CSU Adds Prep Point Guard During Early Signing Period

Columbus, Ga. -- Columbus State head women's basketball coach Jonathan Norton has announced the signing of a freshman point guard during the fall NCAA Early Signing Period. Baleigh Coley of Northwest Whitfield High School in Tunnel Hill, Georgia, has signed to play for the Lady Cougars beginning in the 2010-11 season.

Coley, the step-daughter of former Cougar men's player Tim Ellis, has played three seasons at Northwest Whitfield for coach Margaret Stockburger. She has scored 518 points in her three-year career, and has dished out 275 assists in that span. As a junior she averaged 6.5 points, four assists, two rebounds and 1.5 steals per game. She shot 50 percent on her two-point attempts, 38 percent on her three-point attempts (41 made), and was a 75 percent free-throw shooter. She was a Chattanooga Times Free Press 1st Team selection as well as earning that same honor from the Dalton Citizen News. She was also named Northwest Georgia Tip-Off Club Player of the Month for December.

Coley also plays for the Georgia Elite AAU team and is an outstanding student.

This is the first player in what will be a definite building process for Norton and assistant coach Fala Suiaunoa. The Lady Cougars will lose seven seniors from the 2009-10 squad.