Drury Lady Panthers head coach Molly Miller has announced the signing of transfer Lucia Fernandez, a 6-1 forward from Madrid, Spain who played the last two seasons at Ball State.
Lucia Fernandez (first name pronounced LOO-the-uh) will enter Drury as a junior. She missed a portion of last season with injuries and appeared in 10 games scoring six points and grabbing 10 rebounds for a Cardinals team that went 21-11, 14-4 in the Mid-American Athletic Conference and advanced to the WNIT.
Two years ago, Fernandez played in 20 games as a freshman and averaged 2.4 points and 1.6 rebounds on a squad that went 22-10 and got to the second round of the WNIT. She had a 16 point and nine rebounds in a game against Ohio Valley that season.
In Spain, Fernandez played for Club HM Torrelodones and was named Most Valuable Player of the Madrid Final 4 Femenino Basketball Championships after averaging 16 points and 14 rebounds in the postseason tournament.
“Lucia will provide a much-needed inside presence for us next year and be able to contribute immediately,” said Drury head coach Molly Miller. “One of my favorite attributes is how well she moves on offense; she will bring depth to our motion-based system. Her athleticism and agility will complement our defensive style of play as well. It has been nice to see the immediate connection she has made with our current players. Being from Madrid, Spain, I know the Drury community and program fans will welcome her with open arms. We are excited for “Lu” to be a Lady Panther as she is a great addition to the DU family!”
The Lady Panthers graduated three players from their 2016-17 team that finished 30-4, 17-1 in the Great Lakes Valley Conference, won the GLVC tournament and advanced to the NCAA-II Midwest Regional championship game for the second straight season.
Fernandez adds to Drury’s recruiting class that includes Azia Lynch (6-0, F, Blue Valley HS, Overland Park, Kan.), Payton Richards (5-6, G, West Plains HS, West Plains, Mo.) and Emily Parker (6-1, F, Aurora HS, Aurora, Mo.).
