Drury University

The Drury Lady Panthers picked up their second recruit of the fall signing session when Ozark High School standout Bri Anton signed an NCAA letter-of-intent to join the program starting with the 2009-10 campaign.

The 5-foot-10 Anton, a guard/forward, was one of the most sought-after prep products in Missouri this season, turning down several NCAA Division I opportunities to become a Lady Panther. She chose Drury over Missouri, Arkansas State, Arkansas, Eastern Illinois and Southeast Missouri State, among others.

She averaged just under 15 points, six rebounds and four assists per game last season for the Lady Tigers, a perennial Central Ozark Conference power expected to be among the elite teams in southwest Missouri again this season.

"We really feel like Bri can come in and impact our program immediately," Drury coach Steve Harold said. "I like her size, her athleticism, her ability to shoot the three ... she's played on a winning program at Ozark for Yancey Little and she's played against national caliber competition in the summer with (the Missouri Valley Magic program and coach) Allen Wilson, so we know she'll be ready to step on the floor and contribute from the minute she gets here."

Anton joins 5-10 Nixa High School senior Abby Bracker, also a member of the AAU Magic, as players who've committed to join the Lady Panthers next season.

Drury, ranked No. 7 nationally in the USA TODAY/ESPN Top 25 Poll, opens its season tonight against Northeastern State in a 7 p.m. tipoff at Weiser. The Lady Panthers return four starters from a team that went 28-4 last season, won the Great Lakes Valley Conference championship and made a sixth straight appearance in the NCAA-II national tournament.