Women's basketball adds five student-athletes to 2010-11 roster

Three continents represented in 2010-11 class

NEWBERRY, S.C. – Newberry College head women’s basketball coach Sean Page announced that five student-athletes will be joining the Wolves for the upcoming 2010-11 season. Ellie Gleeson, Ruta Valiulyte, VaMiche McCullough, Ayana Ward and Brittany Brown will all join Newberry’s roster this fall.

Gleeson (Albury, New South Wales, Australia) is a 5-foot-10 combination guard and a former member of the New South Wales All-State Under 18 and Under 20 teams that competed at the Australian National Junior Tournament from 2008-10. Gleeson led her Xavier High School team to a national championship in 2008 and a second place finish in 2009. She was also selected to the All-Australia High School team that completed an undefeated tour of North and South Carolina in December of 2009.

“Ellie is a very experienced player with a history of success,” stated Page, who will enter his third season as Newberry’s head coach. “She is a big guard that can play multiple positions and has the ability to score from the perimeter and off the dribble. Ellie is also a tough physical defender and a very good rebounder from the guard position. I expect her to have a positive impact on our program and compete for playing time immediately.”

Valiulyte (Lietuva, Lithuania) is a 5-foot-10 guard that attended the Vilnius Basketball School in Lithuania from 2001-09 before coming to the United States this past year to play her only high school season at Montverde Academy in Florida.  During her time in Lithuania, she competed in various international tournaments with the Lithuanian National Junior team, and was a member of the two-time Lithuanian national champion team for girls born in 1991.

While at Montverde, the combination guard averaged 18.0 points, six rebounds and four steals per game. She tallied a season-high of 36 points and was named team MVP. Valiulyte’s brother, Vytautas Valiulis, graduated from Newberry and was a point guard on the men’s basketball team, while her mother played professionally in Europe for over a decade.

“Ruta is a very skilled and fundamentally sound basketball player,” said Page. “She has good size and length and the ability to stretch the defense with her shooting range. She is very good off the dribble and is comfortable going to the basket with either hand. She brings depth and added scoring punch to our backcourt.”

McCullough (Fort Mill, S.C.) is a 5-foot-8 guard/forward from Nation Ford High School.

Ward (Buford, Ga.) is a 5-foot-5 point guard who attended Buford High School in Buford, Ga.

Brown (Fort Myers, Fla.) is a 6-foot forward who transferred from the University of Tampa. 

“We’re excited about the young ladies that are joining our program. We feel confident that they will have a positive impact both on the basketball team and in the university community,” said Page.