Wayne State College head women's basketball coach Brian Ortmeier has announced that five student-athletes have signed national letters of intent to attend Wayne State and play for the Wildcats in the 2026-27 academic year.  The group includes Ruth Dvoracek of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, Courtney Franck from Mount Vernon, Iowa, Eleanor Griffin from Lincoln, Jadyn Kor of Pipestone, Minnesota and Avah Underwood from Council Bluffs, Iowa.
            "We are very excited to officially announce our 2026 recruiting class," commented Ortmeier.  "It's a very talented group of student-athletes that have been very successful in their high school careers.  They are also great fits for our program from a team culture standpoint and we can't wait for them to be a part of the Wildcat family next season."
            Dvoracek is a 5-10 guard/forward from Sioux Falls Christian High School.  Last season she averaged 7.7 points and 4.7 rebounds per game helping the Chargers to a 24-1 record and the Class A state championship.  As a sophomore she was a member of the Class AA unbeaten state championship team at Sioux Falls O'Gorman.
            "Ruth is an aggressive player that plays with a high motor on both ends of the court," stated Coach Ortmeier.  "Her length and athleticism will be a great fit with our transition offense and full court press as we move forward.  Ruth has a high IQ for the game of basketball and is also a proven winner claiming a state championship with her team last year."
            Franck is a 5-8 point guard from Mount Vernon High School in Iowa where she is a four-year starter in basketball and three years in soccer.  As a junior, Franck 7.9 points, 7.1 rebounds, 5.2 assists and 3.1 steals per game while shooting 48 percent from the field helping the Mustangs capture the Iowa Class 3A state title with a 26-1 record.  She was named IPSWA (Iowa Print Sports Writers Association) Class 3A All-State Third Team last season and was voted to the Class 3A State All-Tournament Team while earning All-WAMAC Conference Second Team honors.  During her sophomore season Franck recorded 6.6 points, 4.7 assists, 4.0 rebounds and 3.1 steals per contest while making 50.7 percent of her shots from the field as Mount Vernon posted a 22-4 record.  She already holds school records for career steals and assists entering her senior season and was an Academic All-State selection as a junior.
            "Courtney is a tough, all-around point guard that has great floor vision and the ability to control the tempo of a game," commented Ortmeier.  "She can score, pass and rebound and she makes everyone around her better with her positive energy.  Courtney is a great leader and she will look to repeat as a state champion this upcoming season."
            Eleanor Griffin is a 6-0 shooting forward from Lincoln Southwest High School where she is a four-year starter and letter winner.  Last season as a junior she averaged 10.6 points and 4.4 rebounds per game for the Silver Hawks, earning All-City and All-Heartland Athletic Conference honors to go with Class A All-State honorable mention.  Griffin also started as a sophomore where she produced 8.0 points and 3.9 rebounds a contest on Lincoln Southwest's 22-4 team that advanced to the Class A semi-finals in 2023-24.  She is a three-time All-Heartland Conference and two-time All-City honoree and has been named to the All-Conference Academic Team three times.
            "Eleanor is a smooth lefty that has a great feel for the game," Ortmeier remarked.  "As a 6-0 shooting guard she's a talented three-level scorer that will create a ton of mismatch problems for our future opponents. Her versatility will fit in well within our program and she will also be a force on the defensive end with her ability to block shots."
            Kor is a 5-10 guard from Pipestone High School in Minnesota where she is a multi-sport standout starting four years in basketball and softball and three in volleyball.  Last season she became the all-time leading scorer in Arrow history surpassing 1,500 points as a junior while averaging just over 24 points a game to go with 6.6 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 2.6 blocks and 2.5 steals while shooting 44 percent from the floor and 76 percent at the free throw stripe.  She is a three-time All-Big South Conference selection in basketball and was an All-Conference honoree in volleyball this season.  Kor also excelled in softball where she was All-Big South Conference twice helping her team to a pair of state tournament appearances. 
            "Jadyn is a natural scorer that already holds her school record for career points," said Ortmeier.  "She is a talented 3-point shooter that also has a knack for getting to the rim.  Jadyn will provide an offensive punch to our program and she'll also be someone that can stretch the floor for our offense in the future."
            Underwood is a 6-0 forward from Council Bluffs St. Albert High School in Iowa where she is a three-year starter and four-year letter winner in basketball.  Last season she was named the Iowa Class 1A Player of the Year, averaging 14.2 points, 11.2 rebounds, 2.1 steals and 1.8 blocks per game while leading the Saintes to a 25-1 record and the Class 1A State Championship while shooting 50.7 percent (143-282) from the floor.  As a sophomore Underwood accounted for 11.6 points and 7.6 rebounds per contest, shooting 53.7 percent (110-205) from the field in leading the Saintes to a 23-2 record and the Class 1A State Tournament semi-finals.  She is a two-time All-State selection and named to the Class 1A All-Tournament Team as a sophomore and junior while also named All Hawkeye-10 Conference First Team.  Underwood has also medaled at State Track in the high jump placing sixth as a sophomore and has cleared a personal-best 5' 5".
            "Avah is a very athletic player that dominated throughout the 24-25 season and took it to another level at the state tournament," boasted Ortmeier.  "She had a 20-point, 24-rebound game at the state tournament to be named MVP.  Avah is a proven winner and will be a great addition to our program."
            Wayne State is an NCAA Division II school located in Wayne, Nebraska and competes in the 16-team Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference.  The Wildcats open the 2025-26 season this weekend at the Central Region Challenge in St. Joseph, Missouri taking on Emporia State Friday, November 14^th at 3 p.m.