfield-Lathrup, and the pair played AAU basketball with the Michigan Storm.
Kehinde Bello on her commitment: "I chose Minnesota not only for the great academics and basketball program, but also for the wonderful coaching staff. I loved my visit to Minnesota, Coach Marlene and her staff were so inviting and passionate about their program and school, and the school had so much to offer to me to grow as a student-athlete and as a young lady. I felt a strong, positive energy throughout the visit. It felt like family. I'm so excited to become a Gopher and see what my future holds at Minnesota."
Stollings on Kehinde Bello: "Kehinde, like her twin Taiye, excels in the classroom. On the court, she is an elite athlete who thrives in an up-tempo system. She brings a strong ability to defend and rebound. Kehinde's offensive game is evolving and her best basketball is ahead of her."
Michigan Storm coach Jeff Taylor on Kehinde and Taiye Bello: "When the Bello twins informed me that they would be attending the University of Minnesota I was thrilled. These young ladies are extremely blessed athletically and are hard workers. Moreover, they are first-class people who value academics. The relationship that I was able to cultivate with the Gopher staff during the recruitment process provided me with a firm assurance that the twins would be taken care of during their matriculation. Additionally, from a basketball perspective, they and I have been extremely impressed with the development of post players at Minnesota. I look forward to the next four years and am grateful for the University of Minnesota women's basketball staff for offering these true gems."
Jasmine Brunson
Queens, N.Y. (Mary Louis Academy) | 5-7 Guard
Jasmine Brunson was named to the Tablet’s 2015 Girls Division I Second Team. She averaged 16 points, six rebounds, four assists and three steals per game as a junior. Brunson transferred to Mary Louis Academy from Bayside, where she averaged 23.2 points per game and earned All-Borough (Queens) Honorable Mention as a freshman. She played AAU basketball with Positive Direction.
Brunson on her commitment: "I realized that the University of Minnesota is where I wanted to be during my visit. They've been recruiting me for a while and it’s a great situation for me. While I was on my visit I really felt the family atmosphere, I saw how supportive and invested everyone was toward the team and I want to be a part of that. I want to thank Coach Marlene and the staff for giving me the opportunity to be a Golden Gopher and I'm looking forward to wearing that Maroon and Gold next year. "
Stollings on Brunson: "Jasmine grew up playing against boys on the playgrounds of New York City. Her grit, toughness and relentless drive to succeed, in all facets of her life, fit our culture and should allow her to transition quickly. Jasmine possesses strong ball handling skills, a high basketball IQ and the ability to score. Her quickness is a tremendous asset on both ends of the floor. We are thrilled that Jasmine is our staff's first New York City student athlete.”
Mary Louis Academy Coach and Positive Direction coach JoAnn Arbitello: "Jasmine has worked endless hours to obtain a scholarship, and what better place than the University of Minnesota, where she can continue to grow as a student athlete in a family atmosphere just like Positive Direction and Mary Louis? Go, Gophers!"
From the Athletic Communications Department:
Head coach Marlene Stollings and her Minnesota women’s basketball staff have signed four future Golden Gophers to National Letters of Intent (NLI). Gadiva Hubbard (Virginia Beach, Va.), twin sisters Kehinde and Taiye Bello (Southfield, Mich.) and Jasmine Brunson (Queens, N.Y.) will join the program beginning in the 2016-17 season.
Gadiva Hubbard
Virginia Beach, Va. (Princess Anne High School) | 5-9 Guard
Gadiva Hubbard comes to the Gophers listed as the No. 27 guard in the nation by ESPN. She received a four-star rating from Prospects Nation and played AAU for one of most storied programs in the nation, Boo Williams Elite. Hubbard is a two-time All-USA Today Virginia Girls Basketball First Team selection, including status as the only underclassman on the first team in 2014. She has twice collected Virginia High School League Group 5A All-State, All-Tidewater Player of the Year, Group 5A South Region First Team and All-Atlantic Conference Player of the Year accolades.
Hubbard led Princess Anne to consecutive Group 5A state titles her sophomore and junior seasons. In 2014, she scored 15 of the Cavaliers’ 16 fourth-quarter points as part of her championship-record 35, which included seven 3-pointers. Hubbard scored 31 points in the 2015 title game, including 25 in the second half to help Princess Anne overcome a 16-point halftime deficit. She averaged 18.6 points and 7.1 rebounds per game as a sophomore, notching 97 steals and 70 3-pointers. As a junior, she averaged 16.6 points, 5.8 rebounds, 3.8 steals and 2.9 assists.
Hubbard on her commitment: “Once I realized the difference between me wanting to play for a school, and a school wanting me to play for them, I knew the University of Minnesota was where I should be. It’s not close to home, but Coach Marlene and Coach Nik have been recruiting me for a long time. Everyone made me feel so comfortable and at home on my visit. UMN has one of the greatest pharmacy schools, allowing me to fulfill my career dream while balling at the same time. The coaching staff is great and my future teammates are, too. Big Ten, here I come!”
Stollings on Hubbard: "Gadiva is someone who we have been recruiting for many years and it is special to have her joining our program. She is a delightful young lady with aggressive academic and athletic goals. Gadiva is a pure scorer who will thrive in our high-octane offense. Her toughness on the court and her high basketball IQ are innate qualities that fit perfectly in our system. We are ecstatic that Gadiva is joining our Gopher family.”
Princess Anne coach Darnell Dozier: "(Gadiva) is a very well spoken, outgoing young lady. She is very basketball savvy and always willing to give a helping hand. She will bring a lot to the Golden Gopher program. Watch out: The long 3-ball is coming to your school. Go, Gophers!"
AAU coach Boo Williams: “The Golden Gophers are getting a player with a good work ethic and high basketball IQ, and a proven winner. I can’t wait to see her in Maroon and Gold.”
Taiye Bello
Southfield, Mich. (Southfield-Lathrup High School) | 6-2 Forward
Taiye Bello, a Prospects Nation four-star recruit, has been ranked the No. 20 and No. 38 forward in the country by ESPN and Collegiate Girls Scouting Report (CGSR), respectively. LBI rated her the third-best prospect in Michigan, and All-Star Girls Report (ASGR) tabbed her the No. 108 overall prospect nationally. Bello garnered Associated Press Class A All-State Honorable Mention, All-Oakland County Activities Association Red Division and All-Oakland County laurels in 2015. She led her team in blocks (1.8) and rebounds (9.0) per game and was third in scoring (10.6 points per game) as a junior, while shooting 54 percent and tallying 10 double-doubles. Bello averaged 16 points, 12 rebounds and three blocks as sophomore.
Taiye Bello on her commitment: "I'm so grateful to have been given the opportunity to play for the University of Minnesota. I quickly realized after meeting Coach Marlene and her staff, and then seeing the campus and everything Minnesota had to offer, that this was the school for me--a school I could grow more than anywhere else I visited, as student and as an athlete. I'm thrilled to be a Golden Gopher."
Stollings on Taiye Bello: "Taiye is top-notch in the classroom and takes great pride with her academic endeavors. On the court, she gives us outstanding speed, length and versatility. Her athleticism is elite and she has the ability to score in a variety of ways around the basket, as well as in transition. We are ecstatic about the dimension she adds to our team."
Kehinde Bello
Southfield, Mich. (Southfield-Lathrup High School) | 6-2 Forward
Kehinde Bello was part of Southfield-Lathrup’s Oakland Activities Association Red Division championship team in 2014-15. The Chargers went 21-2 and earned a No. 3 ranking in Michigan’s Class A. Bello also helped her team reach the regional semifinals as a sophomore. She averaged 6.3 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game as the team’s top defender her junior year. ESPN ranked her the No. 45 forward nationally in the 2016 class. Bello and her twin sister, Taiye, play for coach Michele Marshall at Southfield-Lathrup, and the pair played AAU basketball with the Michigan Storm.
Kehinde Bello on her commitment: "I chose Minnesota not only for the great academics and basketball program, but also for the wonderful coaching staff. I loved my visit to Minnesota, Coach Marlene and her staff were so inviting and passionate about their program and school, and the school had so much to offer to me to grow as a student-athlete and as a young lady. I felt a strong, positive energy throughout the visit. It felt like family. I'm so excited to become a Gopher and see what my future holds at Minnesota."
Stollings on Kehinde Bello: "Kehinde, like her twin Taiye, excels in the classroom. On the court, she is an elite athlete who thrives in an up-tempo system. She brings a strong ability to defend and rebound. Kehinde's offensive game is evolving and her best basketball is ahead of her."
Michigan Storm coach Jeff Taylor on Kehinde and Taiye Bello: "When the Bello twins informed me that they would be attending the University of Minnesota I was thrilled. These young ladies are extremely blessed athletically and are hard workers. Moreover, they are first-class people who value academics. The relationship that I was able to cultivate with the Gopher staff during the recruitment process provided me with a firm assurance that the twins would be taken care of during their matriculation. Additionally, from a basketball perspective, they and I have been extremely impressed with the development of post players at Minnesota. I look forward to the next four years and am grateful for the University of Minnesota women's basketball staff for offering these true gems."
Jasmine Brunson
Queens, N.Y. (Mary Louis Academy) | 5-7 Guard
Jasmine Brunson was named to the Tablet’s 2015 Girls Division I Second Team. She averaged 16 points, six rebounds, four assists and three steals per game as a junior. Brunson transferred to Mary Louis Academy from Bayside, where she averaged 23.2 points per game and earned All-Borough (Queens) Honorable Mention as a freshman. She played AAU basketball with Positive Direction.
Brunson on her commitment: "I realized that the University of Minnesota is where I wanted to be during my visit. They've been recruiting me for a while and it’s a great situation for me. While I was on my visit I really felt the family atmosphere, I saw how supportive and invested everyone was toward the team and I want to be a part of that. I want to thank Coach Marlene and the staff for giving me the opportunity to be a Golden Gopher and I'm looking forward to wearing that Maroon and Gold next year. "
Stollings on Brunson: "Jasmine grew up playing against boys on the playgrounds of New York City. Her grit, toughness and relentless drive to succeed, in all facets of her life, fit our culture and should allow her to transition quickly. Jasmine possesses strong ball handling skills, a high basketball IQ and the ability to score. Her quickness is a tremendous asset on both ends of the floor. We are thrilled that Jasmine is our staff's first New York City student athlete.”
Mary Louis Academy Coach and Positive Direction coach JoAnn Arbitello: "Jasmine has worked endless hours to obtain a scholarship, and what better place than the University of Minnesota, where she can continue to grow as a student athlete in a family atmosphere just like Positive Direction and Mary Louis? Go, Gophers!"
