Auburn, ME - Ahna McCusker, a 5'10" senior from Coe-Brown Northwood Academy in Northwood, NH has committed to the Lady Mustangs for next fall. As a junior, McCusker was named an NHBCO All-State Honorable Mention selection. This this season, she was named Northeast Girls Recruiting New Hampshire Player of the Week after recording 26 points, 15 rebounds against Kearsarge, and 22 points, 6 rebounds against Oyster River. In February, Ahna also recorded a triple-double of 24 points, 21 rebounds, and 12 blocks against state-finalist Hollis Brookline.
According to McCusker, "CM is the perfect fit for me and my family. It will allow me to really figure out what I want to do without going into massive debt to figure it out. Obviously, another big reason I chose CM was because of the women's basketball program. One of my former high school teammates went to CM, helping lead them to a national championship. Everything they do is impressive to me, and what they believe in as a program, is what I have always believed in as a player. College basketball is going to be more intense than any other level I have played at. The players will be tougher and stronger because of being in the weight room on a regular basis. Additionally, all of the players at the college level have undoubtedly decided to make basketball a big part of their life, and I have never been on a team where that is the case. Being surrounded by so much talent next year will push me to another level, and I am really looking forward to the daily challenge. I am ready to do whatever the team needs to me to do in order for us to win another championship."
Head Women's Basketball Coach, Andrew Morong, on McCusker, "Ahna is a very unique young woman, and we are thrilled she is joining the CM family. On the court she has an old school feel for the game, she is a relentless competitor who absolutely hates to lose, and will exhaust all of her resources to help her team win. She can finish inside through contact, and will continue to improve her transition and perimeter game this off-season. Her versatility, length, and basketball IQ are going to pose a lot of problems for opponents next year. The first time we saw her play, I was actually coaching against her during the Spring AAU season. The entire game I was thinking 'We NEED to get this girl.' It is clearly evident that as good as she is, she hasn't even started scratching the surface, and we are excited to help her with that journey. Off the court she has a captivating personality that I think other people are really drawn to. I think her willingness to compete and to get out of her comfort zone are going to be contagious. She is the type of student-athlete that you love to coach, but hate to play against - she will fit in perfectly!"
Former Lady Mustang, Jenny Schlim, is also a Coe-Brown grad ('15), and had this to say about McCusker, "Ahna has always been a strong, all-around athlete. She has a great competitive attitude that motivates her to improve her skills. I've watched her evolve into a player that will excel within Coach Morong's style of play. This is a perfect fit."
McCusker, who will be enrolled in Liberal Studies program at CM, joins Sierra Wallace (Morse HS - Bath, ME), Kasie Maloney (Concord HS - Concord, NH), and Elena Tool (Netherlands) in the Lady Mustangs 2018 recruiting class. The recruiting class which is expected to grow in the next few weeks will be replacing 6 graduating players off the 2017-18 squad that went 30-2 overall, 16-0 in the YSCC, won the YSCC Regular Season & Tournament Championships, and finished as the USCAA DII National Runner-Up.
