PHILADELPHIA – La Salle Head Coach Jeff Williams announced the signing of two players who will join the Explorers next year. Brittany Murray (Falls Church, Va./Riverdale Baptist (Md.)) and Arielle Ward (Springfield, Mass./East Longmeadow) signed National Letters of Intent during the early signing period.
 
Murray is a 6'3 post player who will come to La Salle from one of the nation's basketball powerhouses. She is a pivotal player on a Riverdale Baptist team that is currently ranked No. 1 in the country in the USA Today Super 25 poll and has five Division I signees on the roster. Murray, the No. 32-ranked forward in the Class of 2012, transferred to Riverdale Baptist this season from National Christian Academy where she spent her junior year. During her junior season, she was named to the Peach State Hoops Top 100 and Breezy Bishop watch lists and was tabbed the MVP of the MLK Challenge Tournament. As a freshman and sophomore at Edison High School in Virginia, Murray led her squad to two district championships and was listed on the ESPNU Top 100 prospects list both seasons.
 
Ward is a 5'11 forward who is considered to be one of the rising stars in western Massachusetts. She is currently leading the East Longmeadow squad to an early 2-1 record this season, after leading the team to the playoffs as a junior. She averaged nine points, nine rebounds, five steals, four assists and three blocks last season and was named to the Springfield Republican First Team. Ward keyed East Longmeadow to two Western Massachusetts Division I championships as a freshman and sophomore.
 
The pair will be eligible to compete for the Explorers starting in the 2012-13 season. The current squad returns to action on Monday when the Explorers head across town to Drexel at 7 p.m.