The Lewis-Clark State College women’s basketball team has added two recruits for the upcoming season in post players Ornela Bacchini and Laurenna Plourd, Warrior head coach Brian Orr has announced.
Bacchini, a 6-foot-2 junior from Buenos Aires, Argentina, comes to the Warriors after two years at Midland College (Texas). Plourd, who is from Bothell, Wash., is a 6-foot-3 freshman out of Kamiak High School in Mukilteo, Wash.
“We are extremely excited that both Ornela and Laurenna have decided to join our basketball program,” said Orr.
Bacchini helped lead Midland to a 23-6 record last season. She was second on the team with a shooting clip of over 48-percent, and averaged 7.9 points per game. The 23-year-old will be expected to take on a leadership role for a team which returns just one senior.
“Ornela is a talented offensive player who can score with her back to the basket and can also hit the perimeter jump shot. She is an excellent passer who has a great feel for the game,” Orr said. “In trying to replace [Alyssa] Fierro and [Kirsi] Voshell we felt it was important to bring in at least one junior college player who can make an immediate impact. Ornela brings a wealth of playing experience including the last two seasons in one of the toughest junior college leagues in the country.”
Plourd was a second-team all-Wesco League selection last year with Kamiak.
“In terms of experience, Laurenna is on the other end, and, honestly, that is one of the reasons we are so excited about her,” said Orr. “She is a long 6-foot-3 and when you watch her play, while knowing she doesn’t have a ton of AAU experience, it’s hard not to see tremendous potential just waiting to be developed. It is a perfect fit for us and for her too, because we both have high expectations and she will have time to adjust to the college game.”
Bacchini and Plourd join Caitlin Carr, a 6-foot forward/post from Mountainview High School in Auburn, Wash., as part of this year’s recruiting class.
