Lady Trojan Hoopsters To Sign National Letters of Intent

A pair of Gaithersburg High School senior basketball stars have verbally committed to college and plan to sign national letters of intent during the early signing period that runs from Nov. 9 through Nov. 16.

Jacquilyn Jackson and Colleen Marshall, who helped lead the Lady Trojans to a perfect 25-0 record and the 4A state championship earlier this year, are both expected to sign with Division I college programs on Nov. 11.

Marshall, who committed to East Carolina, also received offers from Fordham, Bucknell, Hartford, American, St. Joseph’s, Loyola and Delaware according to Gaithersburg head coach Adrian McDaniel.

As a junior, Marshall averaged 11 points per game in helping to guide the Lady Trojans to their finest season in school history.

Marshall’s older sister, Kara Marshall, graduated in June and is currently a freshman on the basketball team at Loyola.

Meanwhile, Jackson opted for Temple after receiving offers from various schools including Bucknell, Central Florida and Alabama.

Jackson said she narrowed her choices down to Temple and LaSalle before picking the Owls. Both schools are located in Philadelphia.

“I went and visited LaSalle and I visited Temple,” said Jackson, who averaged a double-double last season. “I really liked LaSalle when I went there but then when I went to Temple it was like I don’t know [about LaSalle]. I just fell in love with the [Temple] campus and the team and everything.”

Jackson, who transferred to Gaithersburg from the Academy of the Holy Cross last year, said she will reunite with a pair of former high school teammates at Temple, Natasha Thames and Tyonna Williams.

“I’m really excited,” said Jackson. “I’m really looking forward to it. It will be fun to play with my old teammates, too.”