COLLEGE PARK, Md. – The Maryland women's basketball team will welcome the No. 1 freshman class in the country next season, head coach Brenda Frese announced Wednesday.
Frese and her staff signed four five star recruits that make up the second No. 1 class signed in program history. Guard Ashley Owusu (Woodbridge, Va.), guard Diamond Miller (Somerset, N.J.), guard Zoe Young (Des Moines, Iowa) and forward Faith Masonius (Manasquan N.J.) are all ranked in ESPNW's top 50 recruits and Blue Star Basketball's top 25 recruits in the class of 2019.
This is the No. 1 class in the country, as ranked by ESPN and Blue Star Basketball. This is the 13th top 10 recruiting class signed by Frese in her 17 years under Maryland. Frese brought in the top recruiting class in 2016 and she signed the nation's No. 2 recruiting class in 2007 and 2010.
Owusu is the highest-ranked player of the four, coming in as the No. 5 overall player, as ranked by ESPNW and Blue Star. Miller is ranked No. 14 by Blue Star and No. 18 by ESPNW, Young is No. 22 by Blue Star and No. 30 by ESPNW and Masonius is No. 25 by Blue Star and No. 49 by ESPNW.
"This 2019 class is one we are really excited about," Frese said. "There's a lot to like with four versatile players that have each won a lot of games. Like any class, it was years in the making. First, we identify them, we evaluate and then we get to know them and their families to see if they are a fit. I really want to thank our staff and team for the incredible job they did throughout the process.
"This class includes two championship winning players from New Jersey, which is a state that has been very good to us in my time at Maryland. You can say the same for Virginia, which is where Ashley Owusu is from. For the first time, we got to sign a player from my home state of Iowa.
"We had the four members of this class and their families in on the same weekend for their official visits. I don't know if I can remember a better visit overall. It was a lot of fun for everyone and hopefully a great sign of things to come."
Faith Masonius ∙ 6-1 ∙ Forward
Hometown: Manasquan, N.J.
High School: Manasquan High School
AAU Team: Philadelphia Belles
About Masonius: Ranked the No. 25 overall player by Blue Star and No. 49 overall player and No. 10 overall wing by ESPN… averaged 18.7 points and 10.2 rebounds per game as a junior last year… hit 1,000 career points as a junior last season… named NJ.com First Team All-State, USA Second Team All-New Jersey and First Team All-Group 2 in 2018…earned NJ.com Third Team All-State honors as a sophomore in 2017… 2018 NJ Tournament of Champions Champion and runner-up in 2016 and 2017…NJSIAA Group 2 Champions in 2016, 2017, 2018.
Brenda Frese on Masonius: "We really liked Faith when she came to our camp a few years back. Everything about her says winner. She's the kind of person that others want to play with. She makes her teams better in multiple ways. She can handle, pass and score the ball. I really think she's going to become an important part of our program. She's the daughter of a coach and it shows on the court."
Faith Masonius on Maryland: "I loved the coaches, the campus, the atmosphere and especially the energy at the game against South Carolina last year. I love the family atmosphere. Coach B is intense, but is also kind of like a mom that cares for her players."
Diamond Miller ∙ 6-1 ∙ Guard
Hometown: Somerset, N.J.
High School: Franklin High School
AAU Team: Team Miller Lightning
About Miller: Ranked the No. 14 overall player by Blue Star and No. 18 overall player and No. 6 guard by ESPN… named to Naismith High School Girls Award watch list…currently the leading scorer in Franklin High School's history and is just 320 points from 2000 in her career with 1,680…led high school team to Group 4 title in 2017 and 2018 and team won the title in Tournament of Champions…named to the USA Under-16 team and helped team to gold…twice named the High School Fall League MVP…named the MVP of the Rose Classic...AAU team won Boo Williams tournament title…once made ESPN's top 10 plays.
Brenda Frese on Miller: "Diamond should thrive in the way we play up tempo. With her size, smarts and ability, she can be a stat sheet stuffer. She grew up in a basketball family, with her dad coaching and having played at Villanova and professionally. She's a terrific teammate who has really been a prime time performer in big games. She can play all over the perimeter and can create match-up problems with her length."
Diamond Miller on Maryland: "I knew I wanted to come to Maryland on my home visit. They felt like family and it just felt like home to me. I love Coach B and her passion makes you want to play hard. She makes you want to be your best. Everyone at Maryland just made me feel like part of the family right away."
Ashley Owusu ∙ 5-11 ∙ Guard
Hometown: Woodbridge, Va.
High School: Paul VI Catholic High School
AAU Team: BWSL
About Owusu: Ranked the No.5 overall player by Blue Star and ESPN and No. 1 point guard by ESPN… also on the ESPN Player of the Year Watch List… named to Naismith High School Girls Award watch list…won a WCAC championship her freshman year and won states in her freshmen, sophomore, junior seasons…twice named to WCAC All-First Team and earned First Team All-Met by the Washington Post in her junior year.
Brenda Frese on Owusu: "We've probably been watching Ashley since middle school. She was already known that early. She's a powerful guard that can get her shot in multiple ways. She's played in one of the top high school programs and conferences in the country. She's delivered some big games when her teams have needed it. She should really provide some punch to our backcourt."
Ashley Owusu on Maryland: "I'm a family person and Coach B really talks about and makes family important. It just felt like home to me and it is a bonus that my family can come to games. I knew their track record of players having success in the league and I knew the coaching staff could help me get better."
Zoe Young ∙ 5-10 ∙ Guard
Hometown: Des Moines, Iowa
High School: West Des Moines Valley High School
AAU Team: Kingdom Hoops Elite
About Young: Ranked the No. 22 overall player by Blue Star and the No. 30 overall player and No. 9 guard by ESPN… named to Naismith High School Girls Award watch list…team won 2017 state title and has been a two-year varsity captain… earned First Team All-State honors in 2016-17 and named First Real Elite All-State in 2017-18…named an alternate for the USA Under-17 National Team… named Academic All-Conference three times, earned three academic letters and three time Des Moines Register Elite 8 preseason honoree…also an AP scholar.
Brenda Frese on Young: ""Zoe is a powerful guard that can play both the one and the two. She's unselfish and sees the floor well. She facilitates for others and she can score when she needs to. I'm a big believer in having players that connect the other players on the court. I think Zoe can be one of those players for us. And there's the Iowa connection- my home state and Zoe's the first recruit we've signed from there. It was nice when I would go to watch her play, to see the family connection and bring my family members along too."
Zoe Young on Maryland: "I saw Maryland play at a game in Iowa and I just knew I loved the speed, style of play, Coach B. She is a players' coach. I loved the family environment, the campus, how they run, everything just fit and clicked for me. It is an elite program and has great academics. I love that Maryland is in the Big Ten and I loved Coach B's connection to Iowa."
