Burdick, guard for 2011 class, picks Lady Vols

Cierra Burdick took the long route to Knoxville this weekend. With the recent rock slide interrupting I-40 traffic, the women’s basketball prospect estimated that the revised trip from Charlotte took an extra two hours.

After visiting, she chose a shortcut in her recruitment.

Burdick, a 6-foot-2 junior wing player and one of the top prospects of the 2011 graduating class, verbally committed to Tennessee. She made her choice after completing an unofficial campus visit this weekend.

Burdick said she picked the Lady Vols over South Carolina. The two schools had been the finalists on her list for several months.

“I didn’t plan on committing,’’ Burdick said. “I was going to visit South Carolina one more time and compare the two. I thought this was the best decision.”

Her announcement occurred before this year’s recruiting class for Tennessee became official. Senior guards Lauren Avant and Meighan Simmons are expected to sign letters of intent with UT in the fall signing period, which begins Wednesday.

As a sophomore, Burdick started 29 of 32 games for Butler High in Mathews, N.C., last season, averaging 12.8 points, 11.1 rebounds, 2.1 steals and 1.8 assists per game.

This summer she played for the USA U16 national team, which won the FIBA Americas tournament in Mexico City. In five games, Burdick averaged 6.8 points and 4.4 rebounds per game. She shot 44.1 percent from the floor (15-for-34) and recorded 18 assists.

Burdick’s mother, Lisa, and her grandparents accompanied her this weekend and were factors in UT’s favor.

“My family has a big influence on me,’’ Burdick said. “They thought it was the right decision for me.”

The rerouted journey notwithstanding, UT being relatively near was a plus for Burdick, along with the team itself.

“The biggest thing with me is getting better and better so I can compete at the next level,’’ she said. “That coaching staff can bring the full potential out in me.”

Another look at Knoxville also was worthwhile for Burdick, who conceded that she “didn’t want to be out in the boondocks.”

“I was thinking there was going to be nothing but the University of Tennessee,’’ said Burdick, who also attended the Lady Vols’ summer camp. “I was very surprised when I came and saw all the views. The (Women’s Basketball) Hall of Fame, the river. That was a huge surprise.”

© 2009, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.
Want to use this article? Click here for options!