NCMC Lady Pirates add to 2017 recruiting class with Maddie Book

Women's Basketball

North Central Missouri College has received a verbal commitment from Maddie Book, a senior forward from the basketball program at Lafayette High School in St. Joseph.

The Lafayette Fighting Irish twitter account made news of the commitment public Friday night, congratulating Book for her collegiate choice.

Book joins a Lady Pirates recruiting class that includes Brookfield’s Ashtin Williams, Trenton’s Whitley Richman, Mercer’s Nicole Kost and Lindsay Wyatt, and Gilman City’s Hailey Burrows.

Standing 5 feet 9 inches tall, Book has played significant minutes over the past four years for the highly-successful program on St. Joseph’s north side, putting up steady numbers that add up to 847 career points, including 7.7 points per game as a freshman, 8.7 as a sophomore, 7.5 as a junior, and 9.8 points per game in her senior year.  

With 156 made 3-pointers in her high school career, Book’s role with the Lady Pirates could end up being very similar to Jami Nickerson’s, as a wing player with length, and three-point shooting ability.  Nickerson, a native of Ottumwa, Iowa, is graduating this spring after two years with the North Central Missouri College program.

Book’s official signing with North Central is expected within the next couple of weeks.

In addition to her basketball work, Book has been active with the Lafayette High School cross country and track and field programs.

Photo credit : St. Joseph News-Press / file photo / St. Joseph, MO