NORMAL - Miami of Ohio women's basketball coach Maria Fantanarosa had been selling the merits of her alma mater to Kristin Judson for three years. After two recent visits to the Oxford, Ohio, campus, Judson was sold on playing at the Division I school.

The 6-foot-1 Judson, a senior-to-be at University High School, has orally committed to Miami and will sign a national letter of intent with the Redhawks in November.

Judson also received scholarship offers from Illinois-Chicago, Eastern Illinois and Florida Atlantic, and was being recruited by Southern Illinois, Wichita State, Loyola, Toledo, Western Michigan and Evansville. However, visits to Miami in May and July sealed the deal.

"The campus was beautiful, the coaches are great, the team is really bonded and it's a great academic school," Judson said. "Having a winning program is a plus, but their team is just really close. That was something that caught my eye."

Judson averaged 11.4 points and 6.8 rebounds for U High this past season. The first-team All-Area pick also shot 54 percent from the field while helping the Pioneers to a 21-8 record and Intercity Tournament, Corn Belt Conference and Class 3A regional championships.

The daughter of Illinois State assistant basketball coach Rob Judson, she played her first two years at DeKalb High School while her father was head coach at Northern Illinois.

"They (Miami) have been recruiting me since I was a freshman, so that helps," Judson said. "I'm real excited to play there. It's a big relief (to commit). The recruiting process was fun, but it was just kind of long."

She joins a program which is 161-133 in 10 seasons under Fantanarosa. The Redhawks were 23-10 last year, won the Mid-American Conference Tournament and earned their first NCAA Tournament bid.

U High coach Laura Sellers said Miami is getting a versatile player with a strong work ethic and sound fundamentals.

"I see her as one of those small forward types, being able to play a little bit near the basket and also show some guard skills away from the basket," Sellers said. "With her knowledge of the game, it's like having a coach on the floor. She's also really improved her outside shooting and I think she'll be able to bring that to the college level."

NCAA rules prohibit Fantanarosa from commenting on Judson until she receives her signed letter of intent.