May 2, 2000

Tessa Thurman Joins Truman Women's Basketball Team

Head coach Karin Nicholls has announced that Tessa Thurman, a former Atlanta, Mo., Lady Hornet and standout at John Wood Community College, will join the Truman women's basketball team in the fall.

Thurman, a 5-6 guard, was a first-team all-region and all-conference choice last year at John Wood and averaged 17.3 points a game, while leading the team with 148 assists (a new school record) and 123 three-pointers. She is first all-time at JWCC with 190 three point buckets and 209 career assists. Thurman is second among John Wood career leaders with 927 points and 275 field goals made. Thurman also ranks among the schools career leaders in several other categories. She finished her career ranked third in rebounds (394), fifth in blocks (21) and free throws made (187) and third in steals (119).

Thurman set new school records with nine steals in a game vs. Lewis and Clark Community College on Feb. 7, and 33 field goal attempts vs. Meramec Community College on Nov. 13, 1999. Her 495 field goals attempts this past season was a new JWCC standard as well.

"I'm excited about joining the team," Thurman said. "Truman has had a winning program and I'll get to be close to family and friends. I liked the coaches and players when I visited, and I'm really glad to get to play with Jessy (Fletcher) again."

Thurman joins four other recruits, Jessy Fletcher, also from Atlanta, Mo., and Thurman's teammate this past season at John Wood; Emily Turnbull, from Toulon, Ill., Stark County High School; Ashlea Wood from Kirksville, Mo., Kirksville High School; and Annie Westhoff from Webster Groves, Mo., Webster Groves High School.

The Truman women's basketball team completed the 1999-2000 campaign with a 17-9 record and 12-6 in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association for a fourth-place finish. Nicholls is in her fifth season with the Bulldogs, and as a collegiate head coach, and has a career record of 71-64.

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