PEORIA, Ill. -- Seventh-year Bradley women's basketball head coach Paula Buscher has added a pair of transfers to the roster for the 2006-07, announcing Felicia Nekmouche (Uppsala, Sweden/Katedral/Kankakee C.C.) and Forsyth, Ill., native Monica Rogers (Forsyth, Ill./St. Teresa/Hampton), a transfer from Hampton, have both joined the team. A 5-9 guard, Nekmouche will have two years of eligibility remaining, while Rogers, a 6-1 forward, will have to sit out the 2006-07 season due to NCAA rules.
Originally recruited by Bradley out of high school, Rogers was key contributor in her two seasons at Hampton and will be eligible for the 2007-08 season. Last season she averaged 10.8 points per game and was the Pirates leading rebounder and tied for second in the MEAC in rebounding at 8.2 boards per contest. She hauled down 10 or more rebounds a total of nine times and led the MEAC in double-doubles.
Rogers appeared in all but one game as a sophomore and started 14 of the 28 games she played in. The first Division I transfer for the Braves since Stephanie White transferred from Missouri, Rogers led Hampton in field goal percentage, shooting nearly 51 percent from the field and led the conference in offensive rebounding, bringing down 3.7 offensive boards per contest.
As a freshman, she started 12 of the 27 games she played in averaging 6.9 points and 5.8 rebounds per game. Rogers shot nearly 50 percent from the field in 2004-05.
A four-time letterwinner at St. Teresa High School in Decatur, Ill., Rogers averaged 24 points, 2.6 assists and 4.2 steals per game as a senior, leading the Bulldogs to a 33-0 mark and Class A State Championship.
"We are excited to have Monica come back home and play here at Bradley," Buscher said. "Monica is a good scorer and rebounder and will give us a physical presence in the front court. She will have a year to continue to work on her game and push her teammates in practice and we are looking forward to her being able to play next year."
A native of Sweden, Nekmouche is the fourth foreign-born player in program history. She helped Kankakee to a 48-16 overall record in her two years and ranks fifth in school history with 303 career assists. Nekmouche averaged nine points, five assists and three steals per game as a sophomore, helping Kankakee to a 25-8 record and NJCAA Division II tournament appearance. A second-team all-region selection, she also earned Region IV All-Tournament honors and helped lead Kankakee to a regional championship last season.
"A proven winner, Felicia is a tough competitor and will add some great depth at guard this season," Buscher said.
