(Posted June 2, 2009)

HUNTINGDON, Pa. -- Juniata College women's basketball has received commitments from four high school seniors who will be continuing their education at Juniata while competing for the Eagles in 2009-10.

Natalie Glinsky (Indiana, Pa.), Alyssia Gordon (Spring Grove, Pa.), Paige Robertson (Altoona, Pa.), and Jordan Speck (Huntingdon, Pa.), will be joining the Juniata women's basketball program beginning this August.

"I think we got a solid recruiting class from a holistic standpoint â?" academically they're ready for Juniata, and basketball-wise they're very committed," said Juniata head coach Danny Young-Uhrich. "

"There's room for growth for all four of these players, and there's a lot of opportunity for them to step up as freshmen. It's going to be interesting to see how they respond to that. Above all, however, they're willing to work hard â?" this freshman class is a group that is definitely willing to take what I say literally," added Young.

The four incoming freshman, in alphabetical order, are:

Natalie Glinsky
5-7, Guard, Indiana, Pa. (Indiana Area HS)

A three-year letterwinner at Indiana Area High School for coach David Woodall, Glinsky was an All-Indiana Gazette Third team selection in 2009. She was an All-Tournament Team selection at the Indiana Tip-Off Tournament, and was named Most Valuable Player at the Indiana Holiday Tournament. She helped lead the Indians to a WPIAL AAA Section 3 championship this past season, making it to the "elite eight" round of the PIAA AAA state tournament.

Glinksy played soccer for two seasons at Indiana Area HS, and was a National Honor Society member. She qualified for the High Honor Roll all four years in high school, and received the Seton Hill Outstanding Women in Mathematics and Science Award. The daughter of Frederick and Sharon Glinsky, she will be studying biology at Juniata College.

Alyssia Gordon
5-10, Forward, Spring Grove, Pa. (Spring Grove HS)

Alyssia was a four-year letterwinner and three-year starter at forward for coach Vance Myers at Spring Grove, where she helped lead the Rockets to an 18-11 record last season and the first round of the PIAA AAAA state tournament. A two-time team captain, she was a York & Adams County All-Star selection in 2009. She earned All-Tournament Team honors at the Spring Grove Tip-Off and Hershey tournaments, and was a two-time Hanover Evening Sun player of the week.

Gordon volunteered with Habitat for Humanity while a student at Spring Grove, and was on the Youth Leadership Team at her church. She is the daughter of Jeff and Karen Gordon, and will be studying elementary education at Juniata College.


Paige Robertson
5-5, Guard, Altoona, Pa. (Altoona Area HS)

Robertson played for three seasons at Altoona Area HS for coach Craig Long, and started her senior season. She was named to the All-Tournament team at the Hollidaysburg Roundball Classic, and was MVP of the Altoona Mirror Classic. She was a part of Altoona's 2007 squad that captured the District 6 championship in 2007. Her 2008-09 Lady Lions' squad won tournaments at McKeesport, Hollidaysburg, and Red Lion.

The daughter of Phillip and Amy Robertson, she was a Honor Roll student at Altoona Area HS. Robertson will be studying secondary education at Juniata College.

Jordan Speck
6-0, Guard, Huntingdon, Pa. (Southern Huntingdon County HS)

A three-year starter at Southern Huntingdon County HS for her father, coach Phil Speck, Jordan Speck finished her career with 1,151 career points and 519 career rebounds for the Rockets. She was a three-time Juniata Valley League All-Star, earning First team honors as a senior. She also earned Central Pennsylvania All-Star honors at the Altoona Mirror Classic, and was named to All-Tournament teams at Lancaster and Lewistown. Jordan helped lead Southern Huntingdon to a 28-2 record last season, reaching the semifinals of the PIAA AA state tournament.

A National Honor Society member, Jordan is the daughter of Phil Speck and Missy Beidelman. She will begin her freshman year in the exploratory studies program at Juniata College.

Juniata posted an 18-11 record last season, 9-5 in the Landmark Conference, earning its second consecutive trip to the Landmark Conference Tournament. The Eagles won the ECAC Division III South Region Tournament, capturing the first post-season championship in program history.

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Contact April Feagley at feaglea@juniata.edu or (814) 641-3131 for more information.