Friday, April 19, 1996 | 11:59 a.m.
When she was hired as the new coach of the Lady Rebels last month, LaDonna McClain said her first recruits would be three players coming out of high school who she had been recruiting for Austin Peay. Soon after arriving at UNLV, however, she realized what was good enough for her old school might not be good enough for her new one.
Subsequently, at a Thursday press conference to announce her team's incoming recruits, there was no mention of the players McClain had been courting in her pre-UNLV days.
"They probably weren't good enough for this level," she said. "They would have been OK for Austin Peay, but that's a different level than UNLV."
Instead, McClain introduced three new Lady Rebels, each of whom will be transferring from a junior college. Added to the UNLV roster: Brenda Attwater, 5-7 guard, Illinois Central College; Toby Girard, 5-5 guard, Yavapai (Ariz.) College; and T.K. Strambler, 5-11 forward, Central Arizona College.
McClain has three other scholarships to offer for the 1996-97 season, although she said she may give only one of them out. The incoming players will be joining seven returning players -- and possibly eight if Elana Adams regains her eligibility -- as the Lady Rebels try to rebound from a 4-21 season under previous coach Jim Bolla.
"I went the JC route, even though that's probably contrary to my basic philosophies," McClain said. "I'd rather recruit quality freshmen, but this year we were able to pick up three kids that can help us immediately."
Attwater, a shooting guard, is coming off a 30-6 Illinois Central team. She averaged 11.6 points per game.
Girard, a point guard with the 29-4 Yavapai team, averaged 9.0 points and 3.8 assists.
Strambler, a power forward with the 25-5 Central Arizona team, averaged 7.4 points and 3.6 rebounds.
They'll join these returning Lady Rebels: 6-3 junior (to be) Summer Peterson; 5-7 senior Loriessa Randle; 6-2 senior Marija Slodojevic; 5-8 junior Karen Webster; 6-2 sophomore Angie Dye; 6-3 sophomore Liz Wolfe; and 6-0 sophomore Amy Wunderlich.
"We're confident about what we can do at UNLV," McClain said. "I feel very, very good about our prospects. I know we've got our work cut out for us, but we might have another announcement or two to make in the next two or three weeks."
She added a transfer from a four-year school was expected to join the program soon. That transfer, however, will not be eligible next season.
McClain, 31, was hired by UNLV on March 26 and signed a three-year, $200,000 contract. She was 60-103 in six seasons as head coach at Austin Peay.
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