MILWAUKEE - Sierra Ford-Washington of Richfield, Minn., and Alba Izquierdo Urbizu of Pamplona, Spain, have signed National Letters of Intent to play women's basketball at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, head coach Kyle Rechlicz announced today.
 
Taylor Baker of Lodi, Wis., has also declared her intent to enroll and join the Panthers next season.
 
"I could not be more thankful for the staff that I have for finding and recruiting such a talented group of players to join our team in the spring signing period," Rechlicz said. "All three athletes that are joining our Panther family are extremely talented on the court and in the classroom and they fit the culture we are developing. I am looking forward to having them on campus soon, so we can continue to take our program to new heights."
 
Ford-Washington is a junior-college transfer who just wrapped up an impressive two-year career at North Iowa Area Community College in Mason City, Iowa. Izquierdo Urbizu will be joining the Panthers as a freshman from overseas and Baker starred in her prep career at Lodi High School.
 
Ford-Washington was recently selected a First-Team NJCAA Division II All-American after averaging 22.0 points and 6.1 rebounds per game over the course of the 2014-15 campaign. She added 4.1 assists and 3.1 steals per game, helping lead the Lady Trojans to a 26-5 record and the NJCAA Region XI title game. Ford-Washington was a First-Team NJCAA Region XI All-Region selection, Region XI all-tournament team member and five-time ICCAC Player of the Week honoree.
 
She scored 848 career points to place ninth on the school's all-time scoring list. As a freshman, she helped the team to a 34-2 mark, scoring 245 points with 122 rebounds, 37 assists and 71 steals.
 
That followed a standout career at Richfield High School that ended with a knee injury in the postseason of her senior career, a year in which she led the team to the Class 3A semifinal matchup and a 28-4 record. She averaged 13.3 points, 4.0 assists, 5.0 rebounds and 4.0 steals per game, making 41 percent of her three's.
 
As a junior, Ford-Washington helped the Spartans advance to state for the first time in the history of Richfield girls basketball. She received all-conference and all-state honors in her career and was named to the Class 3A all-star team.
 
"Sierra is a winner," Rechlicz said. "Everywhere she has been, she has led her team deep into tournament play. She is a competitor that excels in all phases of the game. With her experience, I expect her to challenge for time the minute she steps on campus."
 
Izquierdo Urbizu has spent the past three seasons playing higher-level competition in the Spain Championships and the national league. She helped her team to the 2014 championship and Navarra's Cup, as well as a second-place finish the season prior.
 
Her U16 team was league champions and she made her National Division debut as a 15-year old.
 
"Alba is coming a long way from Spain to join our program," Rechlicz said. "She has an incredible skill set as a combo guard. She can get to the rim and has a knack for finishing around the basket. It has been a true joy getting to know her and her family throughout the recruiting process. Our entire team can't wait for her arrival to Milwaukee."
 
Baker recently completed her senior season at Lodi High School. She was named Capitol North Conference Player of the Year and a unanimous first-team selection after averaging 18.6 points (led the league), 3.5 assists and 3.0 steals per game, earning Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association Division 3 All-State accolades as well as Honorable Mention Associated Press All-State status. Her 61 3's this season set a school record.
 
That came following a junior campaign in which she averaged 9.0 points in 13 games after coming back from an ACL injury the previous summer. In her career, she was a two-time conference player of the year and three-time all-league choice. Baker netted over 1,000 points in her career and helped the team to the state tournament for the first time as a sophomore.
 
"I was thrilled when Taylor got in touch with our staff about the potential to be a preferred walk-on," Rechlicz said. "Her point-guard skills were evident while watching her and the consistency in her shot is something we have been looking for in our program.  She plays with an edge and toughness that is sure to elevate our team.  I am looking forward to watching her grow under our leadership."