Recruits set for OCC?

Community College coaches approach recruiting classes the same way baseball players and coaches deal with pending no-hitters. Talking about either before they come to fruition is considered a jinx.

But Orange Coast College women’s basketball coach Mike Thornton couldn’t help but let slip that he may have pieced together the most talented crop of recruits in what will be his 18th season at the helm.

The Pirates lost five sophomore starters from a squad that won a school-record 27 regular-season games, then advanced to the state semifinals before finishing 30-6. But if the players who have committed merely hold to their word ? which doesn’t always happen in the transient world of community college athletics, but has only happened once to Thornton in his time at Coast ? the 2006-07 Pirates may have enough to contend for the program’s second state crown.

Among those who have committed are: sophomore-to-be Robin Smith, an All-Orange Empire Conference point guard last season at Irvine Valley; Jen Rogers, a former CIF Southern Section Player of the Year at Mater Dei High who is bouncing back from UC Riverside; and five players who played in last month’s Orange County All-Star Game.

In addition, Christina Calcagno, a frontcourt standout from Windsor High in Northern California, has committed to help replace the inside presence of departing all-conference performers Jillian Ricks (UC San Diego) and Madison Parks (Long Beach State).

The Orange County All-Stars planning to help contribute are Courtney Ford (Villa Park), Rachel Maulit, a two-time Sunset League MVP from Marina High, Brittany Taylor (Santa Margarita), Erin Barney (Marina) and Katie Kissee (Villa Park).

Thornton said Ford, a 5-foot-7 guard, may be the best recruit he has ever landed, but her talent also makes her arrival somewhat tenuous.

“She’s definitely a scholarship player,” Thornton said. “She may be the hardest one to hold onto, but, at this point, she has committed to us.”

Taylor, a 5-10 forward, turned down a scholarship offer from Utah State in order to remain in Orange County, Thornton said.