The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB Women's Hoops Inks Two Junior College Standouts
5/7/2013 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
May 7, 2013
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Miranda Burroughs and Bianca Dufelmeier, two National Junior College Athletic Association All-Americans, have signed National Letters of Intent to play for the UAB women's basketball program, head coach Randy Norton announced on Tuesday.
Burroughs and Dufelmeier, who will join the Blazers for the upcoming 2013-14 season, represent the first two signees for Norton, who was named head coach on April 22, 2013.
"When Miranda and Bianca came down to visit there was instant chemistry with our current team," Norton said. "I think they will both be great additions and we are excited to have them as part of the Blazer family."
Burroughs, a native of Poplar Bluff, Mo., was a NJCAA Division I All-American at Kaskaskia College in Centralia, Ill. Playing in the Great Rivers Athletic Conference, the 5-foot-5 guard was an All-Central Region First Team member and was the league Player of the Year runner-up. Burroughs averaged 11.9 points per game last season and shot over 40 percent from 3-point range for the Blue Angels.
Away from basketball, Burroughs was also a dynamic soccer player, earning All-American honors on her way to being named the Region 24 Player of the Year. The midfielder ranked 22nd in the nation in goals (46) and 28th in assists (22) last season.
Burroughs prepped at Poplar Bluff High School in Missouri before moving on to Kaskaskia College.
"Miranda is a shooting guard with a great stroke," Norton said. "She is a very high energy player who will complement the returning athleticism that we have on our team."
A native of Canberra, Australia, the 5-foot-7 Dufelmeier was a guard at Kirkwood Community College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. She earned NJCAA Division II All-America honors last season and was a Region XI First Team member after making the Region XI All-Tournament team.
Dufelmeier averaged 9.9 points per game and led her team in assists with 4.2 per contest. She scored in double figures 17 times last season and was the only freshman named first-team all-region in 2011-12 after shooting 38 percent from behind the arc.
"Bianca is a guard who can play the point or shooting guard position for us," Norton added. "She has NBA range from behind the arc and will be another strong 3-point threat for our team. She and Miranda both have the ability to make an immediate impact on our team and I look forward to them getting to Birmingham."
Dufelmeier played at Ames (Iowa) High School before her time at Kirkwood Community College. She averaged 8.9 points and 4.7 rebounds per game in high school and helped her team to a 14-9 record in her senior season. Her father, Tad Dufelmeier, who played collegiately at Loyola (Chicago) from 1975-77, played professionally in the National Basketball League (NBL) from 1982-91 and won a championship with the Canberra (Australia) Cannons.
