Northwestern University Athletics
Wildcats Ink Three
11/19/2009 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Nov. 19, 2009
EVANSTON, Ill. --Head coach Joe McKeown announced today the signing of three players to National Letters of Intent. This year's class includes Ohio native Mylan Woods (Strongsville, Ohio/Hathaway Brown) and two local standouts -- La'Terria Taylor (Chicago, Ill./Von Steuben) and Meghan McKeown (Glencoe, Ill./Loyola Academy).
"I think the class we brought in shows the ground work my staff has put in the day we took this job, and it has paid dividends," McKeown said. "To get the players of that caliber away from all the schools that recruited them shows the potential of Northwestern. We answered our needs in becoming quicker and deeper and a better shooting team as well as a better transition team. And, the most important aspect of this class is that all these ladies are tremendous student-athletes who will be great additions to Northwestern University."
Taylor, a 5-foot-10 forward, is ranked 21st in the country at her position by ESPN's HoopGurlz. She was a four-year letterwinner in both basketball and volleyball and a team captain in basketball at Von Stuben. Taylor was an all-state honorable mention and all-conference selection and led the Panthers to regional and conference championships. The Chicago native also was a five-year member of the Chicago Hoops Express Club Team, spearheading the team's efforts toward regional, super regional and state championships. A true student-athlete, Taylor was also senior class vice president and a National Honor Society member.
"La'Terria is one of the top guards in the country coming out of this class and I think will strengthen our program immensely," McKeown said. "Anytime a student-athlete has offers from all over the country and decides to stay close to home says a lot for Northwestern. La'Terria exemplifies the whole student-athlete concept and brings a great work ethic and sense of humility to our program."
Woods is a four-year letterwinner who averaged 15.1 ppg, 6.5 rpg and three assists during her career at Hathaway Brown in Ohio. The 5-10 guard led the Blazers to three-straight state finals, including the 2008-09 Division II state championship. She was a two-time all-state performer and the Ohio Division II Player of the Year as a junior. The Cleveland Plain Dealer All-Star also was the team's MVP three years in a row.
"Mylan will be a great addition to our program," McKeown said. "I feel like she is one of the top players in high school basketball and throughout the country. She brings a tremendous amount of energy to the floor. As we continue to recruit nation-wide, it's really exciting for me to have the opportunity to coach and build our program around high-energy student-athletes."
McKeown, a 5-9 guard from Glencoe, Ill., is a four-time letterwinner and starter over her high school career at both Flint Hill (Va.) and at Loyola Academy. After helping the Ramblers to a 29-3 season and a trip to the regional semi-finals her junior season, she was named a team captain her senior year. McKeown was a Chicago Sun-Times "Top 50 Player" as a junior and preseason honoree as a senior. Her experience in the AAU circuit has been extensive, playing for the Maryland Flames, Fairfax Stars and Illinois Hustle and leading the Hustle to the Illinois state championship in 2009. McKeown also played in the AAU National Championship in Orlando and participated in the Nike National Championship in Augusta, Ga. Like the other signees, McKeown also has excelled in the classroom as she was a four-year National Honors Society member and a two-year member of Honors Council at Flint Hill Prep. She also earned the Loyola Scholar Award in 2008-09.
"Meghan is one of the top shooting guards in the Chicago area and one of the top student-athletes," McKeown said. "She decided to come to Northwestern in what was a very comprehensive family decision. She has lived in the gym since she was two-weeks-old and I think has the toughest skin in the family and can handle playing for her father. She has deep range and outstanding basketball IQ and has a wonderful mother whose patience will be sorely tested over the next four years. Meghan has always been able to earn things herself and I think that will be the case at Northwestern."
For complete bios, please see below.
La'Terria Taylor
5-11 • Guard
Chicago, Ill/Von Steuben
High School: Four-year letter-winner in both basketball and volleyball ... Basketball team captain at Von Steuben ... Averaged 12.4 ppg and 7 rpg over her career ...Ranked 21st in the country at her position by ESPN's HoopGurlz ... All State honorable mention and all-conference selection ... Led the Panthers to regional and conference championships ... Five-year member of the Chicago Hoops Express Club Team, where she was teammates with current NU players Meshia Reed and Kaitlin McInerney ...While a member, Chicago Hoops Express won regional, super regional, and state championships ... Competed against current Wildcat Amy Jaeschke ... High school coach was Sha Hopson ... Senior Class Vice President ... Member of the National Honor Society.
Personal: Born La'Terria Jasmine Taylor ... Daughter of Monica Wells ... Major is undecided.
Mylan Woods
5-10 • Guard/Forward
Strongsville, Ohio/Hathaway Brown
High School: Four-year letterwinner at Hathaway Brown ... Averaged 15.1 ppg, 6.5 rpg, three assists and two steals over her career ... Three-time first team Private School League honoree ... Three-time first team Northeast District ... Northeast District Division II Player of the Year as a sophomore and junior ... Ohio Division II Player of the Year as a junior ... First-team all-state sophomore and junior year ... All-state Tournament team as a freshman and sophomore ... Three-time team MVP ... Three-time Ohio Girls Basketball Report Camp all-star ... Cleveland Plain Dealer all-star as a sophomore and junior ... Led Hathaway Brown to the state finals three years in a row, including the 2008-09 Division II state championship title ... Competed against current Wildcat Brittany Orban ... Played for Jim Clayton and Sports City U ... High school coach was Paul Barlow.
Personal: Born Mylan Nicole Woods ... Parents are Derrick and Kelly Woods ... Brother, D.J., plays football at the University of Cincinnati ... Major is undecided.
Meghan McKeown
5-9 • Guard
Glencoe, Ill./Loyola Academy
High School: Four-time letterwinner and starter over career at Flint Hill (Va.) and at Loyola Academy ... Team captain senior season ... Chicago Sun-Times Top 50 players as a junior and honorable mention as a senior ... Led Flint to the state semifinals sophomore year ... Force behind Loyola Academy's 29-3 season and trip to the regional semifinals junior year ... Played AAU for the Maryland Flames and Fairfax Stars and Illinois Hustle ... Helped the Hustle to the Illinois state championship ... Played in the AAU National Championship in Orlando and led team to top 10 finish ... Also participated in the Nike National Championship in Augusta, Ga. ... One of 30 invited to the Nike Skills Academy in Philadelphia in May 2008 ... Played against fellow signee La'Terria Taylor ... High school coach at Flint Hill was Jody Patrick ... Played for Jeremy Schoenecker at Loyola Academy ... Four-year National Honors Society member ... Two-year member of Honors Council at Flint Hill Prep ... Loyola Scholar Award, 2008-09 ... Attended same high school (Loyola) as Bill Murray and Chris O'Donnell.
Personal: Born Meghan A. McKeown ... Parents are Joe and Laura McKeown ... Father is the head women's basketball coach at Northwestern University ... Cousin, Aubrey McClendon, is the owner of NBA's Oklahoma City Thunder ... Uncle, John McKeown, played college basketball at Walsh College in Ohio ... Anticipated major is journalism.
