PITTSBURGH — Pitt Panthers women’s basketball has had a wild month of recruiting, as they landed their sixth commitment in the Class of 2025 in forward Meredith Venner, who announced her decision on Instagram.
Venner plays for The Academy of Central Florida in Orlando, Miami Suns on the Nike EYBL Circuit and also for the Colombian National Team.
She came off the bench in four games at the 2024 FIBA South American Women’s Championship in Chile from Aug. 31-Sept. 7., averaging 3.3 points and 1.8 rebounds per game, as Colombia finished in third place. She gained experience playing against 20 to 30 year old adults at just 17 years old herself, helping her for collegiate level basketball.
Venner also played in the 2024 FIBA U18 Women’s Americup in her native Colombia, June 17-23. She ranked second on the team averaging both 11.5 points and 10.0 rebounds per game, helping Colombia make the quarterfinals.
She starred in the 2023 FIBA South American U17 Women’s Championship in Bucaramanga, Colombia from Nov. 26-Dec. 2, as she averaged an astounding 19.3 points and 16.0 rebounds per game, most of any player in either category. Her play led Colombia to a second-place finish in the tournament.
Venner also has prior experience with the Colombian National Team at the FIBA Women’s Olympic Pre-Qualifying Tournament, which took place Nov. 9-12, 2023.
She is a great rebounder and has an understanding of where to position herself on both sides of the floor to get extra possessions for her team. She also is a good defender overall, making steals and blocks at ease with her 6-foot-2 frame.
As promised, here’s some video on Colombia’s Meredith Venner (6’2, 17 yrs) ahead of the U18 AmeriCup (THREAD)
FIRST: Something that immediately leaps out is her craftiness.
Note, some of the shots in this clip are misses, but pay attention to how Venner creates with the ball https://t.co/niXJ2x4Wr5 pic.twitter.com/O0dIequLjN
— Alford Corriette (@alfcorriette) June 14, 2024
She is the fourth international player in this Class of 2025 for the Panthers, including wing Megan Hollingsworth and forward Divine Tumba Tshibuabua from Canada and forward/center Angela Le Faou of Spain/France.
Venner and Hollingsworth both made their official visits to Pitt the same weekend, Sept. 20-22, and now will both play for the program in the future.
The other two commitments include guard Theresa Hagans from Bishop Ireton High School in Alexandria, Va., right next to Washington, D.C., and wing Macie Arzner from McMinniville High School in McMinniville, Ore.
Senior (One Season of Eligibility)
Guard Raeven Boswell
Guard Aislin Malcolm
Guard Marley Washenitz
Guard Amiya Jenkins
Redshirt Junior (Two Seasons of Eligibility)
Guard Mikayla Johnson
Junior (Two Seasons of Eligibility)
Forward Lauren Rust
Guard Aaryn Battle
Sophomore (Three Seasons of Eligibility)
Guard Audrey Biggs
Redshirt Freshman (Four Seasons of Eligibility)
Forward Kiara Williams
Freshman (Four Years of Eligibility)
Guard Theresa Hagans
Wing Megan Hollingsworth
Wing Macie Arzner
Forward Divine Tumba Tshibuabua
Forward Meredith Venner
Forward/Center Angela Le Faou
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