USCA Concludes Signing Class With Addition of Two More

AIKEN, S.C. – University of South Carolina Aiken head women’s basketball coach Mike Brandt announced the addition of two more to his 2009-10 signing class on Monday afternoon.

Erika Sjoberg will join the Pacers out of Stockholm, Sweden, while Deandra Shirmer will suit up for the Pacers next season after playing at Cloud County Community College in Concordia, Kan.

The duo joins five others who are committed to play for USC Aiken next season. Brandt originally announced an incoming class of three high school signings and two transfers on May 20. The two newcomers join Hannah Degraffinreed (Raleigh, N.C./Merrimack), Catherine Cain (Dayton, Ohio/Ohio), Mia Antoine (Marietta, Ga./Dominion Christian High School), Brittany Bowen (Ellicot City, Md./Mount Hebron High School) and Daniel Tarailo (Crown Point, Ind./Crown Point High School).

Sjoberg has been on the USC Aiken campus since the winter semester of 2009 and she will be eligible to play during the second semester of the 2009-10 season.

The 5-foot-10 guard/forward played for the Lidingo Baskets in the highly competitive Swedish League. She averaged 12 points and eight rebounds per game.

Sjoberg played one year of high school basketball at St. Joseph High School in Plaucheville, La. during the 2005-06 season, leading her squad to a 27-8 record. She was the team’s leading scorer.

“Erika will bring us a very strong work ethic along with a great shooting touch,” noted Brandt. “She can knock down the three-pointer and has a good pull-up jumper. She works very hard on all aspects of her game almost daily.”

A 5-foot-9 forward, Shirmer led Cloud County to a 26-7 record during the 2008-09 campaign. Shirmer averaged 7.9 points and 9.0 rebounds per game for Cloud County during the season. In one contest last season against Dodge City (Kan.), Shirmer brought down 19 boards.

For her efforts on the hardwood for Cloud County, Shirmer was chosen to the Kansas Jayhawk Western Division Conference second team. She was also chosen an all-region performer.

“Deandra is a great competitor,” remarked Brandt. “She will work out anybody, and despite her size, bringing down nine rebounds per game in one of the toughest junior college conferences in the country is fantastic. I really think she will elevate our team to another level with her leadership, intensity, and court awareness.”

USC Aiken is coming off one of its best seasons in school history at 22-12.