June 3, 2002

Santa Barbara, Calif. - April McDivitt, a 5-7 point guard from Connersville, Ind., has signed a scholarship offer to study and play basketball at UC Santa Barbara, head coach Mark French announced Monday.

McDivitt played the past three seasons at the University of Tennessee, averaging 5.0 points and 1.9 assists in 104 career games. She started all five games of the Lady Volunteers' 2002 NCAA Tournament run, which concluded with a loss to eventual champion Connecticut in the National Semifinals. An efficient three-point shooter, McDivitt ranks among the top-10 players in UT history with a .412 career field goal percentage from behind the arc. The psychology major is also an outstanding student, earning a spot on the Southeastern Conference All-Academic Team in each of the past two seasons.

Pursuant to NCAA Division I transfer rules, McDivitt must sit out the upcoming 2002-03 season, but is permitted to practice with the team. She will have one year of eligibility remaining at UCSB.

"I'm excited to welcome April McDivitt into the Gaucho family. She's a fabulous individual who I think will be a great leader for us," French said. "She has a tremendous work ethic, and that's going to buy her a lot of respect from our players right away. April is coming into the program at a very opportune moment, with two senior point guards [Debby Caine and Jess Hansen] graduating after next season. She will provide us with a steadying force in the backcourt in 2003-04."

McDivitt enjoyed a stellar prep career, establishing new Connersville High School records for points (1,908), assists (441), steals (387) and three-pointers (206). As a senior in 1999 she garnered All-American acclaim from USA Today and the Women's Basketball Coaches' Association, and was a finalist for the Naismith High School Player of the Year Award. That same season McDivitt was rated as the second-best guard in the country by Blue Star Index, a prep scouting service.

McDivitt is the fourth student-athlete - and second Division I transfer - to sign with Santa Barbara within the past year. In April, 6-6 post player Kate Bauman, a native of Prior Lake, Minn., transferred from Iowa State and will have two years of eligibility remaining beginning in 2003-04. Meanwhile during the Fall Early Signing Period 6-3 post player Haddy Sarr, a Stockholm, Sweden native who played her freshman season at Iowa Western Community College, and 5-10 shooting guard Ebony Young from Oakland High School in Oakland, Calif., decided to join the UCSB program.

The Gauchos are coming off a 26-6 season in which they reached the second round of the NCAA Tournament following a 57-56 upset of fifth-seeded Louisiana Tech. Santa Barbara has won the past six Big West Conference Tournament titles, advancing to the NCAA's each year.