IVCC lands a ray of 
sunshine from Florida

OGLESBY — Pat Cinotte sounded like a kid on Christmas Eve, knowing he had a package to open the next morning and couldn’t wait.

Cinotte told the BCR Thursday morning he had received a verbal commitment from Shannon Washington from Riverview High School in Sarasota, Fla., but was waiting on the signed papers. When the papers arrived later in the day, he felt like it was Christmas Day.

According to Cinotte, Washington is ranked among the top 20 players in the state of Florida by ESPN.com. The 5-10 swing player averaged 20 points and 12 rebounds her senior year in the Sunshine State, Cinotte said. Riverview, a 6A school, went 37-7 last season.

“All the scouting services had her ranked high, so you figure you’re getting a quality kid,” he said. “I’m excited about all three recruits and excited about the team coming back.”

Cinotte had been in nearly daily contact with Washington and her mother the past two weeks. He said IVCC beat out a top rated junior college in Texas for Washington’s talents. The clinching deal, he joked, may have been the north central Illinois weather.

“She said she’s definitely looking forward to seeing snow. Maybe that’s how I beat out Texas,” he said. “She asked if she needed a new wardrobe, and I told her I didn’t think her wardrobe would last the months of December, January, February and March.”

When asked if she had heard of Oglesby, Ill. before, Cinotte said with a laugh, “No, she hasn’t,” Cinotte said.

The IVCC coach had Washington talk to some of his players to make sure IVCC would be a good fit for her.

Cinotte has also signed up Kayli O’Flanagan of Seneca and Traci Osby, a 6-1 post from Rantoul, joining recruits Ashley Schwingle of LaMoille and Kourtney Ewald of Ottawa, who signed prior to Cinotte taking over at IVCC on May 22.

Cinotte said these recruits gives him a roster of 12 and he has talked to all the district high school coaches and there is no other players out there to be had.

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