Serving the High Plains
Serving the High Plains
Tucumcari point guard Ashley Shipley dribbles up the court during a 39-36 overtime victory Jan. 26 against previously unbeaten (Las Vegas) Robertson. Shipley, a senior for the Lady Rattlers this coming season, last week committed to playing basketball at Texas A&M-Commerce.
Tucumcari High School all-state girls basketball player Ashley Shipley, who will be entering her senior year with the Lady Rattlers this fall, verbally committed last week to play basketball next season at Texas A&M University-Commerce.
Shipley said she visited the campus northeast of Dallas on Aug. 26 and committed to going there a day later.
"I felt comfortable there, and it seemed like it was a great fit for me," she said Friday. "I made up my mind that's where I wanted to be. They had better opportunities, better facilities."
Texas A&M-Commerce coach Jason Burton's .599 winning percentage after five seasons there is an all-time high for the Lions program. Burton's success at the Division II school played a part in Shipley's decision.
"I want to win, so that helped," she said.
Shipley is not bound to honor the verbal committment. Only letters of intent are binding, and she can officially sign Nov. 13.
Shipley, the daughter of Ed and April Shipley, said other schools that tried to recruit her included Nicholls State in Louisiana, University of Texas-Permian Basin in Odessa and Binghamton University in New York.
For the Lady Rattlers last season, the 5-foot-7 Shipley averaged 16.4 points, 5.6 assists, 5.7 rebounds and 4.4 steals per game as a point guard. Tucumcari sported a 22-5 record, won the district title and advanced to the Class 3A state quarterfinals.
Shipley also played for the Team Fusion summer girls basketball team based out of El Paso. Her team won the Super 64 Tournament title in Dallas for the second year in a row and finished fifth at the Adidas Nationals in Atlanta.
Shipley also participates in Tucumcari's cross-country and track and field teams.
