SEATTLE – University of Washington women's basketball head coach
Jody Wynn added another talented player to 2018-19 squad, announcing that 6-4 Australian center Darcy Rees has signed a National Letter of Intent to play for the Huskies next year.
Rees, who hails from Adelaide, South Australia, comes to UW with a solid resume of international competition. She has been a member of the Australia U-17 National Team for the last three seasons, helping the squad to the 2017 FIBA Oceania Championship. She has also been invited to the Basketball Australia National Development Camp in 2016 and again in January of this year. Rees is listed as a four-star recruit according to prospectsnation.com.
"We're excited to welcome Darcy to our Husky family!" said Wynn. "Darcy is a high character young lady who brings terrific international experience. She's a mobile post player who runs the floor very well. Darcy's presence inside gives us needed length on defense. She has a nice shooting touch and will be able to stretch the floor and shoot the three in our system."
"Deciding to travel half way across the world to attend college and play basketball was a huge decision for my family and myself," said Rees. "However as soon as I commenced my official visit at the University of Washington I had a feeling that this was the school for me. For me all the people at UW were kind, friendly and genuine, all the coaching staff were approachable and easy to talk to, making me feel comfortable and welcome. I felt that the versatile and fast flowing game style that UW played suited me as a player, as I like to run the floor and want to continue to improve my outside game, something they were more than willing to support."
Rees represented South Australia at the U-20 Australian National Championships this past season, helping the team to a fourth-place finish, despite being one of seven members of the 10-person team on the low end of the age level. She averaged 11.1 points, 6.3 rebounds and 1.0 steals per game, shooting 46 percent from the field in seven games against players nearly three years older than her. While at the 2017 FIBA Oceania Championship in Guam last July, Rees averaged 14.0 points, 7.0 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.2 blocks in 21.3 minutes over five games. She recorded a 15-point, 11-rebound double-double in just 22 minutes in the semifinals.
In club play, Rees won numerous championships this past season. She was a part of the National Junior Classics Melbourne U18 Girls Division I Championship team and as well as a member of the south Australian State Championship team. Rees also was a part of the Winter and Summer Season Champions as a member of the South Australian U18 Girls Division I team.
Rees' parents – Paul and Nicole – both played professionally in Australia. Paul was a four-time NBL champion while playing for Adelaide 36ers and North Melbourne Giants and also was a member of the Australian national team. Nicole Guy-Rees was a member of Australia's WNBL from 1990-97. Her younger sister Kelsey is also a member of the Australian U16 team.
"I decided if I was to go to college I wanted to go to a highly academic school where I could receive a quality education on a beautiful campus in a nice city with things to do," said Rees. "I wanted a close, caring and accepting team environment, a school in a very good conference, an opportunity to work hard and earn court time in my freshman year and coaches and a program that were willing to help me extend my game both outside and inside to allow me to play professionally in the future. The University of Washington ticks all of these boxes and I cannot wait to put on the purple and gold for the Huskies this year!"
The Huskies wrapped up the 2017-18 season with a 7-23 record in the first season under Wynn, who inherited a team which lost over 85 percent of its scoring and rebounding. Washington returns nine of 10 players from last year's active lineup and adds three incoming players to the squad for next season.
