Boatner Becomes Tech's Fourth Women's Basketball Signee

ATLANTA — Tamika Boatner (Memphis, Tenn.), a 1999 finalist for the Naismith Girls’ National Prep Player-of-the-Year award, has signed a national letter of intent to play basketball at Georgia Tech next season, Yellow Jackets’ head coach Agnus Berenato announced Friday.

“It’s a tremendous compliment to have one of the top-10 players in the nation select Georgia Tech,” Berenato said. “Tamika is quick, agile and a strong player in the paint. She can post up, play with her back to the basket or play facing the basket. Tamika can come right in and make an immediate impact for us.”

Boatner, a 6-foot-2 post player, averaged 21 points and 11 rebounds for Whitehaven High School during the 1998-99 season, leading her team to a 20-12 record. As a junior, Boatner led Whitehaven to a 24-7 overall mark and a city championship.

“I’m glad the whole process is over, and I’m exciting about coming to Georgia Tech,” said Boatner, who was one of 10 finalists for the Naismith prep award, given by the Atlanta Tipoff Club. “I really love the coaching staff and the city of Atlanta.”

Boatner garnered honorable mention all-America honors from USA Today and Street & Smith’s. She was also tabbed one of the top-20 high school seniors by Athlon in their 1998-99 basketball preview issue. As a senior, she was also voted to the Memphis all-metro team and was an honorable mention all-state choice by the Associated Press.

Boatner is the second women’s basketball signee of the spring signing period and fourth signee overall for the 1999-00 season. On Wednesday, the Yellow Jackets signed 5-5 point guard Alex Stewart (Norcross, Ga.), also an All-USA honorable mention selection by USA Today. Stewart earned second-team AAAA all-state honors in Georgia and was the two-time Gwinnett County Player of the Year.

Stewart and Boatner join Amy Lingenfelder (Fairfax, Va.) and Sonja Mallory (The Bronx, N.Y.) as Tech’s 1999-00 signees. Lingenfelder and Mallory both signed with the Jackets during the early signing period.

Lingenfelder, a 5-8 shooting guard for W.T. Woodson High School, was also an honorable mention All-USA choice and an All-Metro selection by The Washington Post. Mallory, a 6-4 center, averaged 12 points and 12 rebounds per game last year for Brooklyn Technical High School.

“The four players that we’ve signed, along with the players we have returning, should help us raise our level of play next season,” Berenato said.