Wheaton, Ill. – Wheaton College head women's basketball coach Kent Madsen has announced the addition of eight newcomers that have submitted their deposit to attend Wheaton College, with the intent to play for the Thunder women's basketball team beginning with the 2016-17 season.

Head coach Kent Madsen mentions of the group, "We are very excited about the incoming freshmen class. These eight recruits cover five states from the east coast to the west coast. They provide us with athleticism, height, and versatility at every position.  We look forward to seeing the impact they have on the program."

Wheaton posted a 22-6 record in 2015-16, winning the program's second-consecutive CCIW Championship as head coach Kent Madsen was honored as the CCIW Coach of the Year.

The eight newcomers for 2016-17 are:
 
Jill Berg (Manito, Illinois/Midwest Central High School) is a 6'2" forward joining the Thunder after leading the Raiders as a two-time MVP selection. She holds school records for rebounds in a season, rebounds in a game, blocks in a game, blocks in a season and blocks in a career. She broke the state record for blocks in a career, which ranks her ninth in the nation. Berg was a First Team AP All-State selection, a Second Team IBCA All-State selection the past two years. She also earned recognition as the Peoria Journal Star Player of the Year, a Pekin Daily Times All-Area Team selection and a four-time All-Conference selection. In addition to these basketball-related accomplishments, Berg was a two-sport athlete, valedictorian of her class, a National Honor Society member, an All-State Academic nominee and a Wendy's High School Heisman State Finalist. 
 
Kristi Demski (Raleigh, North Carolina/Trinity Academy) is a 5'11" guard who completed a prolific high school career with more than 2,000 points as a four-year varsity starter for the Tigers. Named the team's Most Valuable Player for four straight years, Demski left her mark on the Tigers' program by scoring 2,061 points, grabbing 698 rebounds, dishing out 194 assists, nabbing 370 steals and blocking 293 shots. In her senior year, she averaged 24 points, five steals and three blocked shots per game. For her career, Demski made 246 three-pointers and shot at a 40% clip. Demski was a four-year All-Conference selection, a four-year All-Conference Tournament selection, and received her conference's Player of the Year award. She received numerous All-Tournament honors and was named All-State. As a two-sport athlete, Trinity Academy named Demski the Female Athlete of the Year, and academically, Demski was a member of the National Beta Club. 
 
Ellie Flitsch (Snohomish, Washington/Snohomish Senior High School) is a 6'2" forward who joins the Thunder after serving as team captain for a squad that finished second in Washington's 4A state basketball tournament. During her junior and senior years, her team won back-to-back 4A District Championships. Flitsch also played tennis in high school for three years on a team that went undefeated in those three years. In tennis, she received the Monica Anderson Award for Outstanding Freshman. Beyond athletics, Flitsch served as a class officer all four years in high school, including being the class treasurer her senior year, she was a National Honor Society member and she served with Young Life in Student Leadership. 
 
Kirsten Madsen (Montgomery, Illinois/Aurora Christian High School) is a 5'3" guard who was a four-year varsity starter as a prep. She led her team in scoring as a senior with 16 points, three steals and two assists per game. Madsen finished her career with 882 points and 127 three-pointers to rank fifth in school history for total points and third in three-pointers made. Madsen was named to the Daily Herald All-Area Team, Beacon News All-Area Second Team, Illinois Christian Schools First Team and she earned IBCA honorable mention recognition. Academically, Madsen graduated top-three in her class and was recognized as an Academic All-Conference selection the past three years. 
 
Jordan Myroth (East Peoria, Illinois/Peoria Christian High School) is a 5'11" guard who was a four-year varsity starter leading her team to an unprecedented three-consecutive regional championships and one sectional championship by averaging 12 points, eight rebounds, six assists and three steals per game. Myroth left a mark in the PCS record books as the only player in school history to complete four years of play without her team losing a tri-county conference regular season or conference tournament game. She holds a PCS record in career assists with 437 and ranks second in school history in career points with 1,413 and second in career rebounds with 623. Myroth cleaned up honors by receiving IBCA honorable mention All-State two years in a row, AP honorable mention All-State as a junior, First Team Tri-County All-Conference four years in a row, Tri-County Conference All-Tournament team four years running and Peoria Journal First Team All-Area.
 
Jane Ortlip (Cumming, Georgia/West Forsyth High School) is a 5'10" guard who comes to Wheaton as a three-year letterwinner and two-year varsity starter for West Forsyth High School. A team captain in her senior year, Ortlip's team won the Region 6AAAAA Championship and competed in the state's Final Four. Ortlip received recognition as the Forsyth's County Tip-Off Club Player of the Month for November/December. She garnered honors as a Region 6AAAAA Second Team selection, and she set a new school record for the highest three-point percentage in a game. 
 
Jacqueline San Jule (San Luis Obispo, California/Mission College Prep Catholic High School) is a 5'9" guard who led her team to three wins in the state tournament and a berth in the California Interscholastic Federation 5AA State Semifinals as a senior. A team captain, San Jule averaged nine points, three rebounds, three assists and two steals per game in her senior campaign. In the state semifinal , San Jule received the CIF Pursuing Victory with Honor award, and she was also named to the All CIF Southern Section First Team. In addition, she was a two-time All Pac-8 Athletic League selection and a two-time All San Luis Obispo County First Team selection. San Jule was a three-sport athlete, the Mission Prep Scholar Athlete of the Year, a member of the California Scholarship Federation and the school's winner in the Wendy's High School Heisman competition. 
 
Erica VanDusen (Matthews, North Carolina/Covenant Day High School) is a 5'11" guard. A four-year varsity starter at Covenant Day, she was a team captain in her junior and senior seasons. As a senior season, she was a Charlotte Independent Schools Athletic Association All-Conference Team selection and a "Matthews Mint-Hill Weekly" 2016 Super Team selection after scoring ten points or more in 17 games and registered 20 -plus points six times during the season. As a track athlete, she won the NCISAA 3A State Championship as a member of the 4X200 relay team and was second in state in the 4X400 relay. VanDusen holds three school records in the 200-meter dash, the 4X200 and the 4X400. She was a finalist at state in the 200-meter dash and 400-meter dash. A three-sport athlete at Covenant Day High School, VanDusen was a National Honor Society member, a National Spanish Honor Society officer and on the All A's Honor Roll her senior year.